Yerevan unwelcome in EU, which is why Pashinyan is delays plebiscite — Armenian economist

YEREVAN, September 2. /TASS/. The European Union is not currently ready to accept Armenia as a member, which is why Yerevan is seeking to postpone a referendum on EU accession, economist Grant Mikaelyan said in an interview with TASS.

Mikaelyan pointed to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s differing statements on EU membership and the referendum. According to the economist, Pashinyan tells domestic audiences that a referendum should be held, while suggesting in statements addressed to Russia that it should not take place.

Mikaelyan recalled that, in a speech to parliament on August 24 outlining the government’s program for the next five years, Pashinyan said a referendum on EU membership would definitely be held, while also stressing that the time was not yet right for it.

"But, essentially, the question is this: the European Union is not yet ready to accept Armenia into its ranks. That is, the EU has made no proposal, and therefore, a referendum is inappropriate at this time," Mikaelyan said.

The economist also rejected Pashinyan’s claim that the authorities adopted the law on EU accession in order to avoid holding a referendum. According to Mikaelyan, no referendum is currently necessary, and the initiative to hold one came from Pashinyan himself, meaning that the prime minister would have no difficulty abandoning the idea.

Mikaelyan further argued that recent remarks by Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on Public Television indicate that Yerevan is unlikely to submit an EU membership application this year.

"Mirzoyan said that for this to happen, several processes must be completed, including the visa-free regime and the ongoing negotiations. Considering that, according to more conservative estimates, visa-free access to the EU could be achieved in about three years, and if the status application is tied to visa-free access, then this is definitely not a matter for the next three years," Mikaelyan said.

At a meeting with Pashinyan in Bishkek on September 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Armenia’s decision to begin the process of joining the European Union was effectively tantamount to announcing its withdrawal from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), as membership in both organizations is incompatible.

Yerevan has recently reaffirmed its commitment to European integration. On March 26, 2025, the Armenian parliament passed a law initiating the process of EU accession. Pashinyan, however, has maintained that Yerevan does not intend to leave the EAEU and hopes to combine membership in the bloc with closer integration with the EU for as long as possible.