Although Yerevan has not submitted an official application for membership in the European Union, a group of Armenian forces aspiring to the European Union turned to the Central Electoral Commission today to get an opportunity to collect signatures on the issue of membership. If the commission registers the initiative group within ten days, according to the Constitution, they will have 60 days to collect the necessary 50,000 signatures and submit their bill on “Starting the process of Armenia’s accession to the European Union” to the parliament.
“We propose to look at this as an expression of the will of the citizens and we hope that it will not hinder, but will help the Government if the government is sincere and if, we have recently heard a lot of words that they want, they hope, or if may even join Europe this year. Let them join, we’re just here to help. If they don’t want it, or if it’s hypocrisy, then we show that the people are more progressive than the government,” declared Tigran Khzmalyan, head of the European Party of Armenia.
Supporters of the European integration in Armenia, months ago in the parliament on the same issue hearings were held, proposed to hold a referendum within three months, but there was no positive response from the government. Moreover, during this period Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan even admitted that he does not have the answer to the question of how close the EU is ready to leave Armenia. The forces aspiring to the European Union a day ago, however, are adamant. If they collect the signatures, reach the National Assembly, but the ruling majority votes against, they will still not give up their agenda.
“We are ready to go to the second stage and collect 300,000, which will make the referendum mandatory according to the law,” Khzmalyan emphasized.
After the possible rejection of the legislators, the project will be put to a referendum if another 300,000 citizens with electoral rights join it within 60 days. The project has not yet been published, and its content is not known, until then the chairman of the European Integration Commission of the National Assembly declares that the issue of membership in the European Union is not regulated by law.
“The Government submits an application for EU membership, the Government can send such an application to the European Union at any time. It is not a matter to be resolved by law, it is a matter to be resolved by the Government’s decision,” emphasized Arman Yeghoyan.
As Yeghoyan said, the Armenian government has no intention of applying for EU membership in the next half year. The MP once again reminded the extra-parliamentary forces that the referendum is the last stage in the membership process, now the talks about it are out of date.
“But, as you can see, the European integration process is moving forward with full momentum, at some stage, of course, it will be the turn of the referendum, naturally, but now it is not that stage,” said the Chairman of the National Assembly Committee.
After the approval of the CEC, signature collection points will be opened in the buildings of the district administrations and community administrations.
