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The past 2017 marked the parliamentary elections held in Armenia. From one hand, they came as a continuation of the process of constitutional reforms, from the other – were praised by the international community, political analyst Alexander Markarov told Panorama.am, summing up the past year.
  
“This year, fortunately, we avoided upheavals and entered a relatively calm and regular phase of political processes. The elections of the prime minister and the formation of the new cabinet will be a logical continuation of this phase. As to the presidential elections, they would have a symbolic meaning,” Markarov remarked.

Speaking of the major developments on the foreign policy arena, Markarov outlines several key directions: “Armenia’s efforts at the peaceful settlement of the Artsakh issue, the process of the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide continued last year. Despite the conflict settlement talks are underway to this or that extent with meetings at the level of foreign ministers and presidents of the two countries, no meaningful progress has been achieved yet toward the conflict solution. Incidents of border escalation have decreased to a relative degree but that has taken place mainly due to Armenia’s and Artsakh’s efforts,” insisted the political analyst.

As to Armenia’s membership to different international structures, Markarov pointed to Armenia’s successful cooperation within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) as well as the European Union as provisioned by the recently signed new Agreement (Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement) with the Union.

“The document opens a new page in the underway mutual relations. Although the Agreement set out just a general framework [for partnership], it would will bring more tangible results in the course of practice implementation,” the analyst concluded.