Oppositionist: Armenia is experiencing unprecedented regression on  European integration issue 

ArmInfo. In recent years, Armenia has seen an unprecedented regression in the issue of European  integration. This was stated on April 4 during parliamentary hearings on European integration by socio-political figure, former chief of staff of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia, former Ambassador of Armenia to Poland Edgar Ghazaryan.

According to him, what is happening in Armenia today has nothing to  do with European integration. On the way to European integration,  there should be no talk of cooperation only with one EU body, but  also with other organizations, in particular, the OSCE, the Council  of Europe, etc.. "Until 2018, Armenia had such achievements in  relations with them that, apart from "green light" was opened for the  implementation of EU programs, as a result of which reforms were  implemented in the fields of education, healthcare, the fight against  corruption, public relations, proportional development of  territories, energy efficiency, student exchange, cooperation in the  field of science within the framework of the Horizon program, which  allowed the conclusion of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership  Agreement in 2017, the implementation of which, according to the  Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Paruyr  Hovhannisyan, showed regression," Ghazaryan said.

He also pointed to the response from the EU when Yerevan talks about  cooperation with the Union.  Ghazaryan recalled that European  officials, including the High Representative of the Union for Foreign  Affairs and Security Policy, were present at the conclusion of  agreements between Yerevan and Ankara in 2009 to normalize relations.  However, none of them managed to put enough pressure on Turkey to  lift the blockade of Armenia, ratify the signed documents and ensure  physical ties with the EU countries. "Let me remind you that Turkey  is an associated member of the EU and a member of the EU Customs  Union, in other words, the Armenian-Turkish border is the border with  the EU Customs Union, which has not opened, and Brussels did not have  enough strength to influence this authoritarian state and to solve  one of the main problems, that is, ensuring the opening of the  roads," the politician emphasized.

In addition, as Ghazaryan noted, the European Union, without having  any relevant mandate and violating the provisions of the  Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, as well as the  provisions of the Riga Declaration, from December 14, 2021, took over  the interaction between Baku and Yerevan on the resolution of the  Nagorno-Karabakh conflict , thereby ignoring the mechanisms of the  OSCE Minsk Group, bringing the situation to the shameful Prague  Statement of October 6, 2022, by which the territories of Armenia  were illegally transferred under the control of Azerbaijan. The  Prague Document, unlike CEPA, has not yet been ratified by any  country.

Thus, according to Ghazaryan, European officials, having violated the  provisions of CEPA, moved to a settlement that caused historical  damage to Armenia and the Armenian people. As part of the same Prague  Document, a civilian EU observer mission was established in the  country, which completely failed.

Ghazaryan recalled that according to the Prague Statement, the  observer mission was given two tasks: to ensure mutual understanding  between Armenia and Azerbaijan and facilitate the work of commissions  on border issues. The commissions have not yet held a single meeting,  and in Armenia they speak about the lack of mutual understanding  between Yerevan and Baku at the highest level.