RF MFA: Armenia must decide on holding referendum on EU or EAEU by  December 2026

ArmInfo.  Armenia must decide on holding a national referendum on joining the European Union or  maintaining membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) by  December 2026, when the question of possible further steps regarding  Yerevan will be discussed at a meeting of the heads of state of the  EAEU. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin stated this in  an interview with TASS.

"Obviously, if the call for a referendum is not heard by that time,  the leaders will take this fact into account when determining  appropriate further joint steps," he noted. The Deputy Foreign  Minister of the Russian Federation recalled that "the joint statement  of the presidents of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan of  May 29 regarding Armenia's European aspirations speaks of the need to  hold a national referendum in that country on joining the EU or  remaining part of the EAEU as soon as possible, but without  specifying a specific date."

"At the same time, it has already been indicated that this issue will  be discussed again during the December meeting of the Supreme  Eurasian Economic Council, when the heads of state will be required  to present a report on the possible consequences of suspending the  EAEU Treaty of May 29, 2014, with respect to Armenia," Galuzin  stated.

He also stated that the issue of stripping Armenia of its voting  rights in the CSTO could be considered at the organization's summit  on November 11.

"Any decisions regarding the possible adoption of restrictive  measures against one of the organization's members fall entirely  within the prerogatives of the Collective Security Council (which  includes the heads of state of the CSTO member states), which has the  right to make such decisions based on the provisions of the  organization's charter (regarding your question, the applicable  provisions are contained, in particular, in Articles 20 and 25),"  Galuzin said, responding to a question about invoking the relevant  article of the charter regarding non-fulfillment of obligations. "The  next meeting of the Council will be held in Moscow on November 11."

According to him, the CSTO Charter is an international treaty and  must be faithfully implemented by all its parties, including the  obligation of each member state to finance the activities of the CSTO  bodies. 

"Yerevan's refusal to participate in the organization's work and its  failure to sign annual decisions on its budget merely signifies a  failure to exercise its right, but does not terminate Armenia's  obligation to make timely payments of its national contribution," the  senior diplomat noted. "Based on the principle of maintaining  institutional effectiveness, any international organization has  procedures for this situation, as stipulated in its founding  documents. The CSTO is no exception," said the Deputy Foreign  Minister of the Russian Federation.