”On behalf of the EPP Group, I welcome the constitution of the Parliamentary Assembly EURONEST. It is a clear victory for the EPP Group and its policy to bring democracy and stability to Eastern Europe. The Assembly that gathers Members of the European Parliament and parliamentarians from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, provides the platform for the parliamentary cooperation within the framework of the Eastern Partnership. It is truly an historic moment. The Assembly has been created and now we have to focus on bringing the Eastern Partners closer to the EU”, said Gunnar Hökmark MEP, Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group responsible for the EU Neighbourhood Policy.
”We have come a long way. For a long time it looked as if we would have ’Euronyet’, not EURONEST. But we did it and now have a full democratic body that brings together East and West. EURONEST is mainly and mostly about the Eastern dimension of Europe. The first message we have to deliver is that there is no Europe without a proper Eastern dimension. East is neither more remote, neither less important than South or North or West. The Eastern dimension is not negotiable and cannot be downgraded or underfunded, according to this or that historical circumstance in the Mediterranean or in the Atlantic”, said Traian Ungureanu MEP, the first Vice-Chairman of the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly.
”Today’s official establishment of the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly creates a parliamentary umbrella and gives political support for the dynamic development of the Eastern Partnership. It comes just before the awaited European Commission revision of the European Neighbourhood Policy and 5 months ahead of the Warsaw Eastern Partnership Summit. Thus, our immediate goal must be the preparation of a Report setting up proposals for action to be submitted to the Eastern Partnership”, added Jacek Saryusz-Wolski MEP, EURONEST Vice-Chairman and founding father of the Assembly.
The Members of the European Parliament, together with their counterparts from the 5 partner parliaments, adopted the Constituent Act of the Assembly and the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly. Following the adoption of the founding documents, 4 standing committees and 2 working groups were established.
EPP Group Members were elected to key positions:
– Gunnar Hökmark MEP was elected a Co-Chair of the Committee on Political Affairs, Human Rights and Democracy
– Pawel Zalewski MEP was elected a Co-Vice-Chair of the Committee on Political Affairs, Human Rights and Democracy
– Krišjanis Karinš MEP was elected a Co-Vice-Chair of the Committee on Energy Security
– Laima Andrikienė MEP was elected a Co-Chair of the Committee on Social Affairs, Education, Culture and Civil Society
– Jacek Saryusz-Wolski MEP was elected Co-Chair of the Woking Group on Belarus
– Traian Ungureanu MEP was appointed by the Committee on Political Affairs, Human Rights and Democracy as Co-Rapporteur responsible for the Report on the Eastern Partnership Summit which is due to take place in Autumn 2011.