Chairman of the outgoing Parliamentary Committee on Foreign and European Affairs, Harris Georgiades, met on Thursday with the General Affairs Working Group of the Council of the European Union, which is visiting the island between 6 and 8 May, within the framework of the Cyprus EU Presidency.
A House press release said that the Working Group is composed of diplomats from the 27 member states, the European Commission, the General Secretariat of the Council and the Council’s Legal Service.
Georgiades informed the participants about Cyprus’ political system and the responsibilities and the way in which the House of Representatives operates, highlighting the clear separation between the three branches of government.
Referring to the priorities of the Cyprus Presidency, Georgiades noted the geopolitical importance the Mediterranean region and in particular the Eastern Mediterranean has for the EU, which, as he pointed out, is indirectly affected by the current developments.
He underlined the need for a more active and stronger EU presence in the region to address the multiple challenges related to security and stability, such as migration and seafaring, so that the Eastern Mediterranean becomes an area of opportunities and cooperation.
The outgoing MP also noted that the Mediterranean and the current geopolitical challenges were the main themes of the interparliamentary conferences organized by the Parliament, within the framework of the EU Presidency.
He also underlined the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in strengthening efforts to find collective ways to address the challenges at the EU level.