Strategic Declaration on Rethinking of Eastern Partnership adopted

Chisinau, 18 September /MOLDPRES/ - The visions and expectations of the MPs from Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine on the future of the relations with the European Union are contained in a Joint Declaration on the Strategic Rethinking of the Eastern  Partnership. The document was adopted on 17 September, by lawmakers from the three countries, in the end of a meeting of strategic discussions on the future of the Eastern Partnership, the parliament’s communication and public relations department has reported.   

The event was organized by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, in line with the Initiative of Inter-parliamentary Cooperation between Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The discussions took place in Cadennabia, Italy, on 15-17 September 2017. Politicians from the USA and Germany participated in the debates as well. The discussions were focused on the reassessment of the way, challenges and prospects of the Eastern Partnership, in the context of the Brussels Summit, scheduled for next November.    

The Moldovan parliament was represented by Deputy Parliament Speaker Iurie Leanca and Co-head of the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly Marian Lupu.   

The declaration passed reconfirms the commitment of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine to the common values of democracy, freedom, rule of law state and human dignity, as well as the importance of the domestic reforms, fighting the systemic corruption and strengthening the public institutions, in order to consolidate the internal resistance to the hybrid geopolitical challenges the three countries are facing.     

The document reiterates the need to get a European prospect, in accordance with  the Article 49 of the European Union Treaty, which sets that any European state which meets the accession criteria can apply for and become member of the European Union. At the same time, the text of the Declaration highlights the importance of backing Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine in the promotion of the democratic reforms.  

”We have agreed that we will together ask the European Parliament to promote a resolution, by which our countries are to get a clear-cut political support and a roadmap for joining the European Union. In the context, we agreed that the parliaments of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine develop a joint agenda and action plan for trilateral cooperation, especially on the approximation of the legislation to the EU’s one, consolidation of the economic and infrastructure opportunities, elaboration of joint positions in the sector of foreign policy, security and energy, fighting the systemic corruption,” said Deputy Parliament Speaker, signatory of the Declaration Iurie Leanca.    

“The workshop gave us occasion to discuss a string of up-to-date issues, common for the Eastern Partnership countries. The conclusions and proposals of this event will be presented in a report to decision-makers and decision-taking institutions of the European Union,” the signatory of the declaration, Co-head of the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly Marian Lupu said.   A joint declaration of the parliaments of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine, asking for the opening of the prospect for accession to the European Union, was submitted to the European Parliament this year. Also, the speakers of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine sent a trilateral invitation to Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Paul Ryan to visit our region.