YEREVAN. - 168 Zham daily of Armenia writes: Yesterday the National Assembly organized hearings on the process of implementation of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement signed between Armenia and the European Union (EU).

There really was a need for hearings, as there is no process of implementing this agreement as such. The problem is not the technical, bureaucratic nuances, the problem is not also that only 17 of the 28 EU member states have ratified the agreement. The problem is much deeper, and it is not linked to the European side, but to the Armenian side.

Armenia’s new power, however, prefers relations with [Russian President] Vladimir Vladimirovich [Putin] above all relations. And the latter [Putin], as is well known, has many reservations about Europe. They were consciously, or subconsciously, transferred also to [Armenian PM] Nikol Pashinyan, and the latter—to his power. So, in yesterday's parliamentary hearings, it was not really Europe and Armenia's relationship with it, as it might seem at first glance, but Russia, and more specifically, Vladimir Putin.