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On November 24 the RA NA Standing Committees on Foreign Relations and on Economic Affairs organized parliamentary joint hearings to discuss the theme “On Joining the Eurasian Economic Union on May 29, 2014 of the Republic of Armenia. The RA NA deputies, members of the government, representatives of the NGOs, journalists and those responsible for the sphere took part in the parliamentary hearings.

Opening the parliamentary hearings the Chairman of the RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Artak Zakaryan thanked the participants of the hearings for accepting the invitation. He has noted during the recent period the accession to the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) is one of the most important themes under debate in the public and political life of Armenia. The Committee Chairman has highlighted the debate of the issue in the format of the parliamentary hearings before the ratification of the treaty by the National Assembly. Mr Zakaryan has briefly presented the EEU structure and the phases of its formation.

The RA Deputy Minister of Finance Suren Karayan, the RA Deputy Minister of Economy Emil Tarasyan and the RA Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan thoroughly presented their views on the theme.

During the Q & A session the participants of the hearings addressed numerous questions to the speakers, trying to find out what the accession to the EEU will give to Armenia, after joining it what kinds of goods will become expensive, what economic benefits and damages will occur to Armenia, the tendencies of inflation, the further cooperation with the EU, the conditions of coming out from the EEU, the issue of installing customs check point between Armenia and Artsakh.

The key speakers and those responsible for the process thoroughly touched upon all interpellations and presented substantiations. The First Deputy of the Chief of Staff to the RA President Vardan Aramyan has noted that after the accession Armenia will continue the reforms of the administration system, keeping the cooperation with the EU.

In her speech on the issue the RA NA deputy Zaruhi Postanjyan has referred to the process of joining to the EEU and has expressed conviction that Russia cannot be a reliable economic partner and the accession will not be of any good for our country. The RA NA deputy Khosrov Harutyunyan has opined that Armenia stands before the problem of specifying its place in the global world as a result of geopolitical and geo-economic modifications. Highlighting the holding of public hearings, Khachatur Kokobelyan has touched upon the problem of constitutionality of the treaty. The NA deputy Mher Shahgeldyan has emphasized the organization of public hearings with respect to informing the society. The Chairman of the Research-Analytical NGO Integration and Development Aram Safaryan has noted that our country will win joining the EEU.

Those responsible for the sphere have also referred to the monetary policy, the expecting risks to the economy after joining the EEU, the priorities of our country, the threatening dangers and losses in case of avoiding the integration.

In the final speech the First Deputy of the Chief of Staff to the RA President Vardan Aramyan, the RA Deputy Minister of Finance Suren Karayan, the RA Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan have touched upon in detail all the speeches and presented substantiations.

In his final speech the Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Economic Affairs Vardan Ayvazyan has referred to the export and import volumes to/from the EU and EEU countries and the problems existing in the process of the accession. Being for Armenia’s accession to the EEU he has noted that we should jointly work and solve the problems being settled by law.

Artak Zakaryan has noted that after the ratification a big number of laws should be harmonized with the functioning legislation and 29 agreements would be ratified. Mr Zakaryan has underlined that Armenia can bridge the different economic unions. The Committee Chairman has expressed confidence that from January 1, 2015 one economic environment will be created and new horizons will be opened for economic activities.