Our biggest misfortune is that when we had started the negotiations on a partnership with the EU, we were supposed to explain that we cannot without Russia and without the Customs Union. It could be made clear that either-or principle cannot be used for Armenia. Because using this principle will lead us towards the EaEU. Such opinion was expressed by ANC Board member and economist Vahagn Khachatryan in an interview with us, talking about the EaEU’s opportunities and challenges. In his words, “We – my supporter – have publicly stated that we appreciate that the EaEU has been a geopolitical project for Armenia, it was not economic, and so should be the orientation of Armenia.
Now, when we are openly talking about it, our opponents are trying to estimate us in pro-Russian and pro-Western which is wrong. Our authorities knew what problem they are going to face but they had not made it a subject of discussion. Should they have discussed, we would not be in such a humiliating and unacceptable situation to be able to make a decision in an overnight. We, in fact, were not ready to join the EaEU, if we were ready, we could have had this conversation several years ago and would not have to do it by compulsion. We had to join it. We were compelled to do it, it was a clear political conversation, a demand by Russia and it is also understandable too, after all, it is Russia.”
Our observation that ANC was one of the voters in the National Assembly who voted in favor of EaEU membership, Mr. Khachatryan replied, “I know.” To the question of why you voted in favor of and whether you did not have an alternative, he replied, “All the problems that Armenia had, place them in the case of EaEU how they are resolved and in the case of the EU.” He said that if we are looking at the economic aspect, we should not have joined the EaEU, “This is why I say that is it geopolitical”.
Vahagn Khachatryan told how the coercion of the EaEU membership happened, “When in the beginning we refused to join the EaEU membership, we went to the EU, they said, we are with you, you have no problem, we are coming, then September 3 came and it turned out that all our courage, braveness had opportunities were until then. When they called us and said, you know what, this is the problem, you have Karabakh, remittances and diaspora. What is the solution, we are giving you a chance, our posture on Karabakh is not changed, we are giving a status to live to your citizens living here illegally, we are not making any restrictions on financial flows and are giving a right to free trade, job and mobility. Now you as a head of the country should place all this on the scale.
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I am saying straightforwardly, I think that whatever decision was made was right for the sale of the future of Armenia. People who are giving political assessments I am ready to sit with them to discuss without great patriotic speeches. Let us sit down and calculate what we had before September 3, what we would have in one case and what we would have in another case.”
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
