On 9 July, the EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi visited Armenia where he met with the country’s acting Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan to present the new Eastern Partnership aid plan (Caucasus Watch reported). During the meeting the sides exchanged views on the Armenia-EU active cooperation, the current partnership agenda, as well as on a broad range of issues relating to the further relations development. 

Varhelyi said that the EU is committed and ready to take up an active role in the post-hostilities situation both as a facilitator of confidence-building measures, especially to first overcome the humanitarian crisis, and later on as a key partner in the economic recovery in the crisis-hit region and the surrounding regions. The Commissioner also announced that the EU would provide €9-10 million for the people affected by the Second Nagorno-Karabakh war.  

He stressed that he has brought the 1.6 billion euro package “as a present,” which outlines an economic and investment plan for economic recovery after the Covid-19 crisis. “We are ready to contribute in a very significant way, a very operative way to the economic recovery of Armenia together with the entire Eastern Partnership region. We have been working on a plan together with the government of Armenia, a plan that should bring growth and jobs the fastest we can after the pandemic,” he said.

“But when we are designing it, we should also look at the challenges that we have seen before the crisis, the challenges that prevented a boost in economic recovery and development in the region,” Várhelyi stated. “Therefore, we want to promote the digital economy, the green transition, but most importantly, we want to create trade routes, the connectivity with European markets and European economy, through which we can bring this region much closer to the EU and ensure faster development,” he added. “For Armenia, the plan that we have been working on together with the government, we are proposing five flagship initiatives, meaning key areas of investment, key areas of reform, through which we think in the 4-5 years the realities on the ground can change significantly for the people in Armenia. They will have growth, they will have jobs, and a stronger and more resilient economy,” he underscored. 

Grigoryan, on his behalf, emphasised that the EU remains a key partner of Armenia in the implementation of ambitious reforms. “We are confident that the EU positively evaluates the reforms being carried out in Armenia, in connection with which Armenia will receive the largest assistance in the South Caucasus,” Grigoryan stated.  “I want to note that Armenia is grateful to the European Union for the humanitarian aid provided for Covid-19 fight and for assisting our compatriots affected from the Karabakh War. We have discussed with the Commissioner our future actions aimed at mitigating the heaviest consequences of the large-scale military aggression against Karabakh and the post-war situation,” he said, stating that Armenia is committed to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict exclusively through peaceful means, within the frames of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship. “As a key priority we stressed the importance of the immediate and unconditional return of Armenian prisoners of war and civilian captives, held by Azerbaijan, which is also enshrined in the 2020 9 November trilateral statement,” he added.