(Photo Source: RFE/RL)
On October 29th at 11 AM at the AUA Business Center, the “Partnership for Open Society” initiative held a discussion titled, “Viewing the Customs Union Decision through the Armenian Legal Framework and Due Process”. The discussion was the second event within the series, “Armenia at the Crossroads of Development: Toward Europe or Russia?”, which includes public discussions, debates, and events throughout the months of October and November leading to the Vilnius summit, aimed at better understanding the implications of joining the Customs Union.
This discussion provided a forum for engaging in informative and constructive dialog on the decision making process of joining the Customs Union within the context of the Armenian legal and constitutional framework and due process. Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and the Presidential administration were invited to speak, however they were unable to join the discussion. The panel was moderated by Avetik Ishkhanyan from the Helsinki Committee of Armenia, who was joined by a team of national experts representing a wide scope of knowledge on the topic. Artur Sakunts of the Helsinki Citizens assembly Vanadzor Office presented an overview of the issues surrounding the Customs Union decision-making process, while, Artur Ghazinyan spoke about the constitutionality of the president’s decision. Finally, Tigran Yegoryan discussed anticipated legal issues to be expected after joining the Customs Union. The presentations was followed by a Q&A and open discussion with RA Government officials, politicians, and various European ambassadors and representatives in attendance. As part of a collaborative effort with the Media Center, the event was also live streamed at www.A1plus.am and is available for viewing below.