Without civil society organizations, we would not have had the success and impact we have now in the Eastern Partnership. The role of civil society in promoting the idea of European integration in Eastern Partnership member-states is crucial, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Štefan Füle said at the opening of the fifth Annual Meeting of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum that is taking place in Chisinau on October 4 and 5, IPN reports.
“Each defender of human rights, each member of civil society is more important than 10 European Commissioners because they work with people and they are the ones to explain to people the meaning of European integration and its benefits. Without civil society organizations, we would not have had the success and impact we have now in the Eastern Partnership. This is the branch that makes the connection between the efforts of authorities and society and is the driving force that moved the Eastern Partnership initiative forward,” said Štefan Füle.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Natalia Gherman said that civil society plays a special role in promoting and supporting a durable reform agenda. She proposed working out a common agenda, in cooperation with civil society, for the next Eastern Partnership Summit that will take place in Riga in 2015. One of the key objectives in this respect may be the strengthening of the European course of Moldova and other Eastern Partnership countries that aspire to become members of the EU in a predictable future.
Anticorruption Alliance president, coordinator of the event Lilia Carashchuk said that this forum is important because for the first time it is held in an EaP member state. Civil society plays an important role in initialing and signing the Association Agreement with the EU. “Civil society must support the efforts and reforms initiated by the authorities. Its obligation is to build democracy at home, first of all by changing the mentality,” she stated.
Lithuania Foreign Ministrer Linas Linkevičius said the political elite must implement reforms whose effects should be felt by the people. “The Eastern Partnership countries have different ambitions, but each of them wants to become part of the EU,” he added.
Secretary of State of the Romanian Foreign Ministry Radu Podgorean said that important decisions for the country will be taken at the Vilnius Summit, while civil society should explain the people what this evolution means.
Czech Ambassador for the Eastern Partnership Petr Mareš said the success of governments’ measures depends on civil society. Owing to civil society, it is known the situation inside the country, what problems are faced and where effort should be made.
Georgian Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze, co-president of the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly, said that this is the last important event before the Vilnius Summit. She voiced hope that the summit will be a success, stressing that civil society should inform the people in this respect.
The forum on its first day brought together over 200 civil society representatives from the Eastern Partnership member states, high-ranking officials and representatives of the Moldovan administration. The next Civil Society Forum will take place in Georgia’s Tbilisi in 2014.
