The European Union welcomes the Armenian government’s ambitious reform agenda and is ready to support it with greater aid, European Council President Donald Tusk said after meeting with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian in Brussels on Tuesday.

“I admire your resolve to bring about democratic reforms and economic development which will benefit all Armenians,” Tusk told Pashinian at a joint news briefing. “The EU will continue to support Armenia’s journey towards becoming a consolidated democracy and creating a better economic future for its citizens.”

“The EU is ready to further support your reform process with enhanced technical and financial assistance,” he said. “We agree with your strong emphasis on the fight against corruption and the rule of law reform.”

Johannes Hahn, the EU commissioner for European neighborhood and enlargement negotiations, said in Yerevan in late January that the EU will provide Yerevan with additional financial assistance already this year in recognition of democratic change in the country. Hahn singled out the proper conduct of the Armenian parliamentary elections held in December.

Neither Hahn nor Tusk specified in their public statements the likely amount of the extra EU aid promised by them.

Visiting Brussels in July, Pashinian criticized the EU for not boosting its assistance to Armenia following the “velvet revolution” that brought him to power. A senior EU diplomat dismissed the criticism at the time.

Pashinian again called for greater EU support for his government’s stated reform effort at the start of his latest trip to Brussels on Monday. “It is obvious that an enhanced assistance of the European Union will help us move forward in a more resolute and decisive way,” he told members of the European Parliament. “The wider the scope of the assistance, the faster and smoother the pace of our reforms will be.”

Speaking after his talks with Tusk, the Armenian leader said: “I highly appreciate the European Union’s technical and financial support to our government’s reform agenda.” He stressed the importance of new EU “initiatives aimed at supporting our efforts to develop institutions and reinforcing our democratic achievements.”

“I am glad that our European friends and partners have a similar approach and vision on our bilateral agenda,” he added.

Pashinian also urged an “early ratification” by all EU member states of the EU’s Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Armenia signed in 2017.

And he again expressed hope that the 28-nation bloc will lift “in the near future” its visa requirements for Armenian travelling to Europe. “We do hope that the political decision on this matter will be taken shortly,” he said.

Many issues, fromdemocratic transformation in Armenia to regional and international developments were discussed by the EU Council President Donald Tusk and Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan during their meeting in Brussels, Pashinyan said in a statement for media.

“During the meeting, we were glad to highlight existing high level of political dialogue and cooperation between EU and Armenia,” Pashinyan said.

He stressed Armenia’s determination to enhance partnership with Brussels, and added that the parliamentary elections were also touched upon during the meeting.

“We appreciate assistance of the European Union for the successful organization of electoral processes. Political changes as well as democratic election brought EU and Armenia even closer in terms of shared values,” Pashinyan emphasized.

He appreciated technical and financial support of the EU to the Armenian government’s reform agenda, which envisages fight against corruption, protection of human rights and consolidation of the rule of law.

“We touched upon CEPA which is an important instrument for enhancing bilateral relations. We agreed that early ratification of the agreement is essential,” Armenian PM added.

In addition, visa liberalization process was touched upon, Pashinyan said, adding that the citizens of Armenia are looking forward to freely traveling to the EU in the near future.

“We hope the political decision will be taken shortly,” he said.

As to the regional changeless, Pashinyan said Armenia appreciates EU’s continued balanced position on Karabakh, and its support for the OSCE Minsk Group efforts.

“Armenia is committed to exclusively peaceful solution,” he added.

https://www.azatutyun.am/a/29804990.html