UD Leader Kyriacou with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan and FNF's Joerg Denhert

“Political will is what is at need for the attainment of an agreement for the reunification of Cyprus and for the normalization of relations between Greece and Turkey,” said Prime Minister Papandreou during his recent visit to Cyprus.

“We also need to create conditions of trust between Greece and Turkey and between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots, for without trust no legal form of an agreement will survive through time.” He also emphasized that without the prospect of accession to the European Union, Turkey will have no incentive to move towards the resolution of the Cyprus problem.

Prime Minister Papandreou said that time is of the essence, since the nature of a problem gets more complicated as time progresses. (more…)

ELDR President Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck MEP

I would like to thank you for having voted in last weekend’s European elections. Preliminary results show that ELDR member parties’ candidates will return with about the same number of MEPs. For me that is a sign of trust from our liberal voters. Particularly as the liberal MEPs - in a European Parliament with fewer seats - are set to strenghten their influence to defend and promote our ideals of freedom and democracy. (more…)

ELDR President Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck

The European elections are a democratic mega-event that can only be compared to the elections in India. The elections have begun today in The Netherlands and the UK. Until Sunday evening close to 400 million European citizens have the possibility to determine the direction that Europe will take over the course of the next five years. The Parliament is the only directly elected body of the European institutions. Your vote gives the European Parliament its democratic character and influences decisions taken at the European level. There are a number of challenges that member states cannot face alone and where action at the EU level is vital. The economic crisis, which is affecting so many of us, is a prime example. (more…)

Neelie Kroes, European Commissioner

I strongly believe that the single market has improved Europe’s ability to cope with the current economic crisis. However, in my eyes, this is just one of the many benefits of European Integration. Thanks to European Integration, our fundamental rights and freedoms as citizens are protected by the Treaties. Of all of these rights, I believe that our right to vote is key, as this gives each of us the power to directly influence the future of Europe. (more…)