Pashinyan has rejected Putin’s demand to hold referendum on EU accession, - Russian media
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demand for an immediate referendum on the country’s accession to the European Union and withdrawal from the Eurasian Economic Union.
According to Censor.NET, Russian media outlets, including The Moscow Times, are reporting on this.
Earlier, Putin stated that only if such a referendum were held would Russia and Armenia be able to part ways "amicably, intelligently, and mutually beneficially."
In a video address, Pashinyan emphasized that holding such a vote at this time is illogical, since Armenia has not yet submitted an official application for EU membership and is not even close to obtaining candidate status.
According to the prime minister, there are currently insufficient grounds for offering citizens a choice between different geopolitical directions for the country’s development.
Armenia remains in the Eurasian Economic Union for now
Pashinyan also stated that Yerevan will continue to operate within the Eurasian Economic Union as long as it is feasible and in the country’s best interests.
At the same time, he noted that relations between Armenia and Russia are undergoing a transformation, and that Yerevan’s economic policy is based on the principle of diversifying its international ties.
