UDMR's Biro Rozalia: Pandemic shows we need more efficient EU foreign, security policy

The COVID-19 pandemic requires a stronger and more efficient foreign and security policy of the European Union, is the first conclusion of the interparliamentary meeting on the fields of Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), respectively Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), which took place on Friday, September 4, the UDMR (Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania) Bihor MP, Biro Rozalia informed on Monday.

As chair of the Foreign Policy Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, Biro Rozalia participated on Friday in the interparliamentary videoconference on CFSP and CSDP, a meeting that takes place every six months, this time organized by the German Parliament, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council.

"At the end of the conference, an official declaration highlighting several issues was adopted. The COVID-19 pandemic requires a stronger and more effective EU foreign and security policy, is the first conclusion. It is necessary and we welcome the Global EU Response action plan, in the COVID-19 crisis, and we are focusing our attention on the most vulnerable countries and on higher budget allocations. We are very concerned about the growing and dangerous tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean and call for de-escalating these tensions, for constructive dialogue," Rozalia Biro said about the official declaration.

The signatories - the chair of the Bundestag's foreign policy committee, Dietmar Nietan and David McAllister, the chairman of the EP's foreign policy committee - draw the EU's and European Parliament's attention to the need for medium- and long-term measures in relation to Turkey and support is expressed for the people of Belarus for free presidential elections with the participation of international observers.

We express our concern with the fragile situation in Lebanon, as well as at the situation in Libya, and assume our role in the parliamentary dimension, so that through dialogue, we can contribute to the relaxation and resolution of these situations. We are aware that the European Union's relationship with China has entered a new stage, a new era; we note that China has aspirations to strengthen its geo-political position and we are aware that we must have an appropriate response, stressing the need for a more ambitious multi-annual financial plan at the EU level, in order to be able to face, on the one hand, this pandemic, on the other hand, an economic plan to relaunch Europe, as urgently and efficiently as possible, the UDMR deputy said, quoting from the official declaration.

Biro Rozalia stated that, in her opinion, this CFSP / CSDP videoconference was an opportunity for dialogue, "but it met not even by far that need for dialogue in order to find or deepen those strategic partnerships, to support each other in the priorities waiting to be solved".

Although several questions were asked about the process of enlarging the EU with the countries of the Western Balkans, the answer 'No' was very strong, Biro said.

"Yes, it is a priority, but that is what we can do now, they said. For us, for Romania, the Eastern Partnership is just as important. Due to the influence from the East, the situation of the Eastern Partnership member states is becoming increasingly harder. Unfortunately, it does not occupy a proper place in the current foreign policy agenda of the European Union", the UDMR Bihor parliamentarian also mentioned.