Pashinyan’s ally disagreed with the former Security Council secretary’s assessment of Armenia’s prospects for joining the EU

ArmInfo.  Armenian National Assembly deputy from the ruling Civil Contract faction Taron Chakhoyan disagreed with former Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan’s assessment of the country’s prospects for joining the European Union.

Thus, speaking to journalists, Chakhoyan stated that Grigoryan no longer holds public office, and that the thoughts expressed in the article are merely his personal point of view. "In the Republic of Armenia, everyone is free to express their opinion. However, I share the position that Armenia should continue moving along the path of development based on its own interests," the deputy said.

When journalists attempted to clarify what exactly he meant by this statement, the deputy gave only a vague answer, saying that the high level of democracy achieved in Armenia, as well as the country’s aspiration for development and civilization, determine the direction of its movement regardless of anyone’s will. "Today, Armenia has recorded the highest level of democracy in the entire history of the country. Moreover, this indicator continues to rise," Chakhoyan added.

When journalists asked how appropriate it was to speak of such a high level of democracy in light of the recent brawl in parliament, the deputy placed responsibility for what happened on the opposition, saying that the incident was a consequence of its hooligan behavior. At the same time, Chakhoyan characterized the behavior of government representatives as corresponding to that of the opposition, forgetting that it was he who provoked the brawl.

It should be noted that on November 11, the former Secretary of Armenia’s Security Council (in 2018-2026) wrote an extensive article about EU membership and relations with Russia. In the article, Grigoryan discussed Armenia’s path toward membership in the European Union and the risks of increasing dependence on Russia.  He stated that the idea of joining the European Union at first glance seems attractive and a natural continuation of Armenia’s civilizational choice; however, on this issue, Armenians often confuse what they want with what is possible. According to him, when assessing Armenia’s prospects for EU membership, it is necessary to take into account a number of political, geographical and economic circumstances that make this goal unrealistic. Grigoryan expressed the conviction that each new step along this path does not reduce but, on the contrary, further increases Armenia’s dependence on Russia.