Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis’ remarks at the session of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on National Defence and Foreign Affairs regarding the ratification of the Agreements between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and New Zealand, Australia, Japan and Singapore, of the other part- main points (Athens, 12.10.2021)
"The agreements being submitted for ratification in the Parliament consolidate the European Union as a global power that exports democracy, stability, respect for human rights and the rule of law, equality, accountability and transparency in its transactions," said Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis at today's session of the Standing Committee on National Defecse and Foreign Affairs for the ratification of Agreements between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part and New Zealand, Australia, Japan and Singapore, of the other part.
Mr. Varvitsiotis pointed out that it is important for all those who share the same view on the role that the European Union should play on the world stage, as we in Greece are always asking, to vote in favour of these agreements with the aim of developing international trade and healthy transnational relations as well as the deepening of democratic institutions. "Through the political functioning of the Union we can live in a world with less unproductive competition, greater cooperation and the export of stability, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. "Anyone who does not realize that this is the political context of the dialogue of the EU when dealing with third parties, I think, they suffer from an obsessive perspective regarding the issues that concern the European Union”, the Alternate Minister noted.
The Alternate Minister also underscored that through these agreements our country is being linked with strong democracies in the Pacific and Indian Oceans and opens up the dialogue, so that the Union and these countries could come to the negotiating table on trade issues under certain rules.
In his second intervention, Mr. Varvitsiotis made a special reference to the strong shipping bonds our country shares with Singapore, which is experiencing unprecedented levels of economic growth, is the largest port in the world and is of crucial importance for the development of Greek merchant shipping. He added, in fact, that the current trade agreement with Singapore has proven to be offering enhanced protection to Greek products with protected designation of origin (especially feta cheese) and could constitute a guide in the fight of Greek producers, livestock farmers and the government for their international registration.
October 12, 2021