EU needs countries like Armenia, says Dimitriadis

PanARMENIAN.Net - On April 1, Yerevan hosted the sixth session of the EU-Armenia Civil Society Platform, with opening remarks from co-chairs Lusine Hakobyan (President of Europe in Law Association NGO) and Simo Tiainen (European Economic and Social Committee). Dimitris Dimitriadis, Head of External Relations at the European Economic and Social Committee, also delivered a welcoming speech, according to the Europe in Law Association NGO.

Dimitriadis welcomed the adoption of legislation initiating Armenia’s accession process to the European Union. He emphasized that “the EU needs countries like Armenia,” but also pointed out that “Armenia has serious work to do” on this path.

Several officials assessed the implementation of the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA). Speakers included EU Ambassador to Armenia Vassilis Maragos, Chairman of the Armenian Parliament’s Committee on European Integration Arman Yeghoyan, Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ European Department Samvel Mkrtchyan, and David Cullen, Head of the South Caucasus Division at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations.

David Cullen conveyed two main messages: he called on the Armenian authorities to clearly define their priorities for receiving EU support, and urged civil society to openly outline what responsibilities EU membership could entail for Armenia, along with its potential benefits.

Deputy Minister of Justice Anna Karapetyan, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Armen Ghazaryan, Suzanna Soghomonyan (Armenian Lawyers’ Association), Hasmik Harutyunyan (Protection of Rights Without Borders NGO), and Hovsep Khurshudyan (President of Free Citizen NGO) presented reports on CEPA implementation in areas such as rule of law, human rights protection, anti-corruption efforts, and security.

These were followed by discussions covering various agenda topics.

On social dialogue and labor rights, reports were delivered by Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Ruben Sargsyan, Vice President of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Armenia Tiruhi Nazaretyan, and legal expert Anna Barikyan.

Participants also discussed issues related to industrial and entrepreneurial policy. Speakers included Deputy Minister of Economy Lilia Sirekanyan, Gagik Makaryan from the Republican Union of Employers, Nerses Karamanukyan (Vice President of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs), and Francesco Pietro de Lotto, Chair of the Consultative Commission on Industrial Change of the European Economic and Social Committee.

At the conclusion of the session, participants adopted a joint declaration summarizing the outcomes and outlining key directions for further cooperation.

On February 12, Armenia’s National Assembly approved in the first reading a draft law to launch the country’s EU accession process. The initiative, proposed by the “Eurovote” civil initiative, had previously been approved by the government on January 9 and will be further discussed in parliament.