Armenia's parliament passes law on starting the EU accession process

Armenia's National Assembly has adopted in the second reading the law "On the start of the process of the Republic of Armenia's accession to the European Union". 64 lawmakers voted in favour and 7 against.

The bill was drafted by a group of civil society organisations that collected more than 60,000 signatures. The government supported the initiative.

The law records Armenia's aspiration to EU membership but does not mean an automatic application. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stressed that the question of joining should ultimately be decided in a referendum.

Moscow said joining the EU is incompatible with membership of the Eurasian Economic Union.