Many picture life in Europe based on travel agency images: Dmitry Solonnikov

Political analyst Dmitry Solonnikov commented to Alpha News on the Armenian leadership’s drive to take the country toward the West, and on what motivates part of Armenian society in its aspiration toward Europe.

“Russia was, of course, for Armenia both a vast market, which is very important in today’s conditions, and a stable supplier of a whole range of resources the republic needs.

The European Union will not be able to provide either of those things to the same extent that Russia did. So the EU will not, of course, fully replace Russia, it is not going to do that, and it is not planning to. And Armenia understands that this will not happen. This will not be a replacement for Russia, it will be the construction of an entirely new model for Armenia both economically and socially. Much like, say, Bulgaria, also a southern country in the socialist bloc. That bloc collapsed, COMECON (the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance) ceased to exist, and EU membership did not replace COMECON for Bulgaria. Bulgaria’s entire economy that had been built under COMECON was completely destroyed, its industry, its agriculture, and it now lives in a completely different way. It is an entirely different model, both of society and of economic relations. So this is not a replacement; it is a rupture, the complete destruction of the entire old model and the construction of some new, entirely different one. For a large part of the population, this means the elimination of their familiar way of life and familiar household income. For some, perhaps, with the hope that there will be something new, and that the new will suit them better. Well, for that part of society that dreams of getting free employment in Europe and building their lives around finding work in Germany, France, the Benelux countries, or somewhere else, yes, for them this will be a positive model: ‘We’ve finally left Armenia, which we never loved, and moved to beloved West Berlin or Paris.’ For them, this will be positive. So, once again, this is not a replacement for Russia; it is the complete destruction of the current economic and social model of the state and society, and the construction of an entirely new one,” the expert believes.

The political analyst believes that part of Armenian society judges Europe by an attractive image, without realising that the reality there is entirely different.

“From the perspective of Armenian society, which is voting for this model, many do not understand what is happening. For many, as we have already said, this is a positive scenario: ‘Never mind Armenia, I’ll come back here once a year to visit old places, but I’ll live in Paris.’ Moving to the West was the dream. Now that opportunity will apparently be there. Many see this as a positive scenario for themselves. Well, they are most likely mistaken too, imagining their life in Europe based on travel agency pictures. When you actually make the full move, everything looks completely different. But people believe in the picture they have in their heads, and so they think everything will turn out the way they dream, rather than the way it actually will,” Solonnikov concluded.