Armenia`s concurrent membership in EU and EAEU impossible - RF Deputy  FM 

ArmInfo. Russia has conveyed to Armenia that simultaneous membership in the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union is impossible. This was stated by Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Galuzin in an interview with Izvestia.

"As for Armenia's rapprochement with the European Union, we have clearly stated both publicly and in dialogue with our Armenian friends that simultaneous membership in the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union is impossible, because these are two incompatible regulatory systems with different approaches to customs standards, technical, sanitary and phytosanitary standards, product labeling and certification, and even intellectual property issues. These are completely different systems, and simultaneous membership  in them is simply impossible," the Russian diplomat noted.

Touching on the start of negotiations between Armenia and the  European Union on various projects in favor of rapprochement, and in particular a visa-free regime, yes, such negotiations have begun. "We see that the European Union is true to itself here, because, without making any promises or taking any serious decisions in terms of visa-free relations, it is already demanding political loyalty from Armenia and its accession to anti-Russian sanctions. And all this is happening against the backdrop of the fact that Armenia's membership in the Eurasian Economic Union brings it tangible and significant long-term benefits in the form of increased trade with the EAEU and increased investment from the EAEU into Armenia," Galuzin continued.

In this vein, he cited the latest figures from Armenian statistics,  drawing attention to the fact that the volume of trade turnover  between Armenia and its partners in the EAEU is about $13 billion and last year it increased by 53%, while the volume of trade with the European Union last year barely exceeded $2 billion and decreased by 24%.

"That is, even from these figures of Armenian statistics it is clear where the sources of the current economic well-being of Armenia and its people are, and a sharp paradigm shift and transition to the European Union platform, in our opinion, will inevitably be associated with a drop in GDP and serious blows to Armenian business, the economy and the standard of living of ordinary citizens of Armenia. Armenian politicians sometimes say that there is a mood in Armenian society in favor of joining the EU. Probably, there are such moods, but, as we believe, the moods of those citizens of Armenia who think of the future of their country in the Eurasian family and within the framework of Eurasian integration are equally worthy of attention," Galuzin summarized.

On January 9, the Armenian government approved the draft law on the beginning of the process of joining the European Union, proposed by the civil initiative "Eurakve". The draft will soon be discussed in the Armenian parliament.