Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova
Statement by Secretary General Rainhard Kloucek and Vice-President Stefan Haböck on today’s recommendation by the European Commission regarding Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova:
“We welcome the Commission’s proposal to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, and to grant candidate status to Georgia. Alongside trade agreements, enlargement policy is the EU’s most important geopolitical lever and therefore a fundamental component of European policy.
As Paneuropa Austria, we are issuing four urgent appeals to the EU states, as well as to Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova:
1. The enlargement negotiations must be conducted seriously. Domestically motivated games must be avoided. Europe is not in a position to be weak.
2. All responsible persons and institutions in the enlargement countries must, for their part, implement all necessary reforms in the areas of democracy, the rule of law and the market economy as quickly as possible. This is not just for the sake of EU accession itself, but for the benefit of the citizens.
3. Georgia is of particular geopolitical importance: the EU must be especially vigilant here to ensure that no space is left for the imperialist ambitions of Russia in general, and of Azerbaijan against Armenia.
4. The EU must not forget South-East Europe, where states have been kept waiting for 20 years and non-European players are increasingly seeking to exert influence.
“The further we push the borders of freedom to the east, the more secure the centre becomes” – this saying by Otto von Habsburg remains fully relevant today.
