Armenian parliament passes EU accession bill in final reading

YEREVAN. March 26 (Interfax) - The Armenian parliament passed the bill on Armenia's accession to the European Union in the second and final readings on Wednesday.

Sixty-four parliament members backed the bill, with seven voting against, an Interfax correspondent reported.

Only members of the ruling Civil Contract faction voted for the bill. Members of the I Have Honor opposition faction of former President Serzh Sargsyan voted against, and members of the Armenia opposition faction of former President Robert Kocharyan abstained from voting.

The Armenian government approved the EU accession bill on January 9. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that a decision on Armenia's accession to the EU should be made in a nationwide referendum.

Armenia feels comfortable in the Eurasian Economic Union; however, the government can see that a substantial part of the population aspires for entering into the EU, Pashinyan said.