The European Union Affairs Committee supports opening EU accession negotiations with Ukraine

Chair of the Committee Liisa Pakosta underlined that the European Union Affairs Committee unequivocally supported Ukraine’s becoming a member of the EU and opening the accession negotiations. “In spite of being in a state of war, Ukraine is implementing the necessary reforms, which on the one hand is admirable and on the other hand encourages to open accession negotiations with Ukraine,” Pakosta said. “Estonia, including the members of the European Union Affairs Committee, is ready to share its experience with members of the Ukrainian Parliament and to seek political support from other Member States for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.”

Deputy Chair of the Committee Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski considers it necessary for the EU accession negotiations with Ukraine to start in the nearest future, provided that Ukraine has made progress in implementing the EU’s seven recommendations.

The European Union Affairs Committee also decided that Estonia would request a statement from the European Commission that athletes from Russia and Belarus should not be allowed to take part in international sports competitions, including the Olympic Games, as they represent aggressor states. The European Union Affairs Committee gave Minister of Culture Heidy Purga a mandate to hold negotiations with the European Commission. The Minister will represent Estonia at the meeting of the European Union sports ministers in Brussels on Monday. It was underlined at the Committee sitting that it is unacceptable for athletes from aggressor states to compete even as neutral athletes.

Photos of the sitting (Erik Peinar, Chancellery of the Riigikogu)

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Link uudisele: The European Union Affairs Committee supports opening EU accession negotiations with Ukraine

Source: Parliament of Estonia