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Opposition politician Eduard Sharmazanov, deputy chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), stated that the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA), signed in November 2017, outlined specific political reforms for Armenia.

At a press conference on Monday, Sharmazanov criticized Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for “neglecting the agreement in favor of a cheap PR stunt".

The politician stated that the CEPA guaranteed the right to self-determination for the people of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

“The parliaments of all 27 EU countries recognized the Artsakh people’s right to self-determination. However, Pashinyan deprived them of that right when he recognized Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan on October 6, 2022,” he announced.

Sharmazanov argued that Armenia’s pursuit of EU membership does not align with the country's interests. “The EU is not waiting for Armenia,” he stated.

The politician also reminded that the decision to join the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) was made during former President Serzh Sargsyan's tenure, attributing Armenia’s economic growth largely to its ties with the EAEU, particularly Russia. “Deteriorating relations with Russia would trigger an economic downturn, leading to higher gas prices,” Sharmazanov warned.

Referring to the U.S.-Armenia strategic partnership agreement, Sharmazanov dismissed claims that the U.S. would come to Armenia’s defense in the event of Azerbaijani-Turkish aggression as “nonsense".

“The agreement contains not a single clause obligating the U.S. to protect Armenia from foreign aggression,” he emphasized.