News from Cyprus

CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY

Cyprus President: a stronger EU would strengthen our position

European Union leaders, including Papadopoulos, will sign the bloc's new reform treaty, the Lisbon Treaty, Thursday, 13 December, in the Portuguese capital, aiming to make the EU more democratic and stronger. In an interview with CNA, to mark one of the most important developments in the recent EU history, Papadopoulos said that a more unified and a stronger EU, with an enhanced capacity to act, would strengthen Cyprus’ position, noting he was certain that after February’s presidential elections in Cyprus, the ratification of the Treaty will be top priority for the House of Representatives. “A strong EU, which has managed to tackle internal difficulties, can face external challenges more easily,” he told CNA, adding that an enhanced EU political voice “will work in favor of Cyprus, which in turn will strengthen its presence in the international arena.” As regards the role of small states in the bloc’s decision-making mechanisms, he pointed out that “we cannot restrict our outlook to the narrow logic of seeing member states as units” and explained that member states work as part of a whole and inevitably must look for collaboration among their partners. “Abolishing unanimity would reduce to some degree the role of states with a small number of votes,” Papadopoulos said, pointing out that as far as Cyprus is concerned this means a bigger effort to establish alliances with other states with common interests and goals. He said that historically in the EU there are no traditional permanent alliances or groups of small or big states, on the contrary, alliances are formed depending on the interests of the countries and the issues under discussion. “Once the new mechanisms are in place, decision-making by the EU will become easier and I believe this to be in the interest of all states,” he said. Asked if the non inclusion of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the Reform Treaty could have an adverse on Cyprus, he noted that Cyprus had supported the inclusion of the Charter in the Treaty, nonetheless the absence of the Charter per se does not affect the legal outcome.” “The compromise approach which has been agreed – to have the Charter ratified by the various EU institutions - and the reference to Article 6 of the Reform Treaty gives the Charter an equally binding character. Therefore, the final outcome does not deviate from our initial goals. Two out of the initial 15 member – states demanded and got ‘derogation’ of the provisions of the Charter. Cyprus, as well as the other new members cannot have any such derogations and in any case we do not wish to have any derogation,” he said. Commenting on the fact that the European Parliament has been granted a say in important issues, he said that it is a fact that until now the role and the power of the EP have been very limited. However, he added, now this role and the rights of the EP have been slightly strengthened with “co-decision” in a limited number of issues. “The enhanced role of the EP, an institution comprising elected representatives of the European citizens, in the decision making process definitely enhances the democratic character of the procedures”, he, adding that strengthening the democratic character of the EU means greater acceptance by the EU citizens. Referring to the reasons Cyprus had supported an enhanced EP role, he said that with the Lisbon Treaty the role of the national parliaments is also enhanced in decision making, something that brings citizens even closer to the EU. “The citizen will comprehend more easily that the EU will not impose only obligations but will also allow participation in the decision-making process through elected representatives,” Papadopoulos told CNA, adding however that “the EP was not strengthened to the extent we had wanted this to happen”. Responding to questions, he said the ratification of the Treaty by the Cyprus House of Representatives will become top priority for the House with the resumption of its meetings after February’s presidential elections but could not refer to any set date for the ratification.