The FINANCIAL — Ahead of the Riga Summit, the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF) has called on the EU to recognise the right of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine to apply for EU membership.
“Any further retreat on the Association Agreements’ implementation by the EU under pressure from Russia will damage the EU’s credibility in the eyes of people in the Eastern Partnership countries. The prospect of EU membership for countries that signed the Agreements should be included in the joint declaration of the Riga Summit,”said co-chair of the EaP CSF Steering Committee Krzysztof Bobinski.
Visa-free travel to the Schengen area that citizens of Moldova have been enjoying since April 2014 is one of the most tangible EaP achievements and should be extended to Georgia and Ukraine, while the management of EU financial aid should be monitored by civil society, to promote accountability and avoid mishandling of funds, said the EaP CSF, according to EU Neighbourhood Info Centre.
The EaP CSF was established in 2009 following the Prague Summit which launched the Eastern Partnership. It aims to support the development of civil society organisations and facilitate their dialogue with public authorities.