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Conflict between future opportunities and the structures of old times in Eastern Europe.

zMC2_1456– The strength of European values and the  security and prosperity of Europeans will depend on the outcome of the ongoing conflict between future opportunities for the countries of the Eastern neighbourhood of European Union and the powers, structures and ideas of the old times, said EPP Group Vice-Chairman Gunnar Hökmark at the EPP Group Bureau meeting in Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic speaking about the challenges of the Eastern Partnership.

– It is crucial not only for this part of Europe but also for Europe in its whole that the hope for European values, independence and modernisation prevails in this conflict. The challenge for the European Neighbourhood policy is to conquer old structures and be victorious in this conflict

– Russia has recently included Ukraine in it’s sphere of interest, trying to block for foreseeable time a development with Ukraine coming closer to Europe. In other countries we see how Russia is trying to put political pressure, energy dependence and military strength in place to pursue future influence over independent and sovereign European states.

-This is not a conflict between Russia and EU. It is a conflict between values that will determine the future of the peoples of these countries. As Europeans and as the European Union we have a responsibility to act in order to enforce European values and leave the future of these countries in the hands of their citizens, concluded Gunnar Hökmark.