Process of Armenia`s accession to EU must not be based on declarative  statements - opposiiton

ArmInfo. The opposition faction "Armenia" of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia did not participate in the first reading of the vote on the draft law  "On the beginning of the process of Armenia's accession to the EU",  since it believes that in this case it is not a legislative  initiative, but only a wish. MP Gegham Manukyan stated this from the  rostrum of the National Assembly on March 26.

He noted that the law should be mandatory for execution, which in  itself raises questions related to the country's accession to the EU.  Manukyan noted that no one can accuse him of being against the  proposed process. Moreover, none of the European Union officials  responded to the initiative of the Armenian side.

"I will say more, the preliminary version, adopted in the first  reading, indicated unconditional support for the process from the  entire Armenian society, and only then the authorities realized that  the collection of only 60 thousand signatures collected by the  "Eurocve" initiative for the beginning of the process of joining the  EU cannot mean the support of the entire society, and this wording  was changed," the oppositionist said.

In turn, the Chairman of the National Assembly Committee on European  Integration, MP from the ruling Civil Contract faction Arman Egoyan  noted that the draft law was submitted to the National Assembly in  accordance with the current legislation. Signatures were collected,  and the country's parliament, being a representative body, taking  into account the government's proposals, removed the phrase  "unconditional position of society", but this does not mean that the  opinion of 60 thousand citizens of the country is not significant.