Armenia`s aspiration to join EU native - MP

ArmInfo. The European Union is gradually losing its once indisputable competitive advantages. This is what former Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia from the opposition faction "Armenia" Armen Gevorgyan writes in his article "To go to Europe or find it in yourself" on the website of the Group  of Alternative Projects.

"Is it possible to object to an institution such as the European  Union? Humanly speaking, it is difficult to oppose something that  embodies prosperity, security and justice. Especially in a society  that has been striving for the same ideals for the past 34 years, but  has not been able to achieve them. However, reality requires  reasonableness in our assessments and responsibility in our actions,"  the former Deputy Prime Minister noted.

He recalled that the world order and the rules of the game after  World War II were established by Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill at  the Yalta Conference. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, it  seemed that there would be no need for a new Yalta, since the  hegemony of the United States was unquestioned and unbreakable.  However, the last decade has kept international relations in a state  of constant tension. Those centers that seemed to have exhausted  their influence and ambitions are reborn and changing the situation.

"A reasonable and rational approach for Armenia in these  circumstances involves refraining from drastic steps, especially  those whose prospects are not obvious, but the consequences of their  implementation can be destructive. There is a feeling that the  current authorities of Armenia, especially in the last two or three  years, are guided by an inexplicable inner conviction that the era of  Russian dominance in the region is ending, that it can no longer be  taken into account, since it is losing its effectiveness and will  collapse step by step, both militarily and economically. This is  naivety bordering on irresponsibility," the oppositionist believes.

He called for not building illusions about the desire of the  country's authorities to join the EU. "Why discuss the prospect of EU  membership in this complex geopolitical situation and against the  backdrop of strong global turbulence, if the prospects for EU  expansion are uncertain (9 countries have been waiting for membership  for many years and decades), and the EU institutions themselves need  a new rethinking and clear transformation. The events taking place in  the world, according to the politician, will lead to "Yalta-2" to  determine the new world order, and it is still unclear what place the  South Caucasus region and Armenia in particular will occupy in this  structure.

"There is already a significant difference in the 'weight categories'  between the EU member states. Internal differentiation will increase  further with the accession of new members, which will place an  additional economic burden on the old members. For this reason, a  rational agenda for EU enlargement takes on a double meaning, where  the main question is not what the new members will get from the EU,  but what the EU will give to its citizens after the accession of the  new members. This is a serious challenge to the financial and  economic stability of the EU and to the prospects for maintaining its  unity and cohesion. This problem is becoming especially acute as the  Trump administration seeks to reconsider its commitments and  approaches to the European continent. Europe's neoliberal agenda  makes the modern democratic model of life more questionable for  countries advocating for a conservative social order. In these  countries, traditional values such as patriotism, family and religion  are rapidly losing their relevance and former significance in the  Western world. Unfortunately, it is in this sense that liberal  democracy, which "rejects" these values, is no longer a brand that  can be "exported," Gevorkyan noted.

He stressed that the migration situation in Europe creates a second  dimension of life, where the rules of secondary nature, severe social  polarization and high risks of intra-social conflicts arise. Two  parallel realities - traditional and migrant - are becoming a serious  challenge to long-term prosperity, security and democratic way of  life. "This is the ontological (existential) challenge of democratic  Europe: who is who?  Will Europe be able to assimilate migrants and  turn them into new, trustworthy citizens, or will they change the  traditional way of life of Europe? The room for maneuver of the  European Union and the preservation of its values is narrowing, as  are the principles and mechanisms of its functioning. In the context  of instability of modern international relations, the role of  traditional international structures will be re- evaluated, and the  EU cannot remain on the sidelines of these processes. In order to  understand its involvement, the EU needs to conduct self-analysis,  re-evaluate the effectiveness of decision-making and implementation,  including from the point of view of maintaining or abandoning the  fundamental principle of consensus," the politician believes.

He noted that during "Yalta-2" the issues of the Eurasian continent  will undoubtedly be discussed, and most likely without Europe. There  is every reason to believe that the South Caucasus will remain in the  zone of Russia's strategic influence. "What will happen to us in this  case? Three giants will gather at the negotiating table again, but  this time the United States, Russia and China. Europe will be absent  not because it is unworthy, but for a number of other reasons.

Firstly, Europe has no leader who could symbolize its strength and  unity, who would speak on behalf of Europe and for Europe. Europe has  no face of its own. Secondly, the world is gradually witnessing the  erosion of the original image of European identity. The historical  significance and value of Europe as the cradle of the highest  standards of public life are fading. In the near future, these trends  will only worsen.  Thirdly, Europe has become completely dependent on  the three participants of the new "Yalta" in matters of its own  security, sales markets and access to natural resources. It is  gradually losing its once indisputable competitive advantages," Armen  Gevorkyan noted.