YEREVAN, February 21, 2023

Statement by representatives of the civil society of Armenia and the democratic opposition on agreement on the issue of Armenia’s European integration

А Conference of Armenian civil society and opposition democratic forces was held today, convened by Hovsep Khurshudyan, the National Facilitator of the Armenian National Platform of the EU EaP CSF, and Tigran Khzmalyan, the Chairman of the European Party. The Conference adopted a Statement about solidarity in the European integration of Armenia and the need to become a member of the European Union.

Below is the text of the Statement:

  1. We, the undersigned, believe that in the current geopolitical situation, the preservation of the state sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia, its security, the strengthening of democracy, human rights and freedoms, the economic development and cultural identity of our country are possible only within the framework of the Euro-Atlantic civilization and its military-political alliances. The 2020 war and the subsequent processes proved the correctness of our position that the interests and goals of the Russian Federation and the CSTO, which were considered our “strategic allies”, do not correspond to the interests of the Armenian state and our entire people.
    Under these conditions, we consider it necessary and urgent to integrate the Republic of Armenia into the military-political system of the West, including the full membership of our country in the European Union.
  1. We welcome the recent steps taken by the Armenian government to consider the Artsakh issue in the UN Security Council, to discuss issues of regional security and peace in the EU and US structures, and in particular, the invitation and deployment of EU monitor on the borders of Armenia. We intend to do everything in our power to ensure the irreversibility of this process, making it transparent and accountable to the civil society of Armenia. Based on the foregoing, we intend to contribute in every possible way to the efforts of Armenia’s European integration, but within the framework of the law and by all means available to civil society, we will strongly oppose any attempts to curtail and slow down this process.
  1. At the same time, we consider invalid and unacceptable any restrictions on freedom of speech and conscience, any manifestations of corruption, any unconstitutional calls for the violent overthrow of power, as well as attempts to oppose Armenia to democratic countries in the arena, regarding such actions in the current situation as a state crime.
  1. Conscious of our responsibility for the future of our country, we express our readiness to assist in every possible way the processes of European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Armenia, its inclusion in the system of military-political security, economic and other structures, contributing to the formation, expression, and service of public demand for the implementation of these goals.

Signatures:

  1. Hovsep Khurshudyan, Free Citizen CISC NGO Chairman, EU Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum’s National Facilitator;
  2. Tigran Khzmalyan, Chairman of the European Party of Armenia;
  3. Aram Sargsyan, Chairman of the Republic Party;
  4. Artur Ayvazyan, National Democratic Pole; (2)
  5. Paruyr Hayrikyan, Chairman of the Union of National Self-Determination Party (1)
  6. Karen Sargsyan, Chairman of the Armenian Euro-Atlantic Center, PhD;
  7. Harout Kalaijyan, Chairman of Pro-Armenia NGO;
  8. Harutyun Mkrtchyan, political scientist;
  9. Edgar Arakelyan, political scientist;
  10. Hrant Vardanyan, film director ;
  11. Rafik Hakobyan, YSU Professor;
  12. Armen Hovhannisyan, political analyst;
  13. Vazrik Petrosyan, RA citizen;
  14. Hasmik Tadevosyan, RA citizen;
  15. Lusine Petrosyan, RA citizen;
  16. Eduard Voskanyan, RA citizen;
  17. Lilit Dalakyan, political scientist;
  18. Mikayel Hayrapetyan, RA citizen;
  19. Artak Sevada, screenwriter, producer;
  20. Rouben Hakhverdyan, RA citizen;
  21. Garegin Miskaryan – “Democratic Platform” Foundation;
  22. Sergey Sargsyan, PhD, Associate Professor;
  23. Knarik Garanfilyan, President of “Family and Community” NGO;
  24. Anahit Khudaverdyan, physical anthropologist, Ph.D.;
  25. Eduard Avagyan, doctor, Ph.D. in Medical Science;
  26. Kamo Epremyan, RA citizen;
  27. Ashot Simonyan, RA citizen;
  28. Shushan Ghazaryan, journalist;
  29. Eduard Babayan – RA citizen, lawyer;
  30. Hovhannes Mkrtchyan, RA citizen;
  31. Anahit Bakhshyan, RA citizen;
  32. Hripsime Abrahamyan, RA citizen;
  33. Kristina Sukiasyan, RA citizen;
  34. Gayane Nazaretyan, RA citizen.

1- (with the proviso: “The main task is so important that our party does not prioritize our disagreements with the government; at the same time, we do not understand the meaning of the expression “strongly oppose” in the text of the statement.”;
2- NDP reservations: 1. In the last sentence of point 1, after the words “as a full member”, add the following thought “…, as well as the acquisition of the status of Major Non-NATO ally /MNNA/”; 2. At the end of point 2, add the following sentence: “We are sure that the prelude to such integration should be the suspension and then the termination of the membership of the Republic of Armenia in the CSTO, EAEU, and CIS and their adjacent structures.