Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-02-10-Speech-3-577"
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"en.20100210.30.3-577"2
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"Madam President, Commissioner, five years ago, this Chamber went through the Orange Revolution, too, in a certain sense. However, several weeks ago, including in Mrs Ashton’s speech, questions were asked about whether the Ukrainians were ready for the Orange Revolution, and if they had put it all into practice? I share Mrs Harms’ regret, here, that Mrs Ashton is not with us today. There is an answer to this question: a 70% turnout at an election is, truly, a rarity in Europe, and it is a real rarity in our countries, too. In this sense, Mr Brok is not right when he says the Orange Revolution lost. It won, because it was all about having rules from which everyone could benefit. In Poland, too, we know about situations in which the beneficiary of democratic rules was someone who had formerly been opposed to democracy. However, this is good – this is how it should be.
Now the time has come for our answer: have we done everything we should have done following the Orange Revolution? Have we answered that question? Apart from all the instruments which the Commissioner has spoken about – and it is good that we have created these instruments – have we answered that the door is open for Ukraine? Can far-reaching reforms be carried out in a post-communist country without that promise? Can we encourage people to make sacrifices if we tell them they will always be kept waiting outside? Should we not, rather, tell them: there is room for you in Europe, not today, not tomorrow, but there is room.
To say that is a great opportunity for the new Commissioner, Mr Füle. Mrs Ashton has not come, today. Commissioner, be bold and be the first person who starts to say that there is room. Not today, not tomorrow, but there will be room. This will be of great help to the Ukrainians. This may be the last moment when this can be said, and this is why all Ukrainians must be certain that integration, cooperation with Europe and changes to the law are their own personal opportunity.
This must not just be said to the elite, to businesspeople or to students. It must be said in such a way that everyone will understand that it is still worth making sacrifices after the years of communism, that it is still worth doing something. It is an opportunity for you, too, Mr Füle. Say this clearly, and you will go down in history. You will help not only Ukraine, but all of Central Europe, because prosperity and security for Ukraine mean an opportunity for the whole of Central Europe. Everyone must feel that they have an opportunity. This is why, apart from the association agreement, which is very important, we need to relax the visa requirement for Ukrainians and, in the future, lift it. We need to say very clearly: the door to Europe is open for Ukraine. Someone must, at last, after these five years, say it."@en1
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