By David Mamyan
YEREVAN (Armenpress) — A Swedish lawmaker has lauded Armenia’s recent EU moves, emphasizing however that the country’s possible accession to the bloc could resolve its economic but not security-related problems.
“It’s very good that these steps are being taken, it is very important,” Arin Karapet, a member of Sweden’s Riksdag, the country’s parliament, representing the Moderate Party from the Stockholm Municipality constituency, told Armenpress during the Yerevan Dialogue 2025 forum last week when asked about Armenia’s EU aspirations, particularly the recently adopted EU bill.
“There’s a long path towards EU membership, reforms must be made for EU standard compliance, the economy must be diversified. Armenia is landlocked, and it’s important also in terms of logistics. As much as Armenian goods or production are attractive or affordable, they can’t access the EU market if they don’t match EU standards,” he added, emphasizing that Armenia’s culture is closer to the EU than its neighbors.
“For example, in terms of education, it would be great to have at least one EU-standard university in Armenia, where European students would come to study. It is very important that Armenia has been taking steps towards the EU. But by joining the EU you won’t resolve your security problems, you will resolve economic issues, educational issues, issues pertaining to standards, roads, manufacturing and so on, but security issues are another matter,” the MP said.
Karapet, an Armenian by ethnicity, was asked to comment on the developments in the South Caucasus and the likelihood of a swift signing of the Armenian-Azeri peace treaty, given the two parties have already finalized the terms and Yerevan has reiterated readiness to ink the document as soon as possible. Azerbaijan, on the other hand, has been stalling the process by making preconditions.
