Senate's Tariceanu: We urge Western Balkan countries to overcome disagreements

At a CFSP/CSDP conference in Bucharest on Thursday, President of the Romanian Senate Calin Popescu-Tariceanu urged the Western Balkan countries to overcome their differences so that the European Union's sustainable commitment to internal and external reconciliation may be reconfirmed as preconditions for EU membership. "In the parliaments we represent, we need to promote legislative formulas to support the development of resilient societies, especially in the front lines, and at the same time we must be more decisive players in our eastern and southern neighbourhoods to make sure that our partners have the means to promote and defend democracy, freedom and human dignity. We welcome the determination, perseverance and courage demonstrated by the political and civic actors that have enabled the implementation of the Prespa Agreement - an important cornerstone of peace and security in South-Eastern Europe. We strongly invite decision makers in the region to capitalise on this achievement in resolving long-standing conflicts, particularly under the EU-facilitated Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. Let us reconfirm loud and clear the European Union's sustained commitment to internal and external reconciliation as preconditions for EU membership and urge the Western Balkan countries to overcome their remaining disagreements," Tariceanu said Thursday at Parliament Palace at the opening of the 14th Inter-Parliamentary Conference for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CFSP/CSDP). He pointed out that the Black Sea region is one of the most important to EU security, which is why "European institutions need to increase their visibility in policies and adopt a clearer and better articulated regional approach." "Given the context, we are worried about the militarisation of the Azov Sea as an aspect of aggression and violation of international law that threatens the security of the entire region. Romania has consistently acted to influence positively the course of the Republic of Moldova towards EU accession also by supporting national efforts to bring the Moldovan institutions up to European standards, as well as by strengthening cultural, economic and social interconnections. The beneficial and close relationship between the EU and the Republic of Moldova should not become a victim of recent developments. It is important that the group of friends of the Republic of Moldova continue to be active in the changing post-electoral political context and try to strengthen the confidence in the government that will result in Chisinau - to the benefit of strengthening democratic mechanisms and institutions and building a pro-Europe society in the immediate vicinity the EU," added Tariceanu. He said that cyber-attacks and threats of hybrid war are important challenges that has to be met in common and for which appropriate responses should be prepared through the Common Security and Defence Policy. AGERPRES (RO - author: Livia Popescu, editor : Florin Marin; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Rodica State)