After the elections, the EU-EAEU topic will take on different shades – analyst

The issue of Armenia remaining in the Eurasian Economic Union or joining the EU should be decided by the people, as it stems from constitutional requirements, political analyst Hakob Badalyan said in an interview with Aysor.am.

He reminded that official Yerevan has previously stated several times that if the need for a decision arises, the issue will be resolved through a referendum or an electoral process.

According to Badalyan, the latest statements by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan should be viewed within the framework of pre-election logic.

“I think that everything is now within the framework of pre-election logic. Nikol Pashinyan is trying to use the European Union topic for a political game – on the one hand, to maintain the pro-European electorate, and on the other hand, to ensure the loyalty of European political circles,” he noted. 

The analyst does not believe that the current authorities are actually leading Armenia toward full EU membership.

Regarding public attitudes toward leaving the EAEU, Badalyan noted that it is impossible to give a clear answer without a referendum or impartial sociological surveys. He added that while a significant part of society has a positive attitude toward EU membership, the exact percentage remains unclear.

According to the political analyst, many people view the European Union as attractive from the outside, but are not sufficiently informed about its internal complexities. He noted that the EU appears different from the inside and that its internal situation is not uniform, which complicates public perception.

Referring to “either-or” narratives, Badalyan stated that such framing is mainly promoted by Russia and the EAEU.

“They are trying to use these emphases to raise the price of their interests in Armenia’s pre-election process and to address their own strategic concerns. I think that after the elections this issue will take on completely different shades and emphases,” he concluded.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced today that Armenia will work in the EAEU until the moment when making a choice between the EAEU and the EU will no longer be inevitable.