A close associate of Pashinyan ruled out the possibility of a referendum on the EAEU in the near future.
A referendum on the possible exit of Armenia from the EAEU cannot be held in the coming months. The country remains a full member of the union, stated a member of parliament from the "Civil Contract" party.
As reported by "Caucasian Knot", the bans on the import of Armenian products into Russia contradict the agreements between the two countries, reminded Nikol Pashinyan during a phone conversation with Vladimir Putin on July 27. The latter, in turn, insisted on holding a referendum in Armenia on joining the EU. A referendum on the choice between the EAEU and the EU will be meaningless and illegitimate until a number of procedural steps are completed, which will demonstrate disrespect for the people of Armenia, Pashinyan stated on August 7.
The authorities of Armenia should determine their participation in the EU or EAEU as soon as possible, for example, by holding a referendum that could serve as a basis for an "intelligent divorce" between the two countries, Putin stated on May 9. Armenia cannot sever economic ties with Russia and the EAEU, but has not eliminated the distrust between Yerevan and Moscow against the backdrop of the Armenian authorities' rhetoric about the country's accession to the European Union, analysts pointed out.
A member of parliament from the ruling faction "Civil Contract", Sarkis Handanyan, commented on the country's status in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) on August 11. He emphasized that Armenia remains a full member of the union - its status has not changed and will not change in the near future.
"In the coming months, our participation will continue both politically and in terms of financial resources. Membership is based on the interests of both Armenia and the other member states of the union," News.am quoted Handanyan as saying.
The parliamentarian emphasized that the process of rapprochement with the European Union for Armenia is characterized by internal reforms, and holding a referendum on exiting the EAEU is impossible, as this issue "has not been discussed in the country." Sarkis Handanyan added that the continuation of Armenia's membership in the Eurasian Economic Union will be reflected in the program of the new government.
The deputy also commented on Armenia's status in another pro-Russian intergovernmental organization, the CSTO. Responding to a statement by the Deputy Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Mikhail Galuzin, about the possible deprivation of Armenia's voting rights in the CSTO, Handanyan emphasized that Yerevan does not plan to activate its participation in this organization.
"Nothing has changed in Armenia's position. Armenia has frozen its participation in the CSTO for several years now, and, in fact, we do not see a way back. We will monitor the developments and take into account the decision made by our partners in the CSTO," "News-Armenia" quoted him as saying.