Boris Navasardyan: The situation is different, the parties don’t have serious contradictions (video)
Armenia is unlikely to refuse to finalize the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement with the European Union which is expected to be signed in Brussels in November. “The situation is different from that in 2013. Negotiations ended much earlier which speaks to the fact that the parties did do not have serious contradictions,” says Boris Navasardyan, a representative of the Armenian National Platform of the EU Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum. People in Armenia understand the complexity of EU-Russia relations, which can have a direct negative impact on the EU-Armenia agenda. That is the reason why the EU officials are moderately optimistic about the document to be signed with Armenia, though it is a weaker document than the previous one and it can satisfy Russia. “The provision, which suggests that Armenia’s obligations within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union have priority over this new EU-Armenia agreement, in fact interested Russia,” says Boris Navasardyan. Johannes Hans, EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, yesterday announced in Yerevan that the new agreement between Armenia and the European Union will show that it is possible for Armenia to be part of the Eurasian integration process while also strengthening relations with the EU. Does it mean that the “both … and” policy announced by Armenian authorities is working? “The policy would have worked if Armenia had signed the Association Agreement with the EU. In that case Armenia-EU relations would be equalized with the relations between Armenia and Russia. Today these relations are not equal. Armenia’s relations with EEU member countries are far deeper than those with the EU”. Many believe that the new agreement between Armenia and the European Union will give new impetus to reforms in Armenia. Mr. Navasardyan thinks that the EU will double its assistance to reforms taking place in our country. The first Ombudsman of Armenia, Larisa Alaverdyan expects changes in the judicial system. She says a number of projects have been implemented in the system with the support of international organizations, but nothing has changed in fact.
