Only a completely ignorant person can believe the EU market can replace the EAEU, analyst says

The rhetoric of the Armenian authorities toward Russia will change and will no longer have the radicalism seen during the pre-election period, political analyst Hakob Badalyan said in an interview with Aysor.am.

Badalyan explained that during the pre-election period, Pashinyan’s objective was to capitalize as much as possible on anti-Russian sentiment among those segments of society that vote with that orientation:

“After that, the issues and Pashinyan’s goals change. However, as for the logic of Armenian-Russian relations, they will continue to remain in a turbulent phase as long as there is turbulence in international relations, in the geopolitical environment in general. A rather complex and difficult process of forming a new world order is underway, and Armenian-Russian relations will inevitably be subject to its influence.”

Commenting on the Pashinyan-Putin telephone conversation and the Prime Minister’s request to resolve the issue of export restrictions as quickly as possible, the analyst said that although the restrictions are an important issue for both Russia and, however surprising it may seem, for Pashinyan as well, they are not the primary issue – more complex political issues are being addressed behind them. 

“No matter how painful this issue is for most people engaged in Armenia’s economy and agriculture, for political actors it is subordinate to more important issues and agendas."

According to him, the removal of these restrictions depends on developments in the international arena:

“From this arise the needs of both Moscow and Pashinyan, to which all other issues are subordinated.”

Asked whether Pashinyan’s telephone conversation with Putin proves that, regardless of political intentions, the EU market is inaccessible to Armenia in the foreseeable future, Badalyan replied:

“We can say that regardless of that telephone conversation. Only a completely ignorant person who does not understand the issues can consider that the EU market can become an alternative to the EAEU. I would question even the long-term prospects.”