Strasbourg, 17 December 2024
Member of the European Parliament Željana Zovko made a speech today at the plenary debate on the toppling of the Syrian regime and its geopolitical implications.
Zovko emphasised that despite the joy that can be expressed in celebrating the toppling of a barbaric and cruel regime, the current situation in Syria gives us no reason to rejoice. Indeed, the European Union should refrain from giving benefit of doubt to the individuals that overthrown the Assad regime. A lot of them are war criminals and represent a major threat to minorities, especially Christians, Jews and Yazidis.
She also stressed that there should be no whitewashing and that the European Union should not suddenly change its stance only because the Assad regime fell. Radicalism will not be solved with radicalism.
Zovko added that the current promises made by the radicals towards minorities will not be kept for long. The meetings of the new minister for religious affairs in Syria with Christian leaders to promise them protection should not divert our attention.
She added that many years ago in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ottomans also made promises to Christians and were at the same time burning churches and expelling people.
Zovko called for the European Union not to be naive and to finally appoint a full fledged commissioner or representative who will protect Christian minorities wherever they live. She stressed the European Union should not set up just some symbolic role in the External Action Service.
“We have to take care of the religious minorities, or either we cannot be fully responsible for what is going on in the Middle East”.
Let us remind that Zovko is highly committed to the topic of regional stability in the Middle East. She recently led the European Union election observation mission in Jordan on the occasion of the parliamentary elections held on 10 September, recalling that Jordan is an essential partner in the region and a pillar of stability.