YEREVAN. – President of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan, on Saturday received a delegation led by Lotta Johnsson Fornarve, Second Deputy Speaker of the Riksdag (legislature) of Sweden.

First, Mirzoyan lauded Johnsson Fornarve’s pro-Armenian activities, both in Sweden and at international parliamentary platforms. Also, he underscored Armenia’s mutually beneficial cooperation with Sweden, and noted that, in recent years, there has been a positive dynamics in the development of bilateral relations.

Reflecting on the Armenia-European Union Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that has been signed, the speaker of the Armenian parliament highlighted the need for ratification of this document as quickly as possible by all EU member countries. In this connection, the deputy speaker of the Swedish Riksdag assured that the ratification of CEPA by her country’s parliament will not be delayed. 

In addition, Ararat Mirzoyan expressed gratitude to the Swedish legislature for the adoption of a resolution recognizing and condemning Armenian Genocide, as well as for its position on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) conflict.

Separately, the head of Armenia’s NA highly appreciated Sweden’s participation in the Support to Electoral Processes in Armenia program, in the lead-up to the country’s snap parliamentary election past December.

Lotta Johnsson Fornarve, for her part, first conveyed to Mirzoyan of the Swedish parliament speaker’s official invitation to visit Sweden.

Deputy speaker of the Riksdag also underscored the expansion of bilateral ties and intensification of parliamentary cooperation between Armenia and Sweden, and presented the pro-Armenian events that were held in her country’s legislature.

Also, Johnsson Fornarve welcomed the democratic processes that occurred in Armenia in 2018 and the reforms being implemented in the country, and noted that the Armenian people have pacifically managed to make positive changes in their country.

Next, Ararat Mirzoyan awarded Lotta Johnsson Fornarve with the commemorative medal of the Armenian NA president, and in recognition of her considerable contribution to the development of Armenian-Swedish parliamentary relations.