Armenian-Lithuanian parliamentary cooperation discussed in Yerevan  

President of the National Assembly Ararat Mirzoyan on Thursday received a delegation led by Viktoras Pranckietis, the speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas, to discuss parliamentary cooperation affairs.
 
According to an official press release summing up the meeting, the two officials first met for private talks to consider the possible areas of partnership.
 
Greeting the high-ranking guest in his office, Mirzoyan hailed the successfully developing the bilateral relations ″anchored on shared values and a shared vision″ (factors which he praised as an important impetus to the promotion of democracy and human rights).
 
He thanked the Lithuanian parliament for the ratification of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Armenia (CEPA), highlighting the significance of the deal for the country.

Mirzoyan also praised the Lithuanian legislators for the support to the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) conflict settlement efforts, appreciating their balanced stance on the peace process.

Pranckietis, for his part, thanked his Armenian counterpart for his earlier visit to the country. ″It is an honor for us [to be here], and we congratulate Armenia on the Velvet Revolution. We treat it as a new step towards a deeper partnership with the European Union. That, I think, comes to affirm the fact that cooperation between our countries is developing in the right direction,″ he said, emphasizing also his country's willingness to foster the partnership in all possible areas.

The Lithuanian parliament official invited Mirzoyan to visit his country again, unveiling also President Dalia Grybauskaitė’s plan to conduct a trip to Armenia after the New Year holidays.

″I think your visit will be absolutely timely,″ he said.

Thanking Pranckietis for the invitation (as well as the support which the Lithuanian government is willing to offer Armenia in the country's democracy-building efforts), Mirzoyan mutually expressed Armenia's willingness to expand the developing parnership. ″That message is important to us. We have talked to your ambassador and are now in a process of outlining the areas on which we can concentrate our future efforts. We, on our part, also have a willingness to develop cooperation,″ he said.

The discussion later continued in an extended format. Thanking the Lithuanian parliamentary delegation for an essential contribution to the interstate ties, Mirzoyan reaffirmed Armenia's readiness to establish closer relations with the country. ″I think our cooperation must develop based on shared values: democracy, protection of human rights, free competition and fight against corruption. I would like to let you also know, as our partner, that those are fundamental values for us, a [chosen] path we are not going to ever deviate from.″

Highlighting the existing regional challenges, Mirzoyan further called the guests' attention to a range of unsettled issues. He thanked the members of the Lithuanian parliament for support to the OSCE Minsk Group's balanced efforts towards reaching peace over Nagorno-Karabakh.

The parliament speaker later briefed the delegation on the ongoing reforms in Armenia. ″There are probably two [kinds of] challenges which I would like to address now: the economic ones and those dealing with the judiciary. In the economic aspect, I have to share the little success we have managed to record over the period. We have essentially expanded the budget to raise the salaries in different sectors and reduce shadow economy. Those are small yet essential steps we have been able to carry out,″ he said, highlighting free competition and the eradication of monopolies as the most important achievements.  

Addressing the reforms in the judiciary, Mirzoyan said: ″In the wake of last year's developments, the Armenian people managed to return the executive power. The snap parliamentary elections, conducted subsequently, were considered in line with the highest standards according to all – including the most meticulous – evaluations. And those elections paved the way to returning also the legislative power to our people. I have to state with a deep regret, though, that we cannot say the same about the judiciary.″

Sharing the Armenian parliament speaker's concerns, Pranckietis admitted their country's situation is not unique either. ″Last month, for instance, six judges were dismissed over suspicions of entanglement in corrupt affairs. I think those problems are global in scale, and your case, certainly, is not unique. We are hopeful our experience will be valuable also for you. The justice authorities have already submitted laws in Lithuania, proposing the judciary's consolidation. Public confidence in the judiciary has considerably increased over the recent years. Hence we are hopeful that every country, including Armenia, is able to achieve such a level of trust,″ he said.