Jean-Eric Holzapfel: “We will evaluate fulfillment of every condition separately”

The Chargé d'affaires of the Delegation of the European Commission to Belarus has stated that evaluation of the progress done by Belarus will be judged by 12 well-known requirements of the European Union.

After broadcasting of the press-conference in the office of the European Commission in Minsk, Jean-Eric Holzapfel noted that the Eastern Partnership is “a very solid initiative which is based on a good serious foundation. We have launched a new train”.

“We haven’t created a “road map” on purpose and haven’t adopted any step-by-step strategy. Progress in general is the most important thing for us. That is why there are no exact criteria of progress. And we shall consider every condition individually, and how it is fulfilled. The idea of the EU is one the one hand to have concrete results and progress, and on the other to have general ones which are related to the legislation,” Radio Svaboda quotes Chargé d'affaires of the Delegation of the European Commission to Belarus as saying.

A proposal of the European Commission on participation in the Eastern Partnership initiative is available for Belarus, but a country must meet European standards to become its member. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, said in Brussels on December 3.