Ordinary citizen will feel Armenia-EU agreement results within the course of time, says President Sargsyan

An ordinary citizen will feel the results of the Armenia-EU agreement during the course of time since Armenia is able to quickly implement the reforms by the EU’s assistance, President Serzh Sargsyan told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty after the European People’s Party’s (EPP) summit in Brussels.

Asked what this agreement will give to an ordinary Armenian citizen, the President said: “The day after tomorrow, perhaps, he/she will not immediately feel anything, but he/she will feel it within the course of time since we are able to quickly implement the reforms by the EU’s assistance. We ourselves do not have the ability and the desire to invent a bicycle, there are absolute truths, and we should be led by these truths. But during the course of time, in addition to internal freedoms, Armenian citizens will have a chance to visit Brussels, Paris and other European countries without an obstacle, and I think this was clearly stated in the EPP’s today’s statement, let’s see what will happen during tomorrow’s summit”.

Asked whether this agreement will contribute to strengthening Armenia’s security, whether it is an alternative direction for ensuring a security, President Sargsyan said here the word alternative is not right to use. “But, of course, especially in case when the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and the US and Russia in particular agree on the main challenges threatening our security, and this is one of the unique places where they completely cooperate, as they announce. This, of course, is an achievement for us”, the Armenian President said.

The President also touched upon Russia’s stance over the agreement to be signed with the EU, stating that he didn’t hear any criticism from the Russian President over Armenia’s cooperation with the EU. “Soon it will already be ten years I am a president, before that being in different posts, I have never heard half a word from any Russian leader, especially from President Putin which would involve in it a reproach on our partnership with the EU”, Serzh Sargsyan said.

Asked how he imagines, where he will be after 2018, whether he will remain Armenia’s President or not, President Sargsyan said: “If I had imagined it, I would have already announced. When I imagine it, I will announce”.