‘Armenia has much to say and clarify in EEU’ – political analysts weigh in on Pashinyan’s upcoming Russia visit

Armenia has a lot to say and clarify at the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) Intergovernmental Council session, according to Ruben Mehrabyan – expert at the Armenian Center of Political and International Research.

According to Mehrabyan the issues will mainly concern the difference of the governance systems of Armenia and the remaining EEU countries.

“Other EEU countries are presidential systems, while Armenia is a parliamentary system, nevertheless Nikol Pashinyan, who had previously taken part in the heads of state summit, is now going to the heads of government assembly. There are really important things to say here, because we understand that there are huge gaps and elementary issues from the past which the Armenian side is unable to solve until now,” he said.

Earlier on July 25, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he will depart for St. Petersburg, Russia on July 26 to participate in the Eurasian Economic Union’s Intergovernmental Council (Heads of government).

“As you know, due to the status obtained after the constitutional changes the Prime Minister of Armenia is involved in the EEU Supreme Economic Council, in the heads of state format, and this issue is solved also de jure, meaning Armenia will be continued being represented by the Prime Minister here.

But the legal regulations of the EEU Intergovernmental Council’s work haven’t yet been complied with the new text of the Armenian Constitution and in case of my non-participation in the Prime Ministerial Council session decision couldn’t have been adopted and the format would be disrupted.

Since I had announced back during the days of the Velvet Revolution that disrupting the EEU isn’t our goal, on the contrary – we must do our best to make the membership of our country to this organization more productive, I made the decision to depart for St. Petersburg,” Pashinyan said on Facebook.

Political analyst Alexander Manasyan also believes that it is not in Armenia’s interests to disrupt the activities of the EEU.

“We must be able to benefit from the advantages which this institution provides,” he said.

Manasyan argues that the Armenian PM should first of all clarify the Russia-Azerbaijan-Armenia relations arena, and then address the strengthening of Armenia’s positions in the EEU in times when member states are supplying Azerbaijan with weapons.

“Belarus is selling weapons to Azerbaijan by following Russia’s lead. This is unacceptable for us, because it escalates the tension in the region. The existence of this kind of contradictions is unacceptable not only for us, but for the EEU, and if the EEU is an accomplished institution then it shouldn’t tolerate such conduct within its framework,” Manasyan told ARMENPRESS.

Manasyan says that Armenia should also address the restraining of member states in the information front too. “Very often unbalanced statements are voiced from both Moscow, Baku and other member states, which cause tension among EEU members,” he said.

Ruben Mehrabyan on the other hand believes that Armenia should discuss issues concerning oil and gas, and Armenian railway at the session.

“There are issues related to oil and gas which still don’t have a solution in the relations between Armenia and Russia. The monopoly of Gazprom in Armenia remains unclear although authorities are saying if Iran were to make a decent proposal about gas we would take action. The other issue concerns the situation surrounding the Armenian railway,” Mehrabyan said.