Signature collection for Armenia's accession to the EU has started

From September 16 to November 14, signatures will be collected in Armenia to submit a draft law on the country's accession to the EU to the parliament. At least 50,000 signatures must be collected, the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia reported.

If this is possible, but the parliament does not approve the bill, a second collection is planned to submit the proposal to a referendum. This will require collecting 300,000 signatures.

Armenia wants to be part of the European Union. This was previously stated by the speaker of the parliament, Alen Simonyan.

"We need support to establish long-term peace. We have no territorial claims against our neighbors... We need the help of our European partners. We share the values ​​​​of the EU members, so we need support to become a full-fledged member of the European Union family," he emphasized.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan also spoke positively about the country's possible candidacy for the EU.

Armenia and the European Union recently began negotiations on visa liberalization.

Последние новости
Drone alert declared across southern Russia this evening
News
Drone alert declared across southern Russia this evening
17 October 2026

On the evening of 17 October, a drone alert was declared again in several districts of Krasnodar Krai. The warning covered Anapa, Gelendzhik, Novorossiysk, Abinsky, Krymsky and Temryuksky districts. Earlier in the day, alerts had also been issued in Sochi, Tuapse municipal district and Mostovsky district.

Residents over 55 in Karachay-Cherkessia five times more likely to visit online learning websites
Society
Residents over 55 in Karachay-Cherkessia five times more likely to visit online learning websites
17 October 2026

In the third quarter of 2026, monthly internet traffic to educational websites in Karachay-Cherkessia was 1.3 times higher than in the first quarter. Among users aged over 55, the figure increased fivefold, according to a study by telecommunications operator MegaFon and the Skillbox educational group.

Reporters Without Borders condemns forced detention of Novaya Gazeta editor-in-chief
Human rights
Reporters Without Borders condemns forced detention of Novaya Gazeta editor-in-chief
17 October 2026

Sergei Sokolov was taken to Russia’s Investigative Committee and held in the building for around three hours, despite having been officially summoned for questioning as a witness. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) described the incident as a new stage in the pressure on one of Russia’s last independent media outlets.

Shchukin: Over 3 Billion Rubles Paid to Flood Victims in Dagestan
Society
Shchukin: Over 3 Billion Rubles Paid to Flood Victims in Dagestan
16 October 2026

More than 3 billion rubles have been paid out to residents of Dagestan affected by spring floods. Fyodor Shchukin announced this on October 15 while speaking at a session of the republic’s People’s Assembly. On the same day, deputies elected him as the head of the region, following which he took the oath of office and assumed his duties.