European Parliament
Papastamkos (PPE-DE ).
(EL)
Mr President, as you know, the European Commission has proposed the adoption of a regulation to establish a pre-accession assistance mechanism (ΙΡΑ). This proposal is positive, insofar as it groups and simplifies the management of existing programmes for accession countries and potential candidate countries in south-eastern Europe.
Given that the ΙΡΑ will cover sectors such as the strengthening of institutions and regional and cross-border cooperation, among others, payment of the planned assistance needs to be linked to strict terms of political conditionality, terms which make up the political
acquis communautaire
Our message must be clear. The challenge of the European orientation presupposes the overcoming of differences via dialogue, mutual understanding and agreement.

