On 29-30 April 2022, Strasbourg hosted the final plenary of the Conference on the Future of Europe, which completed the work on summing up citizens’ recommendations. The government of Latvia was represented at the event by the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zanda Kalniņa- Lukaševica.
The Parliamentary Secretary expressed thanks to every European for their active involvement and contribution to the process by providing valuable input for further discussions on the directions of Europe’s future development. At the same time, she noted that the final proposals responded only partly to challenges faced by Europe after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation has significantly changed the geopolitical reality, the Parliamentary Secretary said. Europe must accept the new reality and respond accordingly. Ukraine is not only fighting for its freedom, but also defending the system of common European values. Therefore, the final report of the conference must reflect Europe’s unwavering support for Ukraine and clearly declare that the future of Europe cannot be imagined without Ukraine’s membership of the European Union, Zanda Kalniņa- Lukaševica.
The final report of the conference will be delivered to the heads of three EU institutions – the President of the country holding the presidency of the Council of the EU, the President of the European Commission, and the President of the European Parliament – at the conclusion of the conference on 9 May, in the presence of invited representatives from Ukraine. The next task of EU institutions will be to evaluate the proposals and take decisions on the steps required to implement them.
The Parliamentary Secretary pointed out that the Conference on the Future of Europe had also lent an excellent impetus at the national level for bringing EU issues to the fore in society and engaging with people in discussions on Europe’s future. More than 140 events have been held in Latvia over this time, placing the country among the most active EU Member States. As the result, valuable information has been obtained, which will be useful for the formulation of Latvia’s future interests in the European Union.
Further information on the Conference on the Future of Europe is accessible here.