ArmInfo.Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received yesterday the Ambassadors accredited to Armenia by the European Union member states headed by the head of the EU delegation, Ambassador Piotr Switalski.
According to the press service of the Armenian government, Nikol Pashinyan noted that the development of relations with the European Union is one of the priorities of Armenia's foreign policy and stressed the importance of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, which provides effective mechanisms for developing bilateral partnership and implementing reforms in Armenia. According to him, the interdepartmental commission has already developed and submitted for discussion in the EU a roadmap for the implementation of the agreement. The Acting Prime Minister noted that Armenia is in the process of historical changes, and reforms are aimed at developing democracy and the economy, fighting corruption, modernizing the justice system, protecting human rights, strengthening freedom of speech, etc. According to Nikol Pashinyan, all changes and reforms are based on the demand of society. Pashinyan stressed the importance of financial and technical assistance provided by the EU to Armenia, and expressed confidence that thanks to this all the planned programs are more effective and substantive. Nikol Pashinyan noted that the fight against corruption and reforms in the above-mentioned directions in the new Armenia are a priority for the government.
Touching upon the upcoming parliamentary elections, Nikol Pashinyan stressed that they will be of great importance in terms of strengthening democracy in Armenia. "The new parliament and government will be built on broad public support and trust, which will help complete the process begun by the velvet revolution," Pashinyan said. Thanking the EU for support in organizing the elections, the acting head of the Armenian government announced about the plans of the Armenian Cabinet of Ministers to reform the political and economic institutions in the republic. At the same time, as Pashinyan stressed, EU support will help to complement the existing opportunities for Armenia in order to make reforms more effective. "It's not by chance that today, when we have made significant progress in strengthening democracy, our society expects greater support from European partners," Nikol Pashinyan said.
The acting head of government added that the Eastern Partnership is the driving force of Armenia's cooperation with the EU, and Armenia is ready to do everything possible to maximize effective cooperation. Nikol Pashinyan attached great importance to the expansion of cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, as well as the implementation of relevant steps. "The more effectively we strengthen the rule of law and the creation of equal conditions in the economy, the broader the prospects are for the development of bilateral economic cooperation and attraction of investments from the EU countries", the Acting Prime Minister said, noting the importance of steps to liberalize the visa regime.
Nikol Pashinyan expressed satisfaction with the EU's balanced approach to the settlement of the Artsakh problem and support for the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. Pashinyan stressed the importance of closer acquaintance with the needs and aspirations of the people of Artsakh. He drew attention to the need to use in the EU documents agreed language that would correspond to the position of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, and also stressed the importance of the EU's consistent efforts to prevent military escalations and provocations in the region.
Piotr Switalski, in turn, stressed the fact of positive changes in Armenia and expressed confidence that they will provide a new result for the Armenian people. According to the Ambassador, the implementation of programs for specific areas within the framework of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement will contribute to the implementation of comprehensive and institutional reforms in Armenia, which will give new impetus to the development and progress of our country.
The head of the European delegation in Armenia noted the importance of the government's steps to implement targeted and consistent programs to combat corruption, modernize the management system, protect human rights, strengthen freedom of speech, and improve the investment environment. The Ambassador stressed that the EU is ready to continue supporting Armenia. He expressed confidence that with the support of the EU, extraordinary parliamentary elections will be free, fair and transparent. "We are expecting the best elections in the history of Armenia," Piotr Switalski stressed.
During the meeting, Nikol Pashinyan answered the questions of the ambassadors regarding political changes in Armenia, the reform process, the upcoming parliamentary elections, the settlement of the Karabakh conflict and other problems of regional importance.