Pashinyan on the Visa Liberalization Process with the EU

Strengthening our bilateral ties with Greece is important for both the Armenian community residing in Greece and the Greek community in Armenia. This was stated by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in an interview with the Greek newspaper 'Kathimerini'. According to him, it is vital to reinforce existing historical ties through the interactions of the Armenian and Greek younger generations, and we must take steps to create opportunities for mutual recognition.

“In this regard, I would like to highlight the significance of tourism, which is perhaps the best opportunity for strengthening connections between people, as well as the importance of joint educational programs. A new bilateral cooperation program in the field of education is expected to be signed soon, which will provide new opportunities for the exchange of students and lecturers. Recently, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Armenian government and the Democritus University of Thrace, where a center for Armenian language and culture will operate. Last year, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Academy of Sciences of Athens and the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia. In the near future, several other joint initiatives in the fields of science and culture are anticipated, which will contribute to strengthening cultural ties between the two countries,” said Pashinyan, noting that in order to make interactions among people more intense, it is essential to successfully conclude negotiations on the visa liberalization regime with EU countries as soon as possible.

“Armenia has long been ready to implement this process,” he emphasized.

Speaking about Armenian-Greek relations, Nikol Pashinyan stated, “The relations between Armenia and Greece are based not only on a shared history and longstanding friendship but also on a commitment to common values. We also view the development of bilateral relations within this framework. Armenia envisions its development through the establishment of democratic institutions. We are striving to develop cooperation with European structures, primarily with the European Union. In this regard, Greece's experience and support are very important to us. Stability and peace are fundamental values, and in the efforts to ensure them, Armenian-Greek friendship can also play a role. I believe that the deepening of bilateral relations in all directions will lay the groundwork for the close cooperation between Armenia and Greece to ultimately reach a higher, strategic level.”