The European Union issued a statement on Thursday regarding recent positive political developments in Armenia in particular regarding opposition-authorities dialogue.
The Union welcomes the fact that for the first time in many years, the political opposition was granted permission to hold a rally in Liberty Square on 28 April.
“We hope that future requests to hold rallies will be handled in the same way. This rally passed off in an orderly manner due, it seems, to the effective cooperation between law enforcement bodies and opposition groups. With Armenia due to begin a new cycle of elections in 2012, we attach particular importance to the respect for freedom of assembly,” the statement reads.
The EU also welcomes President Sargsyan’s statement in which he called for a more meticulous investigation into the violent events of March 2008.
“In that same context, we welcome the fact that in recent weeks three opposition activists, Harutyun Urutyan, Roman Mnatsakanyan and Aram Bareghamyan, sentenced and imprisoned in the aftermath of those events, have been released on parole. We call on the Armenian authorities to release all the activists that remain in detention soon. The EU believes that a thorough investigation of the violent events of March 2008 and the release of all those in custody in relation to those events will help Armenia to truly move on,” it says.
