EU membership requires respect for EU values, President Pavlopoulos warns from Sofia
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos on Monday warned both Turkey and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) that membership of the European Union demanded respect for European values and principles, in statements after meeting Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev in Sofia, where he is on an official visit.
“We are in favour of European prospects but here, we need to clear up one thing…the partners that wish to join the EU must learn to respect the established European acquis,” he said. In reference to FYROM, he noted that they must also respect history.
“We cannot live, coexist and survive within the EU on terms of falsifying history. They must understand this,” he said.
In the case of Turkey, Pavlopoulos repeated that Greece was in favour of Turkey’s European future, again provided that it “respects the European legal and political acquis…in other words, the sum of international law, written and customary, that concerns the open issues that Turkey has with Greece, not Greece with Turkey.”
In strong criticism of the stance adopted by some EU countries on the refugees issue, Pavlopoulos said it was inconceivable to have member states “with phobic syndromes” in the EU, which said that this issue should not be dealt with jointly and accused Greece of failing to properly guard its borders.
Pavlopoulos pointed out that the refugees were arriving via sea borders, without any control by Turkish authorities, or even “unfortunately with the collaboration of traffickers with Turkish authorities, which greatly worsens Turkey’s position.”
“What should Greece do in order to guard its borders, which are also the borders of the EU? Should it abandon these people to their fate? Let them drown? We directly say no,” the Greek president said.
Greece and Bulgaria will not allow the Aegean to be converted into a graveyard of innocent children and will put the defence of people first, Pavlopoulos noted, adding that this must be understood its EU partners. Those who thought that the EU’s ‘centre of gravity’ was not people but the euro, and that everything could be measured in euros, had no place in the EU, he added.
In a later address after a dinner given by Plevneliev in his honour, the Greek president also referred to the excellent bilateral ties with Bulgaria and the need to further strengthen strategic relations between Athens and Sofia to deal with the latest challenges.
“Our cooperation in all areas is excellent. Our trade transactions are increasing. The Greek business and investment presence in Bulgaria creates conditions of harmonious joint operation between the two economies,” he said.
He said that Greece considers Bulgaria a close partners and valuable ally in the region, adding that cooperation between the two countries could act as a model for other neighbouring countries.
Pavlopoulos announced that Greece will work to prepare for the 3rd Greece-Bulgaria High-level Cooperation Council due to be convened in Sofia next year, saying the priority now was to give specific strategic directions in key areas of mutual interest.