At a Denmark forum, the Czech Senate speaker warned of competing influences if EU enlargement stalls, urging immediate political courage and parliamentary action.
During the conference of the speakers of the European Union parliaments in Denmark, the head of the Czech Senate, Miloš Vystrčil, urged bolder action in supporting EU expansion. According to the press service of the upper house of the Czech Parliament, these remarks came from the official statement by the speaker himself.
“I deem it necessary as a geopolitical decision to support Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkan countries, because it is in our interests. If we do not do this, these countries will have other proposals, and this space will be filled by influence that threatens freedom and democracy. And we must explain this in our countries; this is our duty, the duty of the members of parliament”
– Miloš Vystrčil
The speech drew attention to the fact that on May 1 they marked the 22nd anniversary of the Czech Republic’s accession to the EU along with nine other countries, and at the time it was a bold step for the fifteen member states.
“I mention this here because we still need that courage today to support further EU enlargement”
– said the politician
At the opening of the meeting, the Speaker of the Danish Parliament, Søren Gade, welcomed the participants, and Ruslan Stefanchuk, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, also spoke. On Tuesday Vystrčil and Stefanchuk will hold bilateral talks.
Forum program and context of the meeting
The Forum was divided into two blocks: in the first, they discussed the future role of Europe in a changing world order, with a focus on security, enlargement, and the role of parliaments; in the second – for resilience of democracies amid changes. A visit to the Danish Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) in Copenhagen is also planned, where heads of the delegations will become acquainted with crisis-management experience.
Participants in the conference on May 5 will consider the topic “Ensuring continuity and security in the era of hybrid threats and parliamentary vulnerabilities”.
The Conference of Speakers of the European Union Parliaments is an annual forum aimed at safeguarding and supporting the role of parliaments, creating a platform for exchanging views, information, and experiences among the speakers. The event is organized by the country that chaired the EU Council in the second half of the previous year; next year its hosting is taken by Ireland.
During the speech of the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, at the conference, calls to strengthen Ukraine’s defensive capabilities were heard, reflecting the overall trend of the forum.
Concluding the event, participants expressed hope for closer coordination between countries and parliaments to support a stable expansion of the EU and strengthen democratic institutions in the European space.