"No free movement, no EAEU": Pashinyan questions the union's future
The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) is based on the fundamental principles of free movement of goods, services, labor, and capital. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reiterated this in a conversation with journalists. He stated that the absence of this free exchange calls into question the very existence of the EAEU.
"The EAEU has four principles: free movement of goods, services, labor, and finance. If there is no free movement, then there is no EAEU," the prime minister said.
He explained that temporary difficulties are acceptable, but protracted problems could change the essence of integration. Pashinyan wondered: what if the EAEU effectively ceases to exist due to a prolonged lack of free movement? The prime minister stated that restrictions imposed by Russia on imports from Armenia, as well as on the export of Armenian goods through its territory to other EAEU countries, would, at the very least, cause serious concern among a number of union member states.
On May 29, at a meeting of the EAEU Supreme Council, the leaders of Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Kyrgyzstan issued a statement calling on Armenia to hold a referendum on whether to choose between the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union.
Restrictions on the import of Armenian goods to Russia and transit through its territory were introduced shortly before the parliamentary elections in Armenia on June 7 and remain in effect. Under these circumstances, Yerevan is actively diversifying export routes and developing business support measures.
