Armenian Parliament Approves EU Integration Bill

Armenia’s National Assembly has approved a bill declaring the country’s intent to pursue membership in the European Union, Orda.kz reports, citing Armenpress.

The legislation passed in its final reading on March 26 with 64 votes in favor and seven against, according to Parliamentary Speaker Alen Simonyan.

Civic activist Artak Zeynalyan presented the bill on behalf of several public organizations, which had gathered over 50,000 signatures in support of Armenia’s European integration.

While the EU has not formally offered Armenia a path to membership, officials in Yerevan say the legislation aims to strengthen democracy, improve living standards, and promote national security and sustainable development. The ruling Civil Contract party backed the bill.

Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan clarified that the law does not constitute an official application for EU membership, but rather “expresses a desire for deeper relations with the European Union.”

A new partnership agenda between Brussels and Yerevan is expected to be adopted in the near future.

Original Author: Ruslan Loginov