In Brussels, Iohannis urges EU to strengthen its Eastern Partnership

In Brussels on Monday, Romania's President Klaus Iohannis attended a meeting with representatives of the Eastern Partnership member states, advocating for strengthening this organisation. According to a press statement released by the Presidential Administration, in his speech, Iohannis referenced the importance of the Eastern Partnership, an initiative that has proven to be beneficial for both parties ever since its launch in 2009, helping to expand the area of prosperity and security in the European Union's eastern neighbourhood based on a common set of values and the gradual convergence of policies, which has led to the partner countries getting closer to the community of European values, according to the objectives and ambitions of each partner country. "President Klaus Iohannis urged the European Union to continue its commitment to its eastern neighbourhood as well and to strengthen this strategic partnership with a view to creating a stronger Europe for all citizens." Iohannis mentioned that the declaration adopted at a May 9 informal European summit in the Romanian city of Sibiu reaffirms the shared responsibility of the member states and the European institutions to make the union stronger and to recognise the European perspective of other states in Europe. "The President of Romania underscored that the European Union will continue to act according to the level of ambitions of the eastern partners, respecting the individual elections of those countries. President Klaus Iohannis mentioned that the European Union is waiting for a continued political commitment on the part of the partner countries to implementing the commitments made in relation to the EU regarding the common set of rules and values, promoting the rule of law, a functioning judiciary, and developing transparent economies." The meeting with representatives of the Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine) took place at the invitation of European Council President Donald Tusk on the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership. Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, and High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini also took part in the meeting. President Iohannis attended the event as the head of the state holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union. Also attending was Johannes Hahn, a European commissioner; Carl Bildt, a former prime minister and foreign minister of Sweden; Radoslaw Sikorski, a former Polish foreign minister, and Finland's Foreign Minister Timo Soini. AGERPRES (RO - author: Florentina Peia, editor: Antonia Nita; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)