On the occasion of the signing of the Helsinki declaration 40 years ago (1 August 1975), the S&D Group in the EP calls for a new initiative for political dialogue in Europe at the highest level. Among the steps to be taken is the removal of members of Parliament from sanction lists.
40 years after the Helsinki agreement there is no time for celebrations due to growing tensions between the EU and Russia linked to the Ukraine crisis as well as the growing impact of anti-democratic forces throughout Europe.
S&D vice-chair responsible for foreign affairs, Knut Fleckenstein, stated:
"Just like in the time of Social Democrats such as Willy Brandt and Olaf Palme, we need a new push for peace and stability on the European continent. A permanent division of Europe should be avoided and opponents should be brought around the same table.
"As European Socialists we will confront all forces in and outside of the EU undermining freedom and tolerance. In the case of Ukraine we reject the annexation of Crimea and reconfirm the crucial importance of the full implementation of the Minsk agreement by all sides, with the aim to reach a definitive political solution so as to restore peace and stability, thus being able to remove sanctions.
"We are now in a situation that political, diplomatic but also people to people contacts in Europe have decreased to a minimum. Particularly in the current crisis we need dialogue more than ever and this is why the S&D Group in the EP proposes three concrete steps:
• The removal from the sanction lists, of both Russia and the European Union, of all members national Parliaments as well as the European Parliament
• A free movement of people throughout Europe with visa facilitation and liberalization
• The preparation of a new OSCE summit by 2016 the latest bringing together all countries and successor countries having signed the Helsinki act 40 years ago."
