The European Parliament supported the creation of trust fund for Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova
The European Parliament voted for the recommendations of the “Eastern Partnership” summit to create a model of the “Eastern Partnership Plus” for Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia.
Over 519 deputies of the European Parliament voted for it, 114 were against, 47 abstained, UNIAN reports.
It is suggested in the EP report to create a model for countries that have association agreements with the EU and have made significant progress in implementing reforms, which "ultimately can lead to joining the Customs Union, the Energy Union, the Digital Union and the Schengen Area, allowing further access to the EU internal market, integration into transport infrastructure, partnerships in the industrial sphere, and increased participation in EU programs and agencies, it will also allow them to cancel roaming."
It was suggested that a trust fund be established for Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova that would focus on private and public investments in the social and economic infrastructure and ensure a "thorough verification" of the funds’ use to prevent abuse.
The document notes the importance of supporting "the unity of actions among the EU member states in preserving the collective pressure on Russia, whose military presence in the region has recently increased, in particular by strengthening specific restrictive measures to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine by implementing the Minsk agreements in full," and also to support the OSCE monitoring mission in the Donbas.
Restrictive measures are also proposed to resolving the conflict between Russia and Georgia, restoring full sovereignty of Ukraine in the Crimea and in the occupied territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia, as well as in Transnistria in Moldova.
It is stated in the report that the participation of Belarus in the Zapad 2017 military exercises with Russia, which were directed against the European Union, is "unacceptable."
It was emphasized that the "Eastern Partnership" aims to create the necessary conditions for close political association and economic integration, and that association agreements with Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine are not the ultimate goal in relations with the EU.
"Once again, to acknowledge the European aspirations of these countries, it is noted that according to Article 49 of the European Union and in accordance with the Rome Declaration of March 25, 2017, any European state can apply for membership in the EU, where the Copenhagen criteria and principles of democracy are respected, if it respects fundamental freedoms and human rights, including the rights of minorities, and upholds the rule of law; and in this regard urges Member States to adopt an ambitious declaration for the 2017 summit in which the suitable long-term goals are defined," the document notes.
In October, it became known that the "Marshall Plan for Ukraine" will not be mentioned in the declaration of the November Eastern Partnership meeting.