Epress.am News from Armenia
On November 14th, the Armenian Constitutional Court approved Armenia’s membership to the Eurasian Economic Union, and currently the issue of ratifying the membership treaty is up for vote at the National Assembly.
The Union of Informed Citizens NGO has sent written requests to the National Assembly’s political factions, asking them about their stance on EEU membership.
The NGO noted that the the Republican Party (HHK) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF-D) factions' stance toward EEU membership is quite positive.
“Heritage party faction leader Ruben Hakobyan did not respond to our question, despite his legal requirement to do so. However, the party's political platform has stated that Armenia must sign their negotiated EU Association Agreement, which means that Armenia can not enter the EEU, because it restricts Armenia from signing free trade deals with third party states. The same statement was confirmed by Heritage MP Zaruhi Postanjyan’s response, as well as older statements made by that political party,” noted the Union of Informed Citizens.
The NGO stressed that closer relations with the EU is instilled in the Orinats Yerkir Party’s political platform, which, according to the same logic, is a contradiction with EEU membership. The faction leader Heghine Bisharyan did not respond to the NGO’s questions.
Armenian National Congress faction leader Levon Zurabyan stated that his faction had not discussed the matter yet.
“However, HAK party leader, first-president Levon Ter-Petrosyan spoke positively about the EEU during his speeches and even made statements regarding its constitutionality, which justify Armenia’s membership in that institution,” said the NGO.
The Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) secretary Naira Zohrabyan response notes that different perspectives exist in regards to EEU membership. “The Prosperous Armenia Faction will announce its final view after entering the Eurasian Economic Union with the results of a vote with all its members,” said BHK Secretary Naira Zohrabyan’s letter to the NGO.
The Union of Informed Citizens NGO stresses that the “The National Assembly’s standing committee on European Integration chairman Mrs. Zohrabyan, most probably, is unaware that the membership treaty was signed on October 10.”