Ruling party unilaterally approves EU accession bid

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia's National Assembly has adopted the bill titled “On launching the process of accession of the Republic of Armenia to the European Union” in its second and final reading.

The ruling Civil Contract faction secured the bill's passage with 64 votes in favor, while opposition parties did not participate. The “I Have Honor” faction opposed the measure, and the Armenia alliance abstained entirely, according to Aysor.

The government proposed removing the preamble of the original bill, specifically rephrasing the expression “Armenia, expressing the will of the people.” The revised version now states: “Armenia, with the aim of developing democratic institutions, improving public welfare, strengthening security, resilience, and the rule of law, declares the launch of the process of Armenia’s accession to the EU.”

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Paruyr Hovhannisyan clarified that passing the bill does not equate to submitting a formal membership application.

“Nevertheless, it expresses the will of Armenian citizens who aspire to deepen the partnership with the EU to a new level and aligns with a balanced foreign policy,” he noted.

The draft bill was initially adopted on February 12 during its first reading as part of a civil initiative.