Russian realities may infect Armenia: expert
By Mushvig Mehdiyev
Armenia has a great risk of being infected with the modern realities in Russia, said Slava Rabinovich, a well-known Russian financier, Head of DiamondAgeCapitalAdvisors Company.
Commenting on Armenia's integration into the Russia-lead Eurasian Economic Union in his interview with 1in.am, an Armenian media outlet, Rabinovich said the post-Soviet state joined the economic alliance as a country having weak positions.
Armenia's joining the EEU is a result of strong Russian pressure, according to the experts, including Boris Navasardyan, who claim that the union is not ready to exist and will collapse before long.
"I'm not watching the ongoing events in Armenia. However, I think that the country has a risk to be infected by the recent Russian realities. Armenia has lost a great part of independence in its own stance to the developments," said Rabinovich, revealing his disrespect to Armenia's present policy.
Many political figures in Armenia believe that one of the reasons to the country's unconditional integration into the EEU is a lack of bravery. In other words, Armenia is not Ukraine to stand against Russia. Hrant Bagratyan, former Head of the Armenian government, has even claimed that Armenia will integrate into a regional empire as soon as starts its activity within the EEU.
Rabinovich believes that holding different position than Ukraine cannot be an excuse for the Armenian authorities to explain the EEU inclination.
"Such words are just the rhetoric of "political cadavers". The Armenian authorities are justifying Putin's recent international policy," he said.
Armenia is now seriously suffering from the ongoing events in Russia both in terms of politics and economy. Russia's clear dominance in the union obviously hints to Armenia's more intensified and deeper ties with its northern neighbor in many key fields such as economy, customs, business etc. The former Soviet country will start its official membership at the EEU on January 1, 2015, as Russia's Putin ratified the document about its integration on December 23.
Pro-European souls in the country, including the influential opposition figure Raffi Hovannisian, Head of the Heritage Party, urge the authorities to reject the alliance and turn to Europe. But, many experts and political figures believe that the way to EEU is irreversible and Armenia must resign itself to a new future with the alliance, being ready for novel challenges.