Ukraine is Europe – declaration of the Chairmen of EPP Parliamentary Groups in the National Parliaments of the EU and the European Parliament

The Chairmen of EPP Parliamentary Groups in the National Parliaments of the EU and the European Parliament have strongly condemned the use of brutal force against peaceful demonstrations taking place in Kiev. In a declaration adopted today, the EPP leaders in the European Parliament and National Parliaments underlined that “the threats of introducing the state of emergency by President Yanukovych go against the fundamental principles of freedom of assembly and freedom of expression, therefore being in breach of universal and European values.”

“The Ukraine is a neighbour, it is part of us, it is in Europe. I believe we must stay strong to defend the solidarity and democracy that the Ukrainians are asking for. The Ukrainians are calling for Europe but they especially want European values, and they want to keep these values. This is why we also need to respond in all our countries, within our political parties and within our political groups that violence must not prevail in the Ukraine. The Ukraine must be lead democratically”, said the EPP Group Chairman, Joseph Daul MEP.

The EPP Group Vice-Chairman responsible for relations with the National Parliaments, Paulo Rangel MEP, underlined EPP Group support for the protesters and mentioned that different tools of parliamentarian cooperation are being developed in order to better address what is actually happening in the European neighbourhood: “We are closely following what is happening in the Ukraine. The European aspirations of the Ukraine gathered en masse in the streets of Kiev are sending a strong message. I want to tell these people that we are on their side.” EPP parliamentary leaders call on the European Commission to prepare a plan for a generous and swift implementation of the Association Agreement, once signed, including macroeconomic support to assist the reform process and to bring the Ukraine closer to achieving its European aspirations, in full compliance with the standards of a democratic European state, respectful of democracy, rule of law and human rights.

The 19th Summit of the Chairmen of EPP Parliamentary Groups in the National Parliaments of the EU and the European Parliament also focused on Common Security and Defence: present situation and future perspectives. Michel Barnier, European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services, and Antonio Tajani, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship, presented a detailed overview of the means by which the European Union can be more effective. Arnaud Danjean MEP, Chairman of the Committee for Security and Defence, Roderick Kiesewetter MP, Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the European Affairs Committee, Bundestag, Germany, Agostino Miozzo, Managing Director of the Crisis Response Department in the European External Action Service, and Charles Flanagan MP, Chairman of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party, Ireland, participated in the debate.

The President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy opened the debate on the Economic and Monetary Union and the challenges of innovation presenting the state of play and calling for the implementation from the Member States of the decisions already agreed. Iñigo Mendez de Vigo, Spanish Secretary of State for European Affairs, Othmar Karas MEP, Vice-President of the European Parliament in charge of relations with National Parliaments, Elmar Brok MEP, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Alfonso Alonso MP, Partido Popular Spokesman, Congreso, Spain, Theodor Dumitru Stolojan MEP and  Pablo Zalba Bidegain MEP, Vice-Chairmen of the Economic and Monetary Committee, also participated in the debate. 

Audronius Azubalis MP, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Seimas, debriefed on the Lithuanian EU Presidency and Konstantinos Moussouroulis MP, Vice-President of the European Affairs Committee, presented the priorities of the upcoming Greek EU Presidency.