On Tuesday, March 26, Armenia’s National Assembly passed a law in its second reading to begin the process of joining the European Union.
The bill, introduced by the “Platform of Democratic Forces” coalition—a group of four non-parliamentary parties and public initiatives—was supported by over 50,000 citizens who signed petitions backing the initiative.
While the law does not immediately call for a referendum on EU membership, government officials stress that it signals “political will” to move toward integration with the EU.
“We introduced this bill so that Armenia could express its political will to move towards the European Union. This process is irreversible. The people support it,” said Artak Zeynalyan, the authorized representative of the initiative group “Euroreferendum.”
European Parliament members have noted that Armenia’s EU membership will take significant time and effort, requiring extensive reforms across various sectors, from justice to social policies, to align with European standards.
Russia, however, has cautioned that starting the EU membership process will also mean Armenia’s departure from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). “The launch of the membership process in the European Union also means the launch of the process of leaving the Eurasian Economic Union,” Russia stated, emphasizing that Armenia cannot belong to both the EU and the EAEU simultaneously.
The EAEU, which includes Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, could be impacted by Armenia’s potential shift toward EU membership.
