EPP agrees that 3Ps (peace, prosperity and partnership) will secure safe lives to citizens and preserve the European values
Head of the Croatian EPP group in the European Parliament Dubravka Šuica and Member of the European Parliament Željana Zovko participate in the session of the extended Presidency of the EPP Group in the EP chaired by Manfred Weber, on 12 and 13 April in Lyon (France). The main topics are security in the European Union, fight against terrorism and radicalisation and future of police forces. The meeting was hosted by the Chairman of the French EPP group in the European Parliament Franck Proust, Deputy Chairman of the EPP group Françoise Grossetête and EPP President Joseph Daul.
EPP members participate in exchange of views with the security and defence experts. President of the French right-centre party Les Républicains, Laurent Wauquiez, Executive Director of Frontex, Fabrice Leggeri and former Director of the French Agency for Internal Security DGSI, Patrick Calvar talk about security and anti-terrorism fight on the basis of the experience of France. Executive Director of El País, David Alandete, professor Andrea Margelletti from the International Studies Centre from Rome and Bruce Stokes from Pew Research Centre from Washington talk about importance of communication in context of misinformation and propaganda.
In the light of ever increasing threats to security, the EPP members will adopt in Lyon a paper on security and ways the EPP will be fighting for security of the European citizens.
“The European Union must respond efficiently to the security threats and new technologies which enable quick spreading of misinformation and threatening materials. We gathered in Lyon to discuss the ways of combatting cybercrime, and radicalisation, but also the ways of protecting our borders, cooperation with the third countries and migration management. Our policy is based on the 3 Ps: peace, prosperity and partnership, which will enable us to secure safe lives to our citizens and also to preserve our values!“ – said Head of the Croatian EPP/HDZ delegation Dubravka Šuica.
MEP Željana Zovko pointed out to the importance of EU enlargement onto the Western Balkans in order to support those countries in migration management:
“As Europa has in recent years been exposed to terrorist attacks, our citizens want security and defence to be given the top priority in the activities of the European Union. Therefore, all EU institutions must join forces with all the member-countries, which must be aware that international cooperation in matters of security and defence and exchange of intelligence information are the only possible way to tackle problems of radicalisation, terrorism and other threats. Furthermore, EU enlargement onto the Western Balkans is very important, as it will help those countries to better manage migration and resist the impact of the third non-European countries. If the Western Balkans countries are left out, that will bring further instabilities in the region with which Croatia shares the longest land border.“ – said Zovko.