It`s crucial to understand that without ability to implement its  fundamental principles, EAEU will face crisis - RA premier 

ArmInfo. It's crucial to understand that without the ability to implement its fundamental principles, the EAEU will face a crisis. Armenian Prime Minister  Nikol Pashinyan stated this in Kyrgyzstan during a conversation with  journalists. He called the situation with Armenian goods not only a  problem for the Republic of Armenia but also a major problem for the  EAEU.

"Because in practice, it turns out that the EAEU isn't working. If  the principles aren't working, then neither is the EAEU," the Prime  Minister remarked. He also noted that not only Armenia but also other  countries are pursuing a policy of diversification, which is the  sovereign right of each country.

"I've already said that our goal is to create alternatives for the  Republic of Armenia. I think this is the legitimate right of any  country, and everyone is working on it. At this point, torpedoing  this process is not the best position for the EAEU. On the contrary,  we need to work on increasing the competitiveness and attractiveness  of the EAEU. This is the right approach, and the Republic of Armenia  is ready to work in this direction," Pashinyan noted.

When asked by media representatives whether Armenia should choose  between the EAEU and the EU, the Prime Minister responded that the  choice itself must first be created. He said he had taken note of the  statement of his EAEU colleagues of May 29 and respects it.

"By the way, an interesting detail: my colleagues support the idea of  holding a referendum on Armenia's accession to the EU. I highly value  this position. The referendum will take place, but only after Armenia  officially applies to the EU for accession, and after institutional  work on it begins. Holding a referendum today is impossible because  there is no subject. Let's imagine that we now organize a referendum  for the people of Armenia to decide whether to join the EU or the  EAEU.

What will be the reaction? 'What are our prospects for becoming EU  members?' 'What is our roadmap?'- and many questions will arise that  neither we nor anyone else has answers to today," the head of  government said.

What is happening in the EAEU space, namely the restrictions imposed  by the Russian side, according to Pashinyan, only provokes a negative  perception of the Eurasian Union in Armenia.

When asked whether the Prime Minister had compared Armenia's trade  volumes with the EU and the EAEU, he responded that the issue wasn't  about comparison, but about creating alternatives for the Republic of  Armenia.

"Incidentally, some of our EAEU colleagues themselves, to some  extent, provoked this process by declaring that Armenia wasn't needed  or welcome anywhere. We took this not negatively, but positively, and  began working to demonstrate that the reality is quite different," he  noted.

Responding to a question about whether Armenia was being pressured to  sever all humanitarian ties with Russia, the Prime Minister said the  following: "If someone has the leverage to force someone to do  something, it certainly isn't in Brussels, the West, the South, or  the East."

According to the RA Statistics Committee, Armenia's foreign trade  turnover with the EAEU countries decreased by 19% in the first half  of the year, amounting to $2.8 billion. Exports totaled $1.3 billion,  a 4.2% year-on-year decline, while imports fell by 28.8% to $1.5  billion.

Foreign trade with the EU increased by 46.2% during the reporting  period, amounting to $1.7 billion.  Specifically, exports increased  by 80.2% to $516.5 million, while imports increased by 35% to $1.2  billion.