Republican Party of Armenia

As an EaP partner country, the Republic of Armenia has viewed all its formats (executive, parliamentary, and civil society) as an opportunity to develop human rights, democratic institutions and principles in the newly independent republic, to move closer to European civilization and fundamental values, as well as to develop cooperation with EU member states in economic, legal, educational, cultural, and other areas.

Naturally, in 2011, when the Euronest PA was being established, the European region, and Armenia in particular, were in a different situation. As a MP of the National Assembly of Armenia of two convocations, I can document and remind you with what activity and diligence the European Parliament and European structures, as well as civil society organizations, were recording and responding to the events taking place in the EaP member states. In 2011-18, it was difficult to even imagine that violations of human civil or political rights and freedoms could occur in any EaP member country and be ignored by institutions advocating democracy.

The Euronest PA Committee on Political Affairs, Human Rights and Democracy, as well as the Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Education, Culture and Civil Society, have prepared various reports on fundamental human rights and freedoms in the EaP member states. I assure you with all responsibility that if what has been happening in Armenia in 2012-2017 had happened, then the issues of individual political rights, freedom of speech, local self-government bodies, as well as the autonomy of religious institutions would have been permanently on the agenda of the Euronest PA.

A lot has changed in today's world. Unfortunately, Armenia's internal and external challenges have also changed, including in the form of various rights and freedoms.

To this day, our compatriots are illegally held in the prisons of another EaP member state, Azerbaijan, who, believing in the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act, dedicated their activities to the right to self-determination, security, and freedoms of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.

From the podiums of the Euronest PA, Armenian MPs have addressed you and your colleagues numerous times, noting that the Artsakh issue is, first and foremost, a matter of human rights, fundamental freedoms, and salvation. In 2020-2023, you witnessed how Azerbaijan gained a chance to treat people who had lived in their own homeland, in their own homes, for millennia. They were killed, captured, starved, and finally forcibly displaced in full view of the entire world. I hope that the time will come when the European Parliament and the national parliaments of the EU member states will have appropriate opportunities to raise and give due attention to the fate and rights of those subjected to one of the largest forced displacements of the 21st century.

Another major issue is the socio-political situation in Armenia, which has been declared a "bastion of democracy" with dozens of political prisoners. I sincerely think that many of you are well informed about the actual state of political rights issues in Armenia, but based on the current situation, you do not consider it appropriate to make it a subject of discussion yet. I am sure that when you are convinced that the current government in the Republic of Armenia has deceived and continues to deceive you, you will be more vigilant.

Thank you once again for finding the time to visit Armenia and I wish you fruitful work at the 12th plenary session of the Assembly.

Your former colleague,

MP of the RA NA of the 4th and 5th convocations, former head of the Armenian delegation to the Euronest PA