Armenia and the European Union (EU) must maintain an ambitious and realistic approach to reforms and cooperation, while strengthening mutual ties and the practical implementation of agreements. Ambassador Vassilis Maragos, Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, stated this during the 8th meeting of the EU-Armenia Civil Society Platform on Wednesday.

In his address, the EU diplomat highlighted the current phase of Armenia-EU relations, stating that Armenia is at the center of the European political agenda today. He particularly emphasized the importance of the upcoming summits and the expansion of bilateral dialogue. According to Maragos, the presence of senior European officials at joint events best reflects this close political engagement.

According to the European official, the programs being implemented in Armenia are aimed not only at systemic reforms, but also at improving the quality of life of the country’s population, including socioeconomic development, modernization of state services, and promotion of the private sector. They are working with individual Armenian companies, helping them improve standards and enter European markets. In some cases, export volumes have increased by more than 7 percent in just one year, he noted, and stressed the importance of economic cooperation and technical assistance.

He noted that in the last two years, the EU and Armenia have made significant progress in strategic cooperation and planning, developing new cooperation tools, and a clear agenda.

They have signed the new Armenia-EU strategic agenda and have made progress in the last two years in developing new planning and cooperation tools, Maragos noted.

He particularly touched upon the role of civil society, emphasizing that dialogue between the state, society, and international partners is a key factor in sustainable reforms. Civil society has an indispensable role in the reform process, as it allows combining state policy and public expertise potential, added the head of the EU Delegation to Armenia.

Also, Vassilis Maragos emphasized the importance of the presence and work of EU monitoring missions, noting that they contribute to strengthening trust in the region, stability, and Armenia’s sovereignty.

According to him, Armenia and the EU should focus not only on infrastructural and systemic ties, but also on human contacts, as well as strengthening social standards and inclusiveness of reforms.