ArmInfo.President of the European People's Party (EPP) Joseph Dole made a statement in connection with the early elections in Armenia on December 9.
The statement reads, in particular, "I would like to express our support for the Republican Party of Armenia, which is a member of the EPP, is in favor of closer cooperation with the European Union and last year signed the Agreement on Comprehensive and Enhanced Cooperation with the EU. The new parliament is new opportunity to implement the principles laid down in the Agreement - the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, the protection of human rights, freedom of the media, as well as free and fair elections. All this is the key to the democratic development of Armenian society. The EPP is closely monitoring the election campaign, which should guarantee equal conditions for all the political forces involved. A strong opposition in Armenia is a sign of a strong democracy. We are deeply concerned about the political persecution and rhetoric of hatred of the opposition during the election campaign. All this is impossible in a democratic society. Armenia is an important partner for us, and we support closer relations between Armenia and the European Union. We need to explore further opportunities for bilateral cooperation in areas such as the role of civil society, mobility partnerships and progress in visa liberalization. I am convinced that the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) can fulfill the above for Armenia and the Armenian people. "