Let me remind that on September 1, the meeting of the Russian president and the prime minister of Armenia took place in Bishkek within the framework of the SCO+ events. Our position—the Russian position—on the need for Yerevan to hold a nationwide referendum on the start of the European Union accession process as soon as possible has not changed, Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated during Tuesday’s press briefing.

This is how she commented on the question of how the Russian side will build cooperation with Armenia, including in the military sphere and within the EAEU, “taking into account the reluctance of the country’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to hold a referendum, while it is not known whether Armenia is ‘for’ or ‘against’ the matter of joining the EU.”

The Russian MFA spokesperson emphasized that Moscow has repeatedly stated this to its Armenian colleagues and has already publicly presented its position. "Moreover, this has been discussed in expert circles by those who deal with these issues and participate in the work of the EAEU institutions. We continue to proceed from the fact that it will be not only honest, but also extremely necessary to decide which path the [Armenian] republic, led by Prime Minister Pashinyan, is taking.

And, as is known, this opinion is also shared by other EAEU partners, which, accordingly, was reflected in the joint statement of the leaders of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia on May 29 of this year. Why is this necessary? Well, it is obvious why. If everyone participates in a certain integration association, then, accordingly, they bear responsibility, share risks and, most importantly, plan for the future.

If one of the team members—which, let me remind, was formed on a voluntary basis, no one forced it there—speaks about it publicly and, moreover, takes steps in the legal sphere that it no longer sees its future as part of this team, then you want to clarify, ask it to make up its mind, because, I want to say again, this is a responsibility. These are not just beautiful words.

This is not just superficial piety. This is a responsibility to citizens, economic operators, all those who are building their future, financial, economic, industrial, production strategy, as well as logistics. We take note of the argument of the Armenian side that holding such a plebiscite at this time is not advisable.

It is simply very difficult to agree with it. After all, everything that the Armenian side has been declaring for years does not contradict the plebiscite in any way. On the contrary. What is a plebiscite? The opinion of the people. If they have declared democracy in Armenia; moreover, the acceleration of that democracy.

And what are the Western values, so to speak, that they essentially want, or are going to join politically? This has been repeatedly said by Yerevan at the highest level. It is precisely greater, even greater democratization. What could be greater democratization than a plebiscite, when people are directly asked: ‘What do you want? Left, right, forward, backward, or to stand still?’ The opinion can be clarified in different ways. But the main thing is that it must be clarified.

That would be logical from all points of view, both from the point of view of greater democratization, which, it seems, was the main line of Western values before. At least that's how they talked about them. And at the same time, from the point of view of common sense, and most importantly, from the point of view of decency.

It would be very important to ask the opinion of one's own people about moving towards joining the course of the European Union, which is openly hostile to Russia and, by the way, the entire EAEU, and only then to deal with its legal wording. Well, I don't really want to draw parallels, but this is the same as when two people live in a family, but one of them already seems to live in another family. And the second one asks: ‘Tell me, please, ultimately, which side are you on?

Are we a family with you, or are you already in another family?’ And the answer is heard not once, not twice, not one and a half times that ‘We'll decide later.’ When ‘later?’ When, excuse me, will they start taking out the furniture? That is, when.

This is elementary decency. If we talk about decency, then this is it. Either it is there or it is not there. All the judgments of the Armenian leadership that this so-called ‘Western European alternative’ has not yet been formed, you know, literally clash with the law adopted in April of last year, about its beginning, which is exactly what it is called: ‘On the start of the Republic of Armenia’s membership in the European Union.’

Well, if the law has already passed, and with such a direct title, then, probably, as they said, the European alternative has already been formed. I want to emphasize once again that what has been passed is not a statement or a declaration, but a law that enshrines, as also stated in that law, the alternative foreign policy vector.

That is why I am trying to convince everyone that in order to hold a referendum, you must first, as has been said, supposedly receive the status of a candidate for membership in the European Union, are more like manipulation. Well, returning to the question of the family again: supposedly if they agree to accept me somewhere there, then I will also answer you: ‘Am I your spouse or not?’ And until then, let's assume that I am a spouse, although I have a different, multi-vector perspective.

Well, listen, really, every complex thing can be retold with simple examples and words. It is unlikely that the Armenian political elite does not realize that this degree of rapprochement with the European Union will automatically mean the nullification of all privileges for Armenia within the framework of the EAEU. And then it will be too late to make a choice," Zakharova said.