“This is jam I made from Armenian apricots.
Apricots are symbolic of a shift that is taking place in Armenia. At last month’s election, the majority of Armenians voted for parties that want a closer partnership with the EU. Russia had tried to influence the vote by restricting imports of Armenian fruit and flowers. In turn, the EU helped Armenia by opening its market to many of these products.
This is why, when I was in Armenia last week, I returned to Brussels with a huge basket of apricots. Many of them went to friends. The rest I turned into jam.
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A friend looked at the jam and said, “Jars of freedom.” I thought that was a beautiful way of putting it.
When you go to the supermarket, watch out for Armenian apricots, plums or cherries. It’s a chance to do something small that can help Armenian farmers and support their country’s democratic choice,” European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos wrote on Facebook.