Kos: EU has received no membership bid from Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net - European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos stated that Armenia has not yet submitted an application to join the European Union. “We have not received an application from Armenia to join the EU. If we do, we will discuss it,” she told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

While not clarifying whether Brussels would approve such a bid, Kos emphasized that Armenia's expressed interest reflects the growing appeal of the European family. “What happened in the Armenian Parliament shows that the EU’s attractiveness is now higher than before. To apply, a country must be located in Europe and be a sovereign state. We haven’t received an application from Armenia yet, but if we do, we’ll consider it,” she said.

Kos noted that Armenia must go through several procedural steps before submitting a formal bid. “Certain conditions must be met, and then we’ll see,” she added.

She did not rule out the possibility that Moldova could join the EU during her term, which runs until 2029. “It would be a failure on our part if the current European Commission admits no new members,” she said, adding that Moldova, alongside Albania and Montenegro, could be among the next entrants.

“Moldova is really the best student of the group. They feel the historical moment and genuinely want to belong to a community that values democracy. They are ready to do everything possible to achieve that,” Kos said.

She also commented on Georgia’s stalled EU prospects. Georgia obtained candidate status three years ago, but negotiations have effectively stalled. Brussels criticizes the ruling Georgian Dream party for straying from Western values, enacting controversial laws, and cracking down on protests.

“We could go further and impose sanctions on Tbilisi, including freezing membership talks or the visa-free regime,” Kos warned. However, she added that continued dialogue might prove more effective than sanctions.

Regarding Turkey, Kos noted that the EU intends to reassess its relationship with Ankara. While negotiations have been frozen for over five years due to democratic shortcomings, some progress is emerging. “We’ve begun high-level talks on the economy and will move to migration next. The business community also supports this path,” Kos explained, noting trade between the EU and Turkey now totals around €240 billion.

On March 26, Armenia’s National Assembly passed a bill in final reading to launch the EU accession process. The government approved the initiative on January 9, following a proposal by the Eurovote civil initiative. Although the President has signed the bill, the EU has yet to issue an official invitation. Some opposition forces have dismissed the legislation as legally absurd. Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk has said Armenia cannot “sit on two chairs” and will have to choose between the EU and the Eurasian Economic Union.