Spanish Member of Parliament Jon Inarritu called on the European Union to support Armenia’s latest integration move, which he described as a “bold step,” Armenian media reported.
Earlier in February, Armenia’s parliament passed a draft law on EU membership in the first reading.
“I think Armenia’s place has always been in Europe, be it cultural or historical ties,” Inarritu told Armenpress. “The EU should support Armenia to regain its rightful place in the European family.”
He stressed the growing role of civil society in the fact that the EU bill was initiated by a petition of civil society organisations.
“The EU must support this bold step and ensure that Armenia does not face the challenges alone, as it is one of the few democracies in the region,” the Spanish lawmaker said.
“If the legislation moves forward, Armenia must take the necessary steps to comply with EU standards and values,” he added, emphasising that the path to EU accession requires significant reforms.
Inarritu also spoke about Armenia’s ties with Russia and the latter’s possible reaction to the adoption of the draft law.
“It is important to remember that Russia is likely to launch a major campaign to block close ties between Armenia and the EU, as it did in the past when Armenia was pressured to join the Eurasian Economic Union, leaving the country with few options,” he said.
The EU bill was initiated by several civil society organisations through a petition that garnered enough votes to be considered as a bill. It calls on the Armenian authorities to start the EU accession process.
The bill was earlier approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
