The European Union (EU) on Monday pledged continued support to Armenia against what it described as Russian efforts to pressure the country ahead of parliamentary elections, Anadolu reports.

Speaking at a European Commission press conference, spokesman Anouar El Anouni said the bloc is helping to strengthen Armenia’s democratic institutions and resistance.

“We are supporting Armenia’s democratic resistance, including hybrid threats, manipulation of foreign information and interference, as well as efforts to undermine trust in democratic institutions,” he said.

El Anouni accused Moscow of trying to influence political developments in the South Caucasus nation.

“Let’s also be clear, the timing is not a coincidence. Russia intends to damage Armenia’s economy and influence the outcome of the parliamentary elections in Armenia,” he said ahead of Sunday’s vote.

“We will continue to we support Armenia to withstand such coercion efforts,” he added.

The spokesman said the EU remains a “reliable and reliable partner” for Armenia and stressed that ties between the two sides are “stronger than ever.”

He cited the first EU-Armenia summit in May, attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, as evidence of deepening relations.

“This is a signal in itself that we are listening to the population of Armenia, which supports closer cooperation with the European Union”, he said.

Source: prizrenpost