Today, the European Union Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu heard the overviews of the ambassadors of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine about the situation in their countries in connection with the association and free trade agreements concluded with the European Union recently. All ambassadors stressed the willingness of their countries to integrate even more with the European Union.

“Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine must be helped in every way in the integration with the European Union,” the Chairman of the European Union Affairs Committee Kalle Palling said. “The conclusion of the association and free trade agreements is not the promise of a future accession of these countries to the European Union, but Estonia will definitely help these countries in every way in the achievement of the member status.”

The Ambassador of Georgia Tea Akhvlediani, the Ambassador of Moldova Victor Guzun and the Ambassador of Ukraine Viktor Kryzhanivsky all said that their countries are aiming to integrate even more with the European Union in the future, and the association and free trade agreements are a great step forward in that direction. The ambassadors also noted that the agreements help develop the economy of these countries and raise the people’s standard of living.

In their speeches, Akhvlediani, Guzun and Kryzhanivsky thanked Estonia for its help and support in the integration aspirations of their countries.

At the European Council in June, the association and free trade agreements with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine were signed, and now the parliaments of the European Union Member States will have to ratify these agreements.

Although, according to Estonian legislation, the agreements concluded with Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine do not have to be ratified by the Riigikogu, the Government has nevertheless decided to submit them to the parliament for approval in order to stress the importance of this issue and to engage the wider public.

“I call on the ratification of the free trade and association agreements of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine with the European Union as soon as possible because these agreements are very important for these three countries,” Palling said.

Video of the sitting: http://youtu.be/fxDr9WkjaKs

Photos of the sitting: https://fotoalbum.riigikogu.ee/v/Komisjonid/XII+Riigikogu/ELAK/16072014/

The Riigikogu Press Service