The Armenian Parliament on Wednesday passed the law “On the beginning of the process of membership of the Republic of Armenia in the European Union” in the second and final reading. Sixty-four MPs voted in favor, 7 against. Deputies from the opposition Armenia Alliance, whose leader is former President Robert Kocharyan, did not participate in the vote.
Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan noted that the adoption of the law is not a bid for EU membership, but reflects the desire of Armenian citizens “to take the partnership with the European Union to a new level.”
The bill adopted on March 26 was proposed by the extra-parliamentary “Platform of Democratic Forces”, which in the fall of 2024 collected and submitted to the Central Election Commission of Armenia more than 60 thousand signatures in support of the referendum on European integration. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan also emphasizes that Armenia’s application for EU membership, according to the Constitution, should be approved in a referendum after consultations with the EU leadership on the roadmap.