New Ideas for Relations between Armenia and the European Union
Հայաստանի և Եվրամիության հարաբերությունների նոր գաղափարներ: Կառլո Կոպպոլայի հոդված.
Relations between Armenia and the European Union seem to be at their highest levels in history. This is what has been highlighted in recent days by both the EU and Armenian sides. Three factors would be complicit: Armenia's progressive distancing from Russian influence decided by the government led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the uncertainty over Joe Biden's withdrawal from the race for the American presidency, and the new declaration by the European Union ready to start a dialogue with Armenia on the liberalization of the visa regime for entry into the Union itself. The latter, at the moment, seems to be the most important factor in strengthening EU-Armenia relations. A first preliminary positive decision in this sense was taken during the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the EU held yesterday, 22 July 2024. In fact, the Council of the European Union also welcomed the European Commission's intention to start a dialogue with Armenia on visa liberalization. In the framework of the visa liberalization dialogue, the Armenian authorities should implement significant reforms in key areas such as travel document security, border, migration and asylum management, public order and security. These issues are considered fundamental by the European institutions because they are linked to freedom of movement.
The main instrument for conducting the visa liberalization dialogue will be contained in a specific action plan that will be presented to the Armenian authorities, which will presumably include an agenda with steps to follow. The dialogue will be carried out through close cooperation with the EU Member States, so that the process is monitored and meets all the standards required by the European side, which only then will issue the final decision on visa liberalization. Until that time, the competent visa authorities will continue to exercise their power to control entries into the EU member states.
In the meantime, a self-formed "Platform of Democratic Forces" of Armenia - referring to some parties, movements and organizations that declare themselves pro-European - held a public meeting on North Avenue, the main shopping street in the center of the Armenian capital. The main topic of the meeting, attended by journalists, politicians and citizens, was the intention to start a collection of signatures preliminary to the holding of a referendum on Armenia's accession to the European Union. The newly formed "platform" of political and civil forces will soon start collecting signatures. If - as they are certain - they manage to collect 50,000 signatures in 45 days, the issue will be transferred to the National Assembly. The authors of the initiative have no doubts that the Armenian government is also in favor of joining the EU.
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