Armenian National Assembly discusses legislative initiative on  withdrawal from EEU

ArmInfo.Armenian National Assembly discusses legislative initiative of oppositional faction Yelk on creating temporal commission on withdrawal of the republic from Eurasian economic union.

As the justification for his initiative, the head of the faction  Nikol Pashinyan listed several key factors, in his opinion. Thus, the  decision says that for three years of the republic's membership in  the EEU, Armenia's GDP in dollar terms decreased by 8%, employment  decreased by 13%, international reserves decreased by 40%, public  debt grew by 10%. At the same time, there was a reduction in  investments in the country's economy. So, if in 2014 the volume of  investments made 167 billion AMD (about $ 350 million), then in 2016  this figure amounted to 81 billion AMD.

Yelk  bloc believes that Armenia's participation in this integration  association limits the opportunities for expanding trade relations  with third countries, including neighboring Georgia and Iran. Also in  the faction believe that, contrary to the agreement on the EEU,  freedom of movement of capital, goods, services and labor is not  ensured.

"The EEU member countries do not contribute to the peaceful  resolution of the Karabakh problem, moreover, some of them at the  highest level have repeatedly expressed their support for the  aggressive policy of Azerbaijan, while the strategic partner of  Armenia - Russia continues to arm Azerbaijan, providing about 85% of  the Azerbaijani arsenal of modern offensive weapons", the draft  decision says.

The authors also refer to the "permanent introduction of  authoritarian traditions in the Armenian political system existing in  a number of the EEU countries," and as a consequence - the increase  in the number of violations of the rights and freedoms of Armenian  citizens. Taking into account the above facts, the faction considers  Armenia's continued presence in the EEU as a dangerous and fraught  threat for the country.

In turn, representatives of the parliamentary majority of the  Republican Party categorically disagreed with the arguments of  colleagues from the "Yelk". Thus, the head of the RPA faction Vahram  Baghdasaryan cited economic indicators as a proof of the  effectiveness of the republic's membership in the EEU - GDP growth,  exports, economic activity.

And vice-speaker Eduard Sharmazanov said that in general there is no  sense into discuss the issue of withdrawal from the EEU, since  Armenian people, voting for the Republican Party and acting  authorities that initiated the membership of the republic in this  union, automatically supported this particular integration vector.  Discussing the issue of withdrawing from the Unified Energy System  means resisting the will of the people, Sharmazanov said.