Minister Kristian Vigenin participated in the Informal “Gymnich” Meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers
05 April 2014 News
Minister Kristian Vigenin participated in the informal "Gymnich" meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers, which was held on 4-5 April in Athens.
The participants in the discussions among which the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the EP, Elmar Brok, and Commissioners Štefan Füle and Kristalina Georgieva, reviewed the European Neighbourhood Policy and the prospects for its development.
They focused also on the development of the relations with the eastern and southern neighbors, the recent events in Ukraine and their impact on the EU foreign and security policy. Over the past five years, the EU has focused on coping with the financial and economic crisis, but after the events in Ukraine the focus should be on the political and strategic issues, concerning the EU's neighborhood. This requires the EU to be more committed, unified and consistent in the area of foreign and security policy.
"The EU has a developed neighborhood policy with multiple and complex tools that facilitate sharing the values and the benefits of the European model of democratic development. We should make this policy more visible and to provide more information to the public in the EU’s neighboring countries about the benefits and the opportunities it provides," said Minister Vigenin. " We must endeavor to ensure that the European model remains attractive in the difficult conditions of coping with the economic crisis," he added.
The current crisis in the Eastern neighborhood requires a long-term strategy for action because it directly affects the security and stability of the EU. We can not compromise and choose between principles and interests. EU is strong due to the fact that it does not impose the value model by force, it creates stability through the means of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law. "In this situation it is important not to forget the Western Balkans - their permanent inclusion and successful integration into the EU are an important part of that stability," pointed out Minister Vigenin. EU is not easily achieving reconciliation and unity in politics, but once established, it becomes a solid, stable and predictable. This is a major advantage also in developing the relations with the EU’s strategic partners - another major topic in the discussions of the foreign ministers in Athens.