The ninth session of the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly chaired by Euronest PA co-presidents Andrius Kubilius and Maka Bochorishvili took place on Tuesday, April 20.
Andrius Kubilius noted that the holding of the 9th session of the Parliamentary Assembly is relevant due to the significant number of events in the Eastern Partnership countries. Maka Bochorishvili stressed that security is the most important issue for the Eastern Partnership countries and stressed the need to open a new horizon of cooperation and strengthen political dialogue in order to respond to the individual needs of each country.
Opening the sitting, Chairperson of The Verkhovna Rada of
Ukraine Dmytro Razumkov noted that the EURONEST PA is a unique platform for
effective exchange of views, development of a joint action plan for the future,
and it can be the platform for coordinating action to address common challenges
such as the COVID-19 pandemic, its consequences and security issues. Dmytro
Razumkov thanked European partners for their continued support of Ukraine and
stressed the importance of not allowing Russia to further destabilize the
situation in the region. The Speaker reaffirmed Ukraine's commitment to
European values ??and emphasized on the country's pro-European vector.
Welcoming remarks were also made by the Speakers of the Parliaments of Slovenia, Portugal, Armenia, Georgia, as well as the Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi, Acting Managing Director of the European Commission on behalf of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President Luke Devin.
"The Ukrainian delegation hopes that the EURONEST PA will continue to condemn Russia's aggressive policy towards its neighboring countries - Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova," said Ivan Krulko, Head of the Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to the EURONEST PA.
The head of the delegation noted that the Russian military aggression on the territory of Ukraine and the occupation of Crimea and Donbas have been going on for eight years, as a result of which 14,000 people died, 24,000 were wounded and more than 4 million needed humanitarian aid. Ivan Krulko stressed that despite Ukraine's efforts to restart the Minsk negotiation process, Russia is actively blocking the activities of the Tripartite Contact Group and the Normandy format meeting. Instead, Russia is stepping up its military presence and deploying 28 battalions of tactical troops along the border with Ukraine and in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
Ivan Krulko expressed hope that the draft resolution of the EURONEST PA with the recommendations of the Eastern Partnership Summit on new prospects for European integration in the long-term EU strategy for the Eastern Partnership countries would be approved.
During the ninth session of the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly, was held the debates on "Restoring and prospects for democratization of the Eastern Partnership after COVID-19" and the presentation of approved resolutions on strengthening democratic processes, energy independence, health and quality of life, synergies between education and the economy of the EU and the Eastern Partnership countries.