30. Jan. 2014

Protokoll CoE

Neutral Ukraine:
We must come up with such ideas


THE PRESIDENT – Thank you. I call Mr Gross to speak on behalf of the Socialist Group.

Mr GROSS (Switzerland) – The Socialist Group thanks the co-rapporteurs for their work, their engagement and their empathy for the people. We agree with their analysis of why the situation became violent and why the use of violence is not appropriate and does not respect our basic values, but we are also uneasy. The report lacks depth in its analysis. For instance, we have to remember that the elections came out of the Parliament, which represents the oligarchs better than the people. That is why the will of the President to go European was not realised, and we must better understand how that happened to make good proposals. We also lack self-criticism on how the European Union cornered the Ukrainian Government and the authorities with its policy, stopping the authorities acting in the interests of the whole country. You cannot corner a country on one side when its traditions are rooted in both the old European traditions of East and West. There was a general will to go the European Union way, but that does not mean that immediately, everybody – especially in the East – can do so.

I turn to the third and perhaps most important element that is lacking. The monitoring report does not just comment on what happens; it also offers proposals on how to do better, on how to overcome this alarming situation. We must propose policies that allow the country to integrate, but which also allow it to overcome the state crisis and the social crisis.

I have two suggestions that we should think about.

First, on the economy, the country should be allowed to make good business with the east and with the west, rather than being in opposition to either. There needs to be two agreements – one with the West and one with the East – that are compatible with each other. That is possible.

Secondly, integrative political proposals must be made. For example, on the security environment, it is important to stop speaking about NATO and to think instead about neutrality. Neutrality has a tradition in Europe. In the 19th century, it was possible to make some countries in central Europe neutral in the interest of those countries, and of all. In the 20th century, too, there was the example of Austria.

We must come up with such ideas. It is a question not just of commenting, but of making responsible proposals.

THE PRESIDENT – Thank you. I call Mr Agramunt to speak on behalf of the Group of the European People’s Party.


Kontakt mit Andreas Gross