Poland and 11 other European Union (EU) countries are calling for the initiation of membership negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova.
Beata Płomecka, the Brussels correspondent for Polish Radio, has seen a letter addressed to Belgium, which is currently presiding over the EU, signed by the Polish European affairs minister, Adam Szłapka, along with his counterparts from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Sweden.
“The time for decisions has come,” emphasized the ministers of the 12 countries in their letter. They believe that starting membership negotiations would provide additional motivation for Ukraine and Moldova. They also highlighted the dire situation in Ukraine, which is fighting against the Russian aggression, as well as the upcoming presidential elections and the autumn referendum in Moldova regarding EU accession.
The ministers wrote: “Opening membership negotiations would boost morale and accelerate reforms in these countries.”
They recalled the previous agreements made by the leaders of the 27 member states at the March summit and the call for the swiftest possible agreement on the negotiation frameworks for Ukraine and Moldova. Approval of these frameworks and the convening of an intergovernmental conference would mark the beginning of accession talks.
Hungarian blockade
However, unanimity within the EU on this issue has not yet been achieved, as Hungary is blocking the decision. The authorities in Budapest, long criticized for their pro-Russian stance, are now using the argument of a lack of respect for the rights of national minorities in Ukraine, specifically the Hungarian minority.
On Friday, the ambassadors of the 27 countries are scheduled to revisit this issue. The tentative date for starting negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova has been set for June 25. However, as Beata Płomecka, the Brussels correspondent for Polish Radio, has heard, it is possible that Hungary will delay until the summit at the end of the month before giving the green light.
This is a race against time, as from July 1, Hungary will take over the EU presidency, and the topic of enlargement is likely to fall off the agenda, only to reappear in January when Poland assumes the six-month presidency of the EU.
“The time for decisions has come,” emphasized the ministers of the 12 countries in their letter. They believe that starting membership negotiations would provide additional motivation for Ukraine and Moldova. They also highlighted the dire situation in Ukraine, which is fighting against the Russian aggression, as well as the upcoming presidential elections and the autumn referendum in Moldova regarding EU accession.
The ministers wrote: “Opening membership negotiations would boost morale and accelerate reforms in these countries.”
They recalled the previous agreements made by the leaders of the 27 member states at the March summit and the call for the swiftest possible agreement on the negotiation frameworks for Ukraine and Moldova. Approval of these frameworks and the convening of an intergovernmental conference would mark the beginning of accession talks.
Hungarian blockade
However, unanimity within the EU on this issue has not yet been achieved, as Hungary is blocking the decision. The authorities in Budapest, long criticized for their pro-Russian stance, are now using the argument of a lack of respect for the rights of national minorities in Ukraine, specifically the Hungarian minority.
On Friday, the ambassadors of the 27 countries are scheduled to revisit this issue. The tentative date for starting negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova has been set for June 25. However, as Beata Płomecka, the Brussels correspondent for Polish Radio, has heard, it is possible that Hungary will delay until the summit at the end of the month before giving the green light.
This is a race against time, as from July 1, Hungary will take over the EU presidency, and the topic of enlargement is likely to fall off the agenda, only to reappear in January when Poland assumes the six-month presidency of the EU.
Source: Polish Radio 24, TVP World
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