Pashinyan called the referendum on choosing between the EU and the EAEU a disrespect for the Armenian people.

The referendum on choosing between the EAEU and the EU, before going through a number of procedural stages, will be meaningless and illegitimate and will demonstrate disrespect for the people of Armenia. The EAEU must provide non-discriminatory conditions for all its members, said Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", the bans on the import of Armenian products into Russia contradict the agreements of the two countries, Nikol Pashinyan reminded in a phone conversation with Vladimir Putin. The latter, in turn, insisted on holding a referendum in Armenia on joining the EU.

The referendum on Armenia's accession to the EU, before going through a number of procedural stages, will be meaningless, said RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Friday at a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in an expanded format in Kyrgyzstan. According to him, the consent of EU member states, preliminary institutional preparation, submission of an official application for EU membership, and obtaining candidate status for EU membership are necessary for holding a referendum.

"This would mean that we expect our citizens to answer a question that simply does not exist at the moment. It would mean that we expect the citizens of Armenia to choose between two alternatives, one of which does not exist. This would be disrespectful to our people and practically illegitimate," he said, as reported by "News Armenia".

All member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) must have equal and non-discriminatory conditions for doing business, emphasized Nikol Pashinyan.

"Certain restrictions and administrative measures continue to hinder the full functioning of the common market, reducing the predictability of business conditions and the effectiveness of integration processes," Armenia Today quoted him.

He emphasized that Armenia provides favorable, equal, and non-discriminatory conditions for businesses from all EAEU member countries and expects that a similar approach will be applied throughout the union. The Prime Minister warned that ignoring such issues could not only slow down the further development of the EAEU but also negatively affect the attitude of citizens and businesses towards the union. According to him, emerging trade barriers are a problem not just for one country but for the entire union, and therefore they need to be eliminated in a timely manner.

"In 2025, Armenia contributed about $319 million to the common budget of the EAEU customs duties, while the amount of funds distributed in favor of the republic was about $175 million. Thus, Armenia contributed significantly more to the union's common budget than it received, which is direct confirmation of our responsible position," Pashinyan noted. He added that Armenia is a major consumer of goods and services from EAEU member states. According to him, imports from union countries in 2025 amounted to about $5 billion, while exports of Armenian products to the EAEU market were about $3.2 billion. At the same time, the Prime Minister noted that strengthening cooperation with EAEU member states remains one of Armenia's foreign policy and foreign economic priorities, and this course will be reflected in the new government's program.