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IN THE SPOTLIGHT
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Riga Summit Should Become a Turning Point Bringing Membership Perspective for the EaP States, Says Krzysztof Bobinski13 April 2015 The co-chair of the Steering Committee Krzysztof Bobinski calls on the EU to declare at the Riga Summit the right of the Eastern Partnership countries to apply for the EU membership under Article 49 of the Lisbon Treaty. His opinion follows the recent statements issued by Moldovan and Georgian National Platforms of EaP CSF on the crucial importance of the membership perspective for the EaP countries. Even though it seems the EU Member States and the European Commission want to avoid any mention of future enlargement, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia need clear membership prospects. Krzysztof Bobinski highlights the fact that “thousands of people have died in Ukraine to defend their right to pursue a European Destiny”. In the situation when Russian propaganda claims that EaP countries have no chance to become EU members, if the EU fails to state the contrary and clearly present its vision of the future for the EaP countries, they will hardly be encouraged to pursue further reforms. EaP states are aware that they have to undertake a great number of profound reforms, that it will be a long and challenging road towards EU membership and they will further face the opposition of oligarchs and resistance from Russia. However, their efforts should be encouraged by EU’s clear support of the membership perspective at the end of the road. The EU Member States, especially new Member States like Poland, should know from their experience that membership perspective is the best way to foster necessary reforms. Krzysztof Bobinski particularly underlines the role of the current President of the European Council Donald Tusk in the process of transmitting this message to other EU Member States. |
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