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SEIMAS OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA
COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN AFFAIRS
SEIMAS OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
STATEMENT
ON THE RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED AT THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIP
SUMMIT IN RIGA, REPUBLIC OF LATVIA, ON 21–22 MAY 2015
6 May 2015
Vilnius
The Committee on European Affairs and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Seimas
of the Republic of Lithuania,
in view of the commitment, embedded in the Accord between the political parties
represented in the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania on strategic guidelines for the
foreign, security and defence policy of the Republic of Lithuania for 2014–2020, to
support further EU and NATO enlargement with the focus on Eastern Partnership
countries, in particular on Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, in order to accelerate their
rapprochement with the community of Euro-Atlantic nations;
calling for solidarity with and support to those countries which are facing aggressive
external pressure due to the direction of the foreign policy they have chosen to pursue;
noting that strengthening of democracy, fostering of the rule of law and the respect for
human rights and freedoms, and implementation of market economy and good governance
in the EU Eastern neighbourhood countries constitute the factors which determine, first
and foremost, EU’s own security, stability and welfare;
recalling that the success of the reforms in the Baltic States and other Central and Eastern
European countries, especially prior to their EU accession in 2004, was determined by the
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clear EU membership perspective that was offered to them by the EU in 1993 and linked
with the implementation of necessary reforms;
call on the EU Heads of State or Government to clearly establish in the declaration of the
Riga Eastern Partnership Summit that the signed association agreements between the EU
and the most advanced Eastern Partnership countries, namely, Georgia, Moldova and
Ukraine, including their parts on the deep and comprehensive free trade area, are the most
effective measures to support these countries in strengthening their political and economic
stability and increasing their resilience to external threats and that they are not, nor can
they be, the ultimate goal in fulfilling the European aspirations of these countries;
are of the opinion that granting the EU membership perspective to Georgia, Moldova and
Ukraine at the Riga Eastern Partnership Summit would mark a crucial step towards
maintaining and confirming EU’s commitments given to the Eastern Partnership countries
on their path to European integration; this decision would be a strong driving force for
democratic reforms, it would clearly define the strategic direction of the Eastern
Partnership and would constitute a significant step forward after the Vilnius Eastern
Partnership Summit in 2013;
urge that, in light of the positive assessment of the results of the visa-free regime for
Moldovan citizens to travel to the Schengen area since 28 April 2014, concrete
commitments on visa waiver to the nationals of Georgia and Ukraine be affirmed in the
decisions of the Riga Eastern Partnership Summit by indicating definite deadlines by
which the completion of the action plans for visa liberalisation, implemented by these
countries, could be confirmed; apart from demonstrating the viability of the Eastern
Partnership, these decisions would also act as a strong stimulus to further reforms and
would send a clear message to the societies of these countries;
call on the EU national Parliaments to accelerate as much as possible the ratification of the
EU association agreements with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in the EU Member States
which have not yet ratified the agreements.
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Gediminas Kirkilas
Benediktas Juodka
Chair of the Committee on European
Chair of the Committee on Foreign
Affairs
Affairs