‘I Think the Process Won’t Take Long’: Vassilis Maragos on Armenia-EU Visa Dialogue: VIDEO

Vassilis Maragos, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Armenia, in an interview with Factor TV emphasized that the European Union’s engagement in Armenia is focused on concrete, technical support and institutional cooperation. He noted that Marta Kos, EU Commissioner for Enlargement, is visiting Armenia ahead of the country’s first-ever EU-Armenia Summit, scheduled for two months from now, and will hold discussions across multiple areas, focusing particularly on the Resilience and Growth Program—a financial support initiative announced by President von der Leyen two years ago.

Recently, Magnus Brunner, the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, visited Armenia, noting that if reforms continue, visa-free travel could soon become possible. Maragos emphasized that Armenia is unique in having a visa liberalization dialogue with the EU, and progress will be measured against benchmarks, with full implementation dependent on the Armenian government and parliament.
“Armenia is the only country with which the EU is conducting a visa liberalization dialogue. This shows how concrete and substantive our partnership is. It is not about general declarations but about creating tangible benefits for citizens. Last year, we provided an action plan. It must now be implemented and assessed at a technical level with the support of experts from EU member states. Once the benchmarks are met and we are ready, the Armenian government and Parliament must implement it. I believe the process will not take long, but it is not automatic; the timeline depends on achieving the benchmarks,” said the ambassador.

Maragos rejected claims that holding the European Political Community Summit in Yerevan in May is political support for the current government. “The European Political Community is an intergovernmental format, and the decision on the venue for the next political summit is made in advance. It should not be viewed in the context of elections but as part of improving cooperation with all participating countries.”
Kaja Kallas confirmed yesterday that the EU will send a hybrid rapid response team to Armenia to address threats ahead of parliamentary elections. “We will not leave Armenia alone in confronting external interference. Democracies under pressure can rely on Europe,” she said.

The ambassador emphasized that the EU has supported Armenia before in organizing free and independent elections and that it is incorrect to interpret this assistance as interference in domestic politics.
“We provide technical support to Armenia in many areas as a demonstration of solidarity. This support helps institutions and citizens address hybrid threats, foreign interference, and cyberattacks. The focus is on strengthening institutional capacity, not interference, and we will continue sharing expertise and sending technical experts,” said Maragos.

Responding to claims that the EU is interfering in elections or overlooking human rights issues, he added: “The EU remains neutral in domestic politics. We maintain dialogue with the government and discuss challenges, but we do not take sides.”

The full interview is available in the video.