Small states better to be EU members for the sake of fast growth - Head of NA Commission on European Integration

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YEREVAN, 21 June. /ARKA/. It is better for small states to be members of the European Union, because the experience shows that such countries experience rapid growth after joining the EU, Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on European Integration Arman Yeghoyan said today, speaking at the parliamentary hearings on the referendum on Armenia's application for EU membership, which is sought by a number of extra-parliamentary parties./pp

According to him, European integration is not a one-step or even a multi-step operation, but an operation consisting of many lines with many separate steps.nbsp;nbsp;/pp

Yeghoyan recalled that the commission has been working as a permanent parliamentary body since 2007./pp

In 2007, there was no talk of EU membership, association agreement or free trade... Remember 2007, where Armenia was on the geopolitical map then, and look where it is now, Yeghoyan said./pp

He expressed hope that based on the results of the discussion at the expert level, the tasks to be solved will be formulated in maximum detail./pp

There is no question whether it is good to be a member of the EU or not. The answer to this question is simple. Being a member of the EU is good for small states. Small states, while giving relatively little, get relatively much from this structure. The facts show that such countries record rapid growth after joining the EU. Now we have to discuss another issue: Armenia's path, how we do it, with what tools we do it, in what time-frame, Yeghoyan said.nbsp;nbsp;/pp

Yeghoyan added that the ruling majority has been discussing the issues of tools and sequence of steps for a long time.nbsp;nbsp;/pp

He drew attention to how contacts not only with the EU, but also with American partners have intensified in recent weeks. -0--/p