Armenia to receive €10 million from EU European Peace Facility
- 5 July, 09:42
Armenia will for the first time receive €10 million from the European Peace Facility following Hungary’s decision to lift embargo on this aid, EU diplomatic sources told Armenian service of Radio Liberty on Thursday.
“The 10 million euros from the fund will be used to create a modular field camp for one battalion, which will also include a medical clinic,” stated a source from the radio station.
The EU member states are ready to give go-ahead for the implementation of aid programme for Armenia. The programme is expected to be approved in two meetings in July – the first one on the level of ambassadors of these countries and the other on foreign ministry level.
In April, the program was vetoed by Hungary that demanded Azerbaijan’s inclusion to the programme as well. Hungary’s proposal was not accepted. Instead the EU countries reached a compromise to give money to Baku not from the EPF fund, but separately for demining activities in the country’s newly-recaptured territories.
“Discussions on assistance under the European Peace Facility are ongoing, and a decision will be made at some point. However, processes in the EU take time, considering that there must be consensus among all 27 member states,” EU spokesperson for international relations Peter Stano stated in April.
Under the agreement, financial aid provided to Armenia through the programme must be spent within 30 months to create a field camp for one battalion, which will also include a medical clinic. RFE/RL reported in April that the non-lethal support was designed to ‘help the Armed Forces of Armenia increase their resilience and stability-building capabilities, and thereby protect the civilian population during crises and emergencies’.
