Armenia's joining Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) carries a threat for Armenia's independence, the head of the analytical Centre for Globalization band Regional Cooperation, Stepan Grigoryan, said at today's press-conference.
"Being displeased with Armenia's decision not to sign the Association Agreement with the EU, nevertheless, I understood why Armenia had made such a step. At the same time, I still do not understand, why we needed so fast integration in the Eurasian Economic Union. Armenia seems to be such a strong state that allows itself integration in the organization, which in fact, does not exist, and which will not function, as at present there are disagreements between its member-states", - he said.
Grigoryan thinks the Western sanctions regarding Russia affect Armenia in a certain sense. As EEU's member-state, it is very much possible that in future Armenia will be forced to join Russia's retaliation measures to the sanctions of the West, as Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, has recently said. "And finally, we may have a threat to freedom of speech in Armenia as well as possible pressure upon the international organizations in Armenia, just the same way as in Belarus and Russia", - the expert said.
Asked if Armenia's integration in EEU has positive sides, Grigoryan replied that he saw nothing positive in it, and offered to give the same question to those who voted "for" the integration in the EEU. Grigoryan is only "for" the bilateral but not multilateral relations with Russia. He is confident that at present Armenia is in a strong political crisis, and the fact that the majority of the opposition forces voted for ratification of the treaty on Armenia's joining EEU, is evidence of that.