Commission on Foreign Relations of European Parliament: Refusal of  Democratic Values May Lead to Termination of the Agreement between  Armenia and EU

ArmInfo.Members of the Committee on External Relations of the European Parliament urge Armenia to achieve significant progress in the field of freedom of speech, judicial  independence, eradication of corruption, combating money laundering and tax evasion. This is stated in the Commission's statement.

The authors of the document recall that the deviation from European  values - democracy, the rule of law, and human rights can lead to the  termination of the Agreement on comprehensive and deep partnership  between Armenia and the EU.

The members of the committee on foreign relations of the European  Parliament congratulate the citizens of Armenia on the change of  power in the country by peaceful means, but welcome the restraint  shown by law enforcement bodies, despite several arrests.  Congratulating Nikol Pashinyan on his election to the post of Prime  Minister of Armenia, the members of the Committee noted that they  count on cooperation with him.  The authors of the statement  expressed regret that the agreement with the EU cannot reduce tariff  rates due to Armenia's membership with the Eurasian Economic Union.  Nevertheless, European parliamentarians stressed that this will not  prevent the EU from continuing to be Armenia's main trading partner.  The members of the European Parliament urge Armenia and Azerbaijan  after the elections of 2018 to increase the intensity of the  negotiations, thereby achieving a peaceful solution to the Karabakh  problem. They also said that they contribute to the efforts of the  OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs aimed at establishing peace in the region.  Members of the Commission also urged European structures to increase  support for programs that will be aimed at establishing links between  public and youth organizations of Armenia and Azerbaijan.  It should  be noted that on the eve of the European Parliament's Foreign  Relations Commission approved the Agreement on Comprehensive and  In-depth Partnership between the European Union and Armenia.