On April 17 the NA Standing Committee on European Integration organized parliamentary hearings on the theme “Ahead of the Eastern Partnership Riga Summit.” The EU Ambassadors accredited in the RA, representatives of the Foreign Ministry, NGOs, deputies, experts of the sphere took part in the hearings.

In her opening remarks the Committee Chair Naira Zohrabyan has noted that during the recent period the RA-EU relations have noticeably been activated at different levels and in different spheres, which will be stipulated by forming the new legal setting regulating the RA-EU cooperation. Mrs Zohrabyan has noted that in Riga Summit Armenia will not get a comprehensive document, but the main incitements and the setting of the future document will be re-formulated. Hence, the hearings may be a wonderful opportunity for the exchange of thoughts in an open and unconstrained atmosphere.

She thanked the Ambassadors accredited in the RA for the adoption of the resolution acknowledging and condemning the Armenian Genocide in the European Parliament, noting the EP proved that any political and economic interest cannot be higher from the historical justice.

Ambassador Traian Hristea, Head of the European Union delegation to the RA, has underlined that the EU highlights the relations with Armenia and is ready to deepen the bilateral relations. He has emphasized the RA-EU cooperation in the Eastern Partnership multilateral format in the current year. Mr Hristea welcomed the oversight functioning of the RA parliament and the involvement of the civil society in the legislative work. Traian Hristea has also stated that the EU will continue the upgrading programmes and the necessary reforms, spotlighting in this issue the MPs’ support.

Touching upon the Riga Summit, Mr Hristea has opined that it will give an opportunity to assess the level of the relations, the recorded indices, the cooperation between the EU and Eastern partners, as well as the strategic guidelines of the further activities. To Tristan Hristea’s conviction, the EU effectively works with the partner countries, trying to evade the new dividing lines in the European continent.

The Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Artak Zakaryan in his speech has noted that the Summit will become the most important platform after Vilnius, where the further ways of cooperation established for the Eastern Partnership countries in the previous summit will be summed up. In his word, Armenia continues the European cooperation already as a full member of the Eurasian Economic Union. Mr Zakaryaan has added that the entrance of Armenia into the Eurasian Economic Union cannot be an obstacle for the development of Armenia-European Union relations. The Committee Chairman expressed hope that the Summit will give an opportunity for the Eastern Partnership member countries to assess in a new way the relations and achievements of the European Union and partner countries.

The NA deputy Tevan Poghosyan delivered a speech. He has noted that any event for Armenia’s European integration is welcoming and obligating for him. Mr Poghosyan has talked about the possible developments of the RA-EU relations. He has touched upon the problems of corruption elimination, improving the state management, exemption of the market from monopolies and making it free and accessible, investing effective mechanisms for the protection of the consumers’ interests and highlighted their solution. Tevan Poghosyan has expressed hope that the upcoming Riga Summit is a good opportunity for the fulfillment of the numerous practical programmes.

The RA Deputy Foreign Minister Karen Nazaryan has stated that the parliamentary format and the legislators’ involvement is greatly emphasized on the agenda of the RA-EU cooperation, and the evidence of which are the meetings of the Euronest PA and the RA-EU Parliamentary Cooperation Committees successfully held in Yerevan in march. According to the Deputy Minister, a process of exchange of thoughts launched with the European Union already from the end of 2014 in forming a new legal setting regulating the RA-European Union relations, as a result of which two platforms of discussions were shaped: in the spheres of politics, justice and security and over trade-economic issues. The final conference of the process of exchange of thoughts with the EU was held, during which the results of discussions over complete setting of the future agreement were wound up. It is expected that based on the results of those discussions, the European Commission will submit a mandate to the EU member states, in case of the approval by the Council of the EU, the negotiations with the RA will launch on new legal-contractual basis. The Deputy Minister expressed hope that the mandate will be approved before the Eastern Partnership Riga Summit.

The Chairman of the NGO European Integration Karen Bekaryan referred to the upcoming perspectives of the RA-EU cooperation. In the issue of the effective fulfillment of the EU support programmes has emphasized the use of the monitoring instrument. Mr Bekaryan has talked about the development of the Eastern Partnership multilateral format, which is permanently torpedoed by Azerbaijan.

The NA deputies and the NGO representatives expressed their views over the theme under debate. They have emphasized the holding of the parliamentary hearings by the Committee which gives opportunity to discuss the ways of the RA-EU cooperation. Levon Zurabyan touched upon the problems of the freedom of speech, development of democracy and protection of human rights in Armenia. Mher Shahgeldyan has spotlighted the revelation of the personal approach towards the member countries by the EU which is a more flexible instrument. Koryun Nahapetyan has expressed hope that the upcoming Riga Summit will create a favourable legal atmosphere for further strengthening the RA-EU cooperation perspectives.

In the course of discussions the participants also referred to the report “Implementation of the European Neighbourhood in Armenia, the Progress Registered during 2014 and Recommendations for the Actions.”

In his concluding speech Traian Hristea presented his clarifications on the interpellations of the deputies and the NGO representatives. He has documented that the EU respects the RA authorities; decision to join the EEU and is ready to continue the dialogue with Armenia.

In her final speech the Committee Chair Naira Zohrabyan has stated that we should avoid the dividing lines and taking into consideration the international obligations assumed by Armenia before the EEU, try to find comparing elements with the EU for correctly and effectively building very necessary relations with the EU. In this context Mrs Zohrabyan has brought the example of Brazil, noting that being a member of Mercosur Customs Union does not impede that country to have serious trade-economic relations with the EU. Effectively assessing the parliamentary hearings, Naira Zohrabyan proposed to meet after the Riga Summit and more concretely predetermine the directions of the fundamental document, which should form the agenda of the RA-EU relations.