The European Union will provide Armenia with an additional €140 million to support reforms and deepen cooperation, EU Commissioner Marta Kos said.

She made the announcement during joint statements with Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan, noting that Armenia is a reliable partner for the EU in the South Caucasus, reports Armenpress.

“This is an important year for Armenia. In May, Armenia will host the European Political Community summit, followed by the first-ever EU–Armenia summit. This shows how much the importance of this region for Europe has increased and how much our partnership has deepened,” she said.

Kos noted that freight volumes passing through the South Caucasus have quadrupled since 2022, adding that infrastructure investments could further increase this figure by reducing transport time and costs.

She emphasized that EU support is not limited to economic cooperation and is also viewed as a tool to promote peace. Kos welcomed steps taken by Armenia and Azerbaijan toward peace, highlighting the importance of regional connectivity.

According to the commissioner, under the Resilience and Growth plan, the EU has already supported around 7,000 businesses and contributed to the creation of more than 20,000 jobs.

“Programs are also being implemented in education, social services and housing, as well as support for the integration of displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh, amounting to more than €70 million,” she said.

Kos added that the new €140 million assistance will also support reforms needed to advance visa liberalization.

“These funds will contribute to the reforms necessary to make progress in the visa liberalization process,” she stated.

She also addressed democratic processes, stressing that the EU is ready to support Armenia in countering hybrid threats and disinformation to ensure free and fair elections.

“Certain malicious actors have attempted to undermine democratic processes in several European countries through cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns,” Kos said, referring also to Armenia’s upcoming parliamentary elections, reports «Sputnik Armenia».

“We are here to support Armenia in countering hybrid threats, so that Armenian citizens can freely and fairly decide their country’s future,” she added.