The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, which started on November 20 in Kyiv, has become very fruitful on loud statements from the very beginning.

EuroBelarus Information Service cites the most significant of them.

The Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn:

“This year about €150 million will be allocated to aid the EaP countries, which is by €60 million more than in the 2013 budget.”

“We have decided to increase aid, which we allocate for the Eastern Partnership countries and for the civil society. We will allocate €150 million until 2017 in comparison with €90 million in 2013.”

Johannes Hahn also confirmed the readiness to provide the final report on visa-free regime between the EU and Ukraine on December 15. “Before Christmas, approximately on December we expect the publication of the report, and we need a month to finally decide on these issues. However, based on the current work, we understand that it is the final version of report that we are talking about.”

Ukraine Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk:

“For the world community, for the European Union, and for all of u, it is extremely important not to isolate or push away Belarus on any account; time will come when democratic changes in Belarus will be taking place quickly and actively.”

“I find it necessary for the Ukrainian civil society to continue the complicated dialog with the Ukrainian government and Ukrainian officials. We are not on the different sides of the barricades; quite the opposite, we are on the one side in fighting for our common future.”

“Civil society raised an Issue about appointing the Steering Committee of the National Anticorruption Agency in accordance with the nontransparent procedure. I changed my opinion and signed a decree about changing the appointed body.”

“Despite the existing difficulties, Ukraine will be continuing the policy of reforms since this work is directed not at the conduction of reforms, but at the country’s preservation.”

Reference

The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF), founded in 2009, is a platform of cooperation between the EaP and EU civil society organizations aimed at supporting reforms in the countries-partners of the EU.

Forum is an independent, transparent, and inclusive agent, aimed at ensuring changes in the political course in key political spheres. At a state level, Forum strives to enrich diversity and pluralism of public discourse and formulate policy in the EaP countries by strengthening the accountability of authorities and protecting major freedoms, human rights, and principles of representative democracy.

The Forum is closely cooperating with the European Commission, European External Action Service, and governments of countries-members of the EU, European Parliament, and other EU institutions and supports dialog with the governments of the countries-partners.