Brussels, 30 January 2014
Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am delighted to welcome Prime
Minister Tusk here today. The Prime Minister and I had a very good
working meeting, which was at the Prime Minister's request mainly
dedicated to the situation in Ukraine. We also discussed some economic
issues, looking to the next European Council in March.
We agreed on the need to continue
de-escalating the current tension in Ukraine. Violence and intimidation
must stop as they are clearly not the answer to the crisis. The European
Union is doing its utmost to encourage and facilitate a political
dialogue between government, opposition leaders and civil society.
I assured Prime Minister Tusk that
the European Union is determined to keep its full political involvement
in the settlement of the crisis in Ukraine. We remain engaged in
helping our Ukrainian partners, under the "more for more" principle, to
find a democratic and peaceful way out of the current political crisis,
as I told President Yanukovych on the phone conversation I had with him
last week. This is why Commissioner Štefan Füle and High Representative
and Vice-President Catherine Ashton again travelled to Ukraine.
Prime Minister Tusk and I both
welcome the recent repeal by the Ukrainian Parliament of the so-called
anti-protest laws. This was an anti-democratic package of legislation
which curtailed individual freedoms. We hope that the decision of the
Parliament will now be enforced.
We expect these steps will lead to
further reforms and be conducive to a truly inclusive and national
dialogue that can lead to a political solution of the current stalemate,
respecting the rule of law, human rights and the will of the Ukrainian
people.
The Prime Minister and I discussed
the European Union-Ukraine Association Agreement and its Deep and
Comprehensive Free Trade Area. We both continue to believe that the
Association Agreement is the best way to assist the political and
economic modernisation of the country.
Poland itself is a good example of
the transformational power that Association Agreements between the
European Union and Central and Eastern European countries had, back in
the 90ies, well before these countries' accession to the European Union.
- And in fact we believe the European past of Ukraine would bring progress of the kind that Europe has been able to support in countries like Poland.
Just one fact: In 1990 Polish GDP per
capita was above the Ukrainian one by 100 US dollars. Today the Polish
GDP per capita is above the Ukrainian about 9000 dollars. This shows, in
fact, what a closer relation with the European Union can bring. And
this also shows that these arguments suggesting that the association
agreements are detrimental to the economy of the countries that signed
them are completely false.
We equally remain engaged in
continuing our bilateral assistance for Ukraine. This assistance has to
serve the real needs of the country and the objectives of political
association and economic integration with the European Union. We are
ready to look at all the possibilities with the relevant instruments
from the neighbourhood instruments to cooperation with the EIB, to
technical assistance and also to implementing our offer already made of
macro financial assistance.
During this meeting, Prime
Minister Tusk and I also discussed the economic situation in Europe. We
have made massive efforts to beat the crisis. Signs of recovery are
multiplying but many challenges remain and we cannot say the crisis is
over when unemployment is still so high.
To firm up the recovery we must
keep up our reform efforts focusing on ways to make our economies more
competitive. In the context of the European Semester we will take stock
of progress on these reforms at the upcoming European Council.
The Prime Minister and I agree
that investing smartly in Europe's future is essential. The EU budget is
a major source of public investments for many of our member states,
including Poland.
The structural funds have a
central role to play. As I conclude, let me say I am very pleased that
Poland was the first country to officially submit its partnership
agreement. Poland has done it exactly January 10. This sets out the
strategy for deployment of more than 82 billion euros under the European
Union Cohesion Policy in Poland for 2014-2020 to leverage growth and
jobs.
Prime Minister, dear friend, thank
you very much for a very useful meeting, and thank you once again for
coming to Brussels to discuss these issues that are of utmost importance
for Poland and for the European Union.
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-14-79_en.htm?locale=en
30/1/14
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