Holding a referendum on Armenia remaining in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is a false agenda, said Sargis Khandanyan, chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions.
“It has been stated repeatedly that there cannot be a referendum on an issue that simply does not exist. It has not been discussed in Armenia, and no action has been taken in this regard — I am referring to submitting an application for EU membership. As for our EAEU membership, Armenia participated in the meeting of the Intergovernmental Council and presented our position,” he said, Aysor.am reports.
Khandanyan stressed that Armenia remains a full member of the Eurasian Economic Union and retains the rights stemming from that membership.
“We are not going to enter into a phase of confrontation over this issue. If Armenia eventually decides that it should apply for EU membership and that a referendum needs to be held, then membership in both will become impossible, and Armenia will voluntarily withdraw from one of them,” he said.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin has said that Armenia should decide by December this year whether to hold a nationwide referendum on joining the EU or remaining in the EAEU.
“It is clear that if no call to hold a referendum is made by that time, the leaders will take this fact into account when determining the appropriate further joint steps,” he said.
