Seimas Member Emanuelis Zingeris: Parliamentary Forum for Democracy adopted the statement on the course of the Europe Eastern Partnership Program and the hopes of Ukrainians

 

Emanuelis Zingeris, Member of the Seimas and Chair of the Parliamentary Forum for Democracy, announced that, on 27 November 2013, members of the Parliamentary Forum for Democracy adopted the statement on the course of the Europe Eastern Partnership Program and the hopes of Ukrainians.

 

The statement reads as follows:

 

„Statement of the Members of the Parliamentary Forum for Democracy on the course of the Europe Eastern Partnership Program and the hopes of Ukrainians

November 27, 2013

Vilnius, Lithuania

 

Members of the Parliamentary Forum for Democracy gathered in Vilnius on the eve of the European Union Eastern Partnership Summit, which is dedicated to one of the European Union's essential ongoing programs for development of democracy in the East.

Despite the powerful counter actions of certain anti-democratic forces, the openness of the EU towards its Eastern neighbours has brought a number of positive results. These efforts by the EU have highlighted the true desire of nations, despite occasional wavering by some governments, to approach and eventually join the democratic space of the European Union. Important documents are underway to be signed. This process is irreversible, and it will continue. While obstruction and delays will result in an unnecessary and potentially vindictive extension of human misery, it will not change or set off course the progress of Europe to extend European values of democracy and human rights to its neighbours, nor will it diminish or impede the pace forward. Russia could participate and play an important and positive role in this progress, instead of undermining it and attempting to reverse the course of history.

As for the recent events in Kiev and throughout Ukraine, we commend the millions of Ukrainians for their resolute pro-EU position and we express our solidarity with them. If the Ukrainian President will fail now to sign the agreement approved by his government, postponing that next step, we urge the European Union to make the necessary and important political decision to grant Ukrainians a visa-free regime without delay.

 

For more information please contact Viktorija Bražiūnaitė, mob. +370 620 75 031