Armenia's parliament passes bill on EU accession
The Armenian parliament passed a bill "On starting the process of accession of the Republic of Armenia to the European Union" in its second and final reading on March 26, the News.am news agency reported.
The bill, introduced into the parliament as a civil initiative after collecting 60,000 signatures, was supported by 64 lawmakers, with seven voting against it.
Yerevan has sought to build a closer relationship with the EU amid deteriorating ties with Russia, though the South Caucasus country is yet to submit a membership application.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stressed in January that even after the bill is passed, the accession process can start only if the Armenian people support it in a referendum.
The prime minister noted that the bill should be approached without "undue enthusiasm" and that the country should currently focus on developing more practical steps, such as visa liberalization.
Speaking in the European Parliament in October 2023, Pashinyan said that his country is ready to align more closely with the bloc, though he later expressed doubts about whether Armenia is ready for full membership.
Pashinyan spoke in the EU's legislature shortly after Russia, Armenia's traditional ally, failed to prevent an Azerbaijani lightning offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh, leading to a rapid deterioration of ties between Yerevan and Moscow.
Last March, the European Parliament adopted a resolution urging the EU's executive bodies to strengthen relations with Armenia. The parliament also said that Armenia meets the Maastricht Treaty requirements to apply for membership.
Oleg Sukhov
