Armenia should have close relations with Russia, but this does not mean that it should join the Customs Union, ex-foreign minister of Armenia, Vartan Oskanian, said after the 7th congress of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) held in Yerevan today.
He also added that in this context his viewpoint is in line with the PAP position on the matter, and the information about split of the party does not meet reality.
He thinks that Armenia has found itself in front of a difficult choice between the Customs Union and the European Union, although it was possible to continue cooperation both with Moscow and Brussels simultaneously. He also added that he cannot be for joining the Customs Union, as nothing is clear about this union or the roadmap.
For her part, secretary of the PAP faction, Naira Zohrabyan, added that the PAP will present its strict position regarding Armenia's joining the Customs Union, when it will be clear if Armenia gains economic benefit from that. As for statements by the authorities that the non-government parties have been allegedly disseminating disinformation according to which prices of 600 names of goods will grow, Zohrabyan recalled that Armenia's Economy Minister Vahram Avanesyan, was the first who made such a statement. She also added that the PAP will go on fighting illegalities of the authorities, in particular, introduction of the obligatory accumulative pension system. "The four non-coalition parties of Armenia are consolidated in this matter and will continue their struggle", - she concluded.