The European Union will provide Armenia with additional financial assistance this year in recognition of democratic change in the country, a senior EU official said during a visit to Yerevan on Tuesday.

Johannes Hahn, the EU commissioner for European neighborhood and enlargement negotiations, said Armenia will be rewarded for the “developments of last year.” He singled out the conduct of the December 9 parliamentary elections, saying that they are regarded as free and fair by the international community.

“This is something good, something unique so far in Armenia’s recent history,” Hahn told a joint news conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanian held before his talks with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian.

Hahn did not specify the likely amount of the extra EU aid. He said only that it will be allocated from an EU fund designed to reward partner states’ “special achievements” in the areas of democratization and rule of law.

In July, Pashinian criticized the EU for not boosting its assistance to Armenia following the “velvet revolution” that brought him to power. The head of the EU Delegation in Yerevan, Piotr Switalski, countered at the time that the new Armenian government needs to propose specific reform-oriented projects before demanding greater aid.

According to Pashinian’s press office, the prime minister and Hahn discussed, among other things, a possible “expansion of EU-supported development programs in Armenia” when they met later on Friday.

“They agreed that the implementation of new initiatives in the fields of infrastructure, education, energy and other areas might be promising,” the office said in a statement. It said the two sides stressed in this regard the importance of implementing the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed by the EU and Armenia in 2017.

Hahn described his talks with Pashinian as “open and forward looking.” “I have reassured the PM that Armenia can count on EU support in implementing CEPA and introducing comprehensive reforms for the benefit of Armenian citizens,” he wrote on his Twitter page.

“We need to seize the moment to consolidate democracy, also to the benefit of the economic development of the country!” added the EU official.

Speaking at the news conference, Hahn said he is also discussing with Armenian leaders the possibility of organizing an investment forum in Yerevan for potential European investors. He said their interest in Armenia’s economy has increased since the “velvet revolution.”

“There is a very positive mood in the country which also has a spillover effect abroad,” stated Hahn.

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