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On November 5, the preliminary debates on the draft state budget for 2021.

At the joint sitting of the NA Standing Committees on European Integration and on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs moderated by Gayane Abrahamyan and Arkady Khachatryan the incomes and expenditures designed for the direction of the European integration.

The RA Deputy Foreign Minister Avet Adonts touched upon the RA-EU relations, noting that in the current year the contacts of Armenia with the EU countries have decreased to some extent conditioned by Covid-19 pandemic. In this context, he thanked the European Union for the financial and medical support shown to our country during the fight against pandemic.

Touching upon the ratification process of the RA-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, he has noted that it has almost ended: 24 EU member countries out of 27 ended the ratification of the Agreement. The Deputy Minister has informed that other countries, as Italy, Spain and Portugal, though has ratified, but still has not officially informed the EU Secretariat about the ratification process, which is a technical process.

According to the Deputy Minister, though the contacts have been little during the current year with the EU, nevertheless all the organizations designed by the Agreement have effectively worked via video conference.

Regarding the large-scale war unleashed by Azerbaijan on September 27, the Deputy Minister has informed that the Minister is in everyday contact with European counterparts: the works are going on in several directions. It has been noted that debates are going on with the EU member countries on the recognition of Artsakh independence, the possibility of recognition of Artsakh people's right to self-determination, use of sanctions against aggressor and organization of humanitarian aid. Avet Adonts has clarified that though various kinds of humanitarian aids will be targeted and institutional. As the Deputy Foreign Minister informed the Ministry would end the development of the document aimed at showing humanitarian aid.

Avet Adonts has also informed that the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs works on using sanctions against the aggressor, and in this context, he has highlighted the importance of parliamentary diplomacy.

The Deputy Foreign Minister has noted on Artsakh recognition process that there are certain achievements. At his word, they mainly take place at the level of local self-government bodies, which is very important for reaching qualitative higher level in the future. “There are preliminary agreements and rather serious discussions for implementing qualitative high actions, but today I would not like to voice them,” the Deputy Foreign Minister particularly said.

The RA Deputy Foreign Minister Avet Adonts, as well as the RA Minister of Finance Atom Janjughazyan answered to the MPs’ questions.