Brussels, 29/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 29 May, Evgeni Kirilov (S&D, Bulgaria) - the new deputy leader of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, which brings together MEPs and national MPs from the Eastern Partnership countries - spoke of many of the Euronest members' regret about “dark financial cuts planned in the new multiannual financial framework, especially for the neighbourhood policy”. At the end of Euronest's third meeting, Kirilov said that the assembly “supports a policy of targeted programmes in order to have a greater impact and more visibility for citizens”.
During their discussions, the Euronest parliamentarians returned to the subject of cooperation between the EU and the Eastern Partnership countries - including in terms of security in the Eastern Partnership countries, with the “common responsibility and need to promote peace and security”. The Euronest assembly discussed the need to implement policies and a common approach in terms of energy and bringing their legislations closer together in the economic domain. Lastly, in the parliamentarians' view, to fight against poverty regional integration needs to be stepped up.
The Euronest parliamentarians also decided to give a common message at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius in November. They are still working on this message -the subject of heated debate. “The EU must reply to a number of questions and increase its aid and its assistance, and the countries must do their work”, said Kirilov (our translation throughout).
The next meeting of the Euronest general assembly will take place in Erevan (Armenia) in autumn 2014. (CG/transl.fl)