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The Armenian leadership’s push for a referendum on joining the European Union entails new concessions to Azerbaijan, opposition politician Eduard Sharmazanov says.

“Under the pretext of Armenia’s Europeanisation, they will try to meet Aliyev's demands," Sharmazanov, a senior member of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), wrote on Facebook on Saturday, referring to Friday’s parliamentary hearings on applying for membership in the European Union.

"Under the guise of a referendum on border delimitation and visa liberalization with the EU, [Armenian PM] Nikol Pashinyan and his associates will try to fulfill Azerbaijan's demands by changing the Constitution of Armenia," Sharmazanov stated, urging people not to “swallow the bait” for the European integration.

"Even if 100 percent of Armenians vote for the country’s accession to the EU, no one there is waiting for Armenia. And in fact, the idea of a referendum is a plan for Armenia’s Azerbaijanization.

“Under the pretext of visa liberalization or establishment of peace through a referendum, they will attempt to make territorial concessions to Azerbaijan, change Armenia’s coat of arms by removing the image of Mount Ararat, as well as the provisions of the Independence Declaration, thus fulfilling Aliyev's demands,” the politician penned.