Presentation by Johannes HAHN, Member ofthe EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, of the 2016 Enlargement Package at the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), in the EP in Brussels. Statements by Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Cristian Dan PREDA (EPP, RO), Ulrike LUNACEK (Greens/EFA, AT), David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), Kati PIRI (S&amp;D, NL), and Tanja FAJON (S&amp;D, SI).

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Brussels

meeting

McALLISTER, David (EPP, DE)

PREDA, Cristian Dan (EPP, RO)

LUNACEK, Ulrike (Greens/EFA, AT)

FAJON, Tanja (S&D, SI)

PIRI, Kati (S&D, NL)

Enlargement (T2)

HAHN, Johannes (AT, EC)

2016 Enlargement Package: extracts from the presentation by Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations

SOUNDBITE (English), Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, I want to reiterate very clearly to our European Citizens how vital this policy is for our very own strategic interest. Nowhere has been enlighten self-interest been as visible over the last years, as in the migration crisis. This should prove even to the sceptics that Europe cannot afford any absence from its own geopolitical front yard.

SOUNDBITE (English), Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Those who believe this crisis is over and that we could go back to business as usual, are mistaken. The EU must continue supporting all countries in their reception capacity, but also in their fight against migrant smugglers. We must understand that pour partners in the region are part of the solution, not the problem.

SOUNDBITE (English), Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Turkey, as a candidate country must fulfil the highest standards in the rule of law, and fundamental rights, to which it committed itself, and on which there cannot be any compromises.

SOUNDBITE (English), Johannes HAHN, Member of the EC in charge of European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, The measures effected the whole spectrum of society from the military and the police, to academia, media and the business community. The detention of member of parliaments from HTP last week, including the two parties co-chairs ads to our concerns, and further, exacerbate the situation in the south east of the country. This various actions including consideration of reintroducing the death penalty seem to be increasingly incompatible with Turkish official desire to become a member of the EU.

SOUNDBITE (French), Cristian Dan PREDA (EPP, RO), We have had an illegal referendum in Republika Srpska, with in a very effective presence of Russia on the field. It is Moscow who supported openly this referendum. We have had tensioned local elections, we have received yesterday president Izetbegovic in our AFET Committee, and I want to raise up here one of his proposals: to give our support in the efforts of connecting Western Balkans with a high level political dialogue between the concerned countries.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ulrike LUNACEK (Greens/EFA, AT), As much as I appreciated a lot of good things that are going well in in Kosovo, I also say that now the ball is in the hands of Kosovo Parliament and government to fulfil the remaining two benchmarks: ratifying the demarcation line on the border with Montenegro and delivering on the real track record fighting against organised crime and corruption. On normalisation with Serbia, also both parts have to really fulfil the dialogue requirements.

SOUNDBITE (English), David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), Regional cooperation and good neighbourhood relations forms an essential part of the Western Balkans countries process, of growing towards the EU. Serbia&rsquo;s positive approach on dealing with migration crises, and it&rsquo;s shown in promoting regional cooperation, and reconciliation in the western Balkans is most welcome.

SOUNDBITE (English), Kati PIRI (S&amp;D, NL), It&rsquo;s become unfortunately the top jailer of the world of journalists. We can no longer speak of media plurality, hundred thousand people dismissed, twenty five thousand arrested, and elected representative of the Kurdish minority jailed. It&rsquo;s not new. Unfortunately we are joining these consequences for the last three years while we are seeing a serious backlash in Turkey. My group, the S&amp;D Group remains committed to anchoring Turkey to the EU, and to continue our dialogue. But Ankara is closing the door, is not the EU who&rsquo;s closing the door. The death penalty, if there is a reintroduction of that that will definitely lock the door, not just to the EU, but also to the Council of Europe. That&rsquo;s why my groups things, that freezing the accession talks, until Turkey returns to the path of democracy is now, unfortunately, the only answer we can give.

SOUNDBITE (English), Tanja FAJON (S&amp;D, SI), Let us look to the reality: there are not jobs, or there are very badly paid jobs. Young people are living their countries, despair is growing, and nationalist is growing. Two remarks: I wish to see more EU focus on the development and future of Bosnia and Herzegovina. I think we don&rsquo;t do sufficiently. Second, I wish to see more understanding and support from especially the European governments for the visa free travel for Kosovo.