BRUSSELS – “Enlargement is a geostrategic investment that is in the interest of the EU, and in the next five years we need clear results”, said Kaja Kallas, candidate for the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President at the today’s confirmation hearing in the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) of the European Parliament. Kallas added that for most of the EU’s neighbours, including the Western Balkans and Ukraine, “the EU has a strong power of attraction”.
Answering the question regarding the situation in the Western Balkans, Kallas briefly stated that she would invest a lot of time and energy in the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, as well as regularly meet with the politicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to find the way in which the Dayton Agreement can be “further developed”, so that the country can move forward on the European path.
Kaja Kallas underlined that if she was entrusted with the role of the High Representative, she would work closely with the Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, reiterating that the EU accession will continue to be a merit-based process.
“The EU, above all, to me means freedom. Estonia’s past has taught us the value of freedom. I grew up behind the Iron Curtain, without any freedom. Since we regained our independence, I have had the chance to live a life full of opportunity, democracy, and freedom. Should I gain your trust to assume this role I will do my utmost to serve in the interests of Europe and to strengthen Europe’s position in the world”, she said.
Two urgent priorities for the European Union
According to Kallas, there are two “urgent priorities” for the EU – to help Ukraine to win the war against Russia, by providing sufficient means, and to find the solution for the difficult situation in the Middle East.
“We must understand what the threat is and correspond accordingly, together with our friends and allies, and without losing one inch of who we are… The EU has so much to offer, it is a champion of peace and prosperity… We must do better and listen better”, Kaja Kallas stressed.
Speaking about the need for providing further support to Ukraine, Kallas noted that it “must be underpinned by the clear EU path for the country”. Also, she remarked that the EU should invest more in security, because “actors such as Russia, China, North Korea and Iran aim to change rules-based international order”.
“We cannot accept that China, Russia, North Korea and Iran are producing more ammunition than the EU”, she claimed.
“The US is the biggest ally of the EU and will continue to be so”
Commenting on the outcome of the US presidential elections, Kallas repeated several times that the USA is the biggest ally of the EU, and “will continue to be so”.
“We will seek connections, and the meetings with the President-elect of the USA… Both the EU and the US are stronger and more secure when we work together”, she remarked.
Kaja Kallas underlined that she is “a strong believer in multilateralism”, adding that the EU have “the big allies, but also other partners we work with”.
“Journalists, media freedom, are a cornerstone of democracy”
Answering the question by the member of the AFET regarding the “different voices” among the EU member states, including Hungary, Kallas remarked that there are 27 different countries and different democracies in the EU, but “we have much leverage we can use when it comes to the common positions, we have to work very hard to reach these decisions”.
According to Kallas, there is a lot of room for improvement when it comes to the efficiency of the EU in reaching a common decision in the domain of foreign and security policy.
She also noted that “democracy all around the world is in decline and we have to support those who fight for it”.
“Human rights are the fundamental principle of the EU… Journalists, and media freedom, are a cornerstone of democracy. It is very hard to bring truth to the people, particularly in countries which are unfriendly to media freedom”, Kallas said, answering to a question by a member of the AFET.