Yerevan hosts protest against Armenia's accession to EurAsEC

A protest action against Armenia's accession to the Eurasian Economic Community (EEC, or EurAsEC) was held in Yerevan on Thursday. The protesters demanded from the country's leadership to reject the idea, since Armenia, in their opinion, will lose its sovereignty after the accession.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on May 29, 2014, the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan addressed the EurAsEC, which now includes Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, with a proposal to consider, before June 15, Armenia's acceding to the EEC. On the same day, the President of Kazakhstan said that Armenia could join the EEC only within the borders laid down by the United Nations, that is, without Nagorno-Karabakh. On October 2, 2014, the Armenian government approved the draft agreement on joining the EEC. On October 10, the CIS Summit in Minsk plans to discuss Armenia's accession to the EEC.

About 30 people held a march in Yerevan chanting "Free, independent Armenia!" and handing out leaflets to passers-by. Daniel Ionnisyan, the coordinator of the project "Association of Informed Citizens", said that Armenia's accession to the EurAsEC is contrary to Armenian Constitution.

According to activists, should Armenia sign an agreement to join the EEC on October 10, their protests will continue. Thus, activists hope to prevent the ratification of the document by the Constitutional Court and the Parliament.