Pashinyan pushes Armenia towards EU as army, Church challenges mount

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has outlined a series of domestic and foreign policy challenges facing Armenia, including reforms to the army, tensions surrounding the Armenian Apostolic Church and a possible bid for European Union membership.

Speaking in Armenia’s National Assembly, Pashinyan said Armenia should not seek its national identity in the internationally recognised territories of neighbouring countries, including Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Iran and Georgia, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

“When we seek our homeland in the internationally recognised territory of our four neighbours, we open the door for them to seek their homeland in the internationally recognised territory of the Republic of Armenia,” he said.

Addressing the army, Pashinyan said many of its problems were not newly emerging but had become more acute and visible. He argued that broader social, political, educational and cultural changes were necessary to address them.

Pashinyan also announced a report examining what he described as a “deep systemic crisis” within the Armenian Apostolic Church. He said the document would contain dozens of facts alleging that Ktrich Nersisyan had led the Church away from its canonical path.

On Armenia’s relations with the EU, Pashinyan said Yerevan would likely begin the formal process of applying for membership “in the near future”.

He said the move would come despite Armenia’s membership of the Eurasian Economic Union, citing requests from its EAEU partners.

According to Pashinyan, a referendum on EU membership would be held only after Armenia formally submits its application, receives a response and prepares an action plan.

By Aghakazim Guliyev