Council of Europe MEPs welcome adoption of law on launching Armenia’s EU membership process

Nils Ušakovs, MEP, Chair of the Delegation for Relations with the South Caucasus, and Miriam Lexmann, the European Parliament’s Standing Rapporteur on Armenia, issued a joint statement on the adoption by the National Assembly of the law on the launch of the process of Armenia’s accession to the European Union, First Channel News reports.

“Today’s adoption at second and final reading by the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia of the law, proposed by a citizens’ initiative, by which it declares the initiation of the process of accession of Armenia to the EU, marks another significant step in the already very strong EU-Armenia relations.

Pursuant to Article 49 of the Treaty of European Union, any European state may apply to become a member of the EU provided that it adheres to the Copenhagen criteria and the principles of democracy, respects fundamental freedoms and human and minority rights and upholds the rule of law. We note the Armenian government’s intention to discuss a possible roadmap with the EU and consult the population in a referendum in the future,” reads the statement.