Session III of the Conference of Speakers of European Union Parliaments in the Seimas focused on interparliamentary cooperation with the Eastern Partnership countries. Participants commemorated the victims who died on Maidan Square in Kiev by a minute of silence during the meeting, on the initiative of Loreta Graužinienė, Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania.

The meeting began with a video address from Kiev made by Oleksandr Turchynov, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and interim President of Ukraine. He said that signing the political provisions of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union on 21 March 2014 was a historic milestone in the relations between Ukraine and the European Union. The agreement formally enshrined a choice made by Ukraine’s people in favour of European values. “We have to yet again rebuild the very basics of an independent democratic country – restore combat-prepared armed forces, transform a clan-based economy into a market economy of a democratic society, fight corruption which has corroded the framework of state authority, and establish the constitutional and legal guarantees so that the country should not revert to the times of dictatorship.”

Oleksandr Turchynov expressed his gratitude to all EU Member States for their firm support for Ukraine and acknowledged that “in victory, Ukraine is facing a new challenge,” namely, aggression of the neighbouring Russia.

“Today in Crimea, Russia uses force to ‘convert’ Ukrainians into Russian Federation citizens, intimidates dissenters and persecutes national minority activists.” Mr Turchynov said. He highlighted that Ukraine would never recognise the annexation of Crimea.

The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine drew the attention of the participants of the Conference to the possible new attack from Russia. “The armed forces of the Russian Federation openly manoeuvre close to the borders of Ukraine. Political pressure and the economic and information warfare against the new course in Ukraine have taken on all the trappings of Russia’s state policy. Under these conditions, we reckon that there is a high probability of preparing a large-scale military invasion by the Russian Federation into Ukraine.”

 

 

Loreta Graužinienė, Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, condemned the aggression of the Russian Federation in her speech. “Today, in the 21st century, aggression and coercion have become reality in Europe, and our neighbourhood is thrown into the shadow of war. We consider the actions by the Russian Federation in Crimea as violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and posing a serious threat to peaceful and democratic development of the region as well as to global security and stability.”

She invited the EU member states and the international community to pool their efforts and provide Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova with every possible political and economic support in their cause for integration into the European Union. “Some argue that Russia’s actions were its reaction to the EU Eastern Partnership policy. We have only one response to such arguments: it is indispensable to further strengthen this policy and to ensure that our neighbours have the right to choose the direction towards value-based political and economic integration.”

Ms Graužinienė went on to give the floor to Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima of the Republic of Latvia, and commended the fact that Latvia included Eastern Partnership into the priorities for its Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Ms Āboltiņa believes neither a new cold war nor new walls are needed in Europe, but we cannot remain indifferent. “Revision of international law and security system demands our attention. It is just as unacceptable to use soft power for political influence. We are too dependent on energy supplies, which are often used for political influence. Examples include taking Moldova as a hostage for energy supplies from Russia, issuing arbitrary and dubious health warnings, and banning the import of many products, such as Moldovan and Georgian wine or Lithuanian dairy products.”

According to Ms Āboltiņa, Latvia remains a firm supporter of strengthening the relations between the EU and the Eastern Partnership countries, with due respect to the different political situations in each of the countries. “We have to recognize the fact that the political situations are different in each country. That is why there should be a different approach for all, whilst not losing sight of our common values.”

Ms Āboltiņa noted that signing of the political part of the EU – Ukraine Association Agreement was one of the most important steps forward. Secondly and not least importantly, the EU should be proactive as regards the Association Agreements with Georgia and Moldova.

 

 

Saulė Eglė Trembo, Public Relations Unit, Communications Department, tel.: +370 5 239 6203, e-mail: [email protected]