Parliament Speaker: Candidate countries must have their say; everyone agrees on unified voice with Brussels

“With the Belgrade Declaration, we established a permanent format, which will convene annually at the level of parliament speakers,” said Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili in Belgrade, which hosted the first (founding) conference of Parliament Chairs from EU candidate countries organized at the initiative of Parliament Speakers of Serbia and Ukraine.

According to Papuashvili, candidate countries should not be objects of enlargement but co-participants of the process and co-creators of the EU’s future.

The Speaker assessed the day as “fruitful” and extended gratitude to the parliament chairs of Serbia and Ukraine, who initiated the meeting and the “unique format,” which provided the opportunity to exchange achievements and challenges on the EU integration path.

“Today, with the Belgrade Declaration, we established the format, which will be permanent and will convene annually at the level of parliament speakers. Between the gatherings, we will maintain constant contact, both at the level of the Speakers of Parliament and through various parliamentary formats.

We all agree that we should talk to Brussels in unison at a time when various options are being considered within the European Union regarding the admission or non-admission of new members, whether it be full membership, partial membership, non-membership, substandard membership, or second-class membership. We hear about different versions.

Saying their words by candidate countries is significant. We should not be objects of enlargement but co-participants and co-creators of the EU’s future with its context, form and procedures. We witnessed this unanimity among parliament speakers, and I am glad that we share the same viewpoint,” he said.

Papuashvili said it is important that the parliaments of countries unite around the unified process.

“The Belgrade Declaration underscores the principle upon which this unity is founded—the recognition of the fundamental principles of international law; and, on the path of our countries’ European integration, a commitment to the procedures embedded in the EU enlargement process; formats, which should be loaded onto the platform of the chairmen of parliament. An important first step has been taken; a document has been created. While we see the self-discrediting of similar international forums, it is crucial that the parliaments of countries unite around a unified process.

This is the format of candidate countries, and we intend to invite Brussels representatives to different meetings to acquaint them with our viewpoints. Therefore, this format does not entail insularity or merely talking amongst ourselves; rather, it involves formulating a unified position and presenting that position to Brussels and various European Union institutions,” he concluded.