TIGRAN TOROSIAN: ARMENIA HAS NO ALTERNATIVE TO EUROPEAN INTEGRATION

YEREVAN, JULY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The “round table” on the theme “Armenia
on Way to Europe” organized on July 22 by the RA Foreign Ministry, the
Friedrich Ebert fund and the Armenian Center of Humanitarian
Researches was dedicated to the estimation of the present level of the
cooperation between Armenia and the European Union as well as to
prospects of Armenia’s integration to Europe. Attention of the “round
table” participants was drawn to new book with the analogous
title. Heike Peitsch, the Ambassador of Germany to the RA mentioned in
her speech that Armenia is on a right way, though it is necessary to
pass a definite way to come closer to the European standards. The
Ambassador expressed a hope that negotiations between Armenia and the
European Commission dedicated to the action plan in the framework of
the New Neighourhood program will start in September According to
Tigran Torosian, the Deputy Chairman of the RA National Assembly,
Armenia has no alternative to the European Integration: “We are a part
of Europe, a part of the European civilization. We should prove that
we have a deserved right to be called Europeans. The time of nice
words passed, radical steps are needed now.” He emphasized that
Armenia has not so much time for implementation of necessary changes,
only a year or two: And if we are not able to use that time for
establishment of democratic values, we shall be responsible before our
descendants.” Tigran Torosian mentioned that the Constitutional
reforms have one of the radical roles in that process. According to
Tigran Davtian, the Deputy Minister of Commerce and Economic
Development, and amendments in the economic sector took a great place
among the necessary changes. He emphasized that, taking into account
the dinamic development of the economy, during 10-15 years, it is
quite real to reach minimal “European level” at which Baltic countries
and Bulgaria are today.