Nikol Pashinyan Announces Referendum on Joining European Union

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced during a National Assembly session that Armenia will hold a nationwide referendum on joining the European Union. The vote will take place after Armenia officially submits a membership application, receives a response, and establishes a procedural roadmap. Pashinyan stated that Armenia is currently the only country actively negotiating visa liberalization with the bloc and set a goal to achieve visa-free travel by 2029.

In a shift in security policy, Pashinyan declared that Armenia will not return to active participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) for the next five years. He indicated that he would welcome a decision by the organization to exclude Armenia to avoid a formal exit process.

Despite the move toward Eurointegration, the Armenian government clarified that a referendum on exiting the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will not occur in the coming months.