Monday, November 24 2014

 The Association Agreement with EU would open more opportunities for Armenia, Ambassador of Poland to Armenia, Zdzislaw Raczynski, said at today's press-conference.  

"For 5 years of my activity in Armenia I hoped that it would become an association country with the EU. However, it chose another way. But the dialogue with the EU goes on developing and will develop in future. Simply, it is necessary to find new ways of cooperation", - the ambassador said.

Asked if he sees changes in Armenia of the 90-s and today's Armenia, and if Armenia has future, the ambassador replied that undoubtedly Armenia has future. "I know Armenia practically for 30 years. At the end of the 80-s and the beginning of the 90-s Poland lagged behind Armenia in many sectors. Today Poland is one of the leading countries of Central Europe. By the volume of its economy, Poland occupies the 20th place in the world and the 6th in the EU", - the ambassador said. 

"Armenia is a specific country and we take with reservation its decision to join Eurasian Economic Union. I am confident that the Association Agreement with EU would open more opportunities for Armenia, and I hope that in case of integration in another union, Armenia will be able to create these opportunities for  itself", - the ambassador said. Asked  if Armenia may lose independence after joining EEU, the ambassador replied that Armenia is an independent state.   

"Poland has always supported the independence and sovereignty of Armenia, and in this matter Armenia may always rely on Poland and the EU. When integrating in any union, a state is forced to lose a part of its sovereignty. When Poland joined the EU, it was also forced to pass a part of its sovereignty to the EU. Such is the reality. But there are issues which are resolved only on the national level", - the ambassador said and  added that was Armenia's choice and nobody forced it to make such a step. 
As for the visa regime, the ambassador said that Poland is for the non-visa regime.

"The countries which signed the Association Agreement are already on this way. The visa regime has been already canceled in Moldova and will be canceled in Ukraine and Georgia in future. I think that in future Armenia will also have an opportunity to negotiate in this direction", - the diplomat concluded.