YEREVAN. - Armenia is facing big challenges and it needs deep and comprehensive reforms, but any political force which wants to conduct reforms here needs very strong legitimacy.

The head of the EU Delegation to Armenia Piotr Świtalski told the aforementioned to Radio Liberty.

“I think the awareness that Armenia needs deep and comprehensive reforms is very universal,” Świtalski said.

He also pointed out to a recent statement by President Serzh Sarkisian, noting that the EU fully agrees with its assessment on that Armenia needs reforms.

“We are ready to assist. But any political force in Armenia, if it wants to conduct reforms and move Armenia further, needs very strong legitimacy,” added Świtalski. “For any political force, there is no better source of legitimacy than elections which are considered by the population as reflecting its will, as free and fair.”

He also stressed that there is no perfect model of elections. According to the Ambassador, the democracy is not perfect in any country: there will always be disappointment and dissatisfaction on the impartiality of a certain element or the fact that it doesn’t satisfy the interests of a certain group.  

But despite this, Świtalski thinks that now Armenia has a real chance to show that the political culture in Armenia is strong and mature and that the for the sake of the ciuntry’s future Armenians can build a very strong consensual basis to serve the strategic goals of their country.  

In this context, the interest of EU in Armenia is very simple and transparent: we want Armenia to develop and prosper and ensure the best possible conditions for its own development, he stressed.

Referring to the appointment of new prime minister, Świtalski expressed hope that the new government will continue these initiatives, especially in regard to good governance and anti-corruption struggle.  He also added that the EU is ready to support the new Government in implementing the reforms.