A ruling party MP: The introduction of a visa-free regime between Armenia and the European Union is planned for 2029.

ArmInfo. According to preliminary data, the introduction of a visa-free regime between Armenia and the European Union is planned for 2029. Taguhi Ghazaryan, a member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia from the ruling Civil Contract faction, told journalists this on September 8, commenting on the statements of the official representative of the European Commission, Paula Pinho, that it is premature to name a specific year (including 2029, which the Armenian leadership is counting on), since the negotiation process is ongoing.

Meanwhile, as Taguhi Ghazaryan emphasized, Armenia is currently implementing an action plan in this direction, which does not envisage either a rollback or a forward movement. The MP noted that if the program cannot be implemented by the specified deadline, The deadlines may indeed be extended, but if the document is fully implemented, there is no point in talking about a postponement. "The deadline itself is preliminary; it could be 2028 or 2030. The Armenian side needs to resolve a number of procedural and technical issues. For example, the biometric passport issue should be resolved in the fall, and human rights issues next year. In short, by resolving all these issues one by one, the country is gradually getting closer to its cherished goal," said a representative of the ruling party.

Responding to a question about whether the government's current efforts to normalize relations with Russia would become an obstacle to visa liberalization with the EU, Taguhi Ghazaryan recalled the well-known proverb: don't look for a black cat in a dark room, especially if there isn't one. While pointing to the political nature of the Russian Federation's restrictions on Armenian agricultural exports, the MP nevertheless noted that official Yerevan is striving for a civilized approach to the existing problems. She emphasized that the ruling faction had reviewed all documents related to Russia and the EAEU, and they contained no mention of steps directed against Armenia in its efforts to diversify its foreign policy and exports. "We adopted a law that is more of a demonstration and does not contradict EAEU regulations.

As an example, I can cite quotas granted to the republic for certain operations, for example, for the import of electric vehicles. We are members of the EAEU and should take advantage of the benefits provided within the Eurasian Economic Union," Taguhi Ghazaryan noted.