The EU made such a statement after the country’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that Yerevan may soon begin the membership application process.
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Armenia is formally an ally of Moscow, but for several years it has been building ties with the EU, disappointed that Russia, in Yerevan’s opinion, did not protect the country during conflicts with neighboring Azerbaijan.
Prime Minister N. Pashinyan told parliament on Monday that Armenia could start the official application process soon.
After submitting the application, Armenia would hold a referendum on membership, he added.
EU representative Paula Pinho said that Yerevan’s interest in membership is “another expression of the EU’s attractiveness to citizens.”
“Therefore, we look at it with interest,” she said.
However, another bloc press representative noted that the thorough procedure to become an EU member “involves a clearly defined and merit-based process.”
“This requires an official application from the candidate country,” said press representative Markus Lammert.
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“We are already working to bring Armenia closer to the EU, for example, through connections, trade, and many other things we do together with it,” he added.
Moscow, by imposing import restrictions, increased pressure on Yerevan over its rapprochement with Brussels. Warning Armenia, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in June that Armenia could face a “Ukraine scenario” because of its eurointegration efforts, saying that Russia’s conflict with Ukraine began because of the latter’s attempt to join the EU.
Currently, there are nine official candidate countries, including other former Soviet states Ukraine and Moldova, which have applied to join the now 27-member bloc.
The membership process requires many years of thorough reforms, and Armenia’s regional rival Turkey has spent decades in the EU “waiting room.”
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