AGBU Europe publishes candidates' positions before 2009 Euro-elections
Paris/Brussels, 5/06/2009 - On the eve of the vote in the European elections in most European countries, AGBU Europe President Alexis Govciyan called upon Euro-Armenians to vote.
This call follows an extensive campaign in which AGBU and other organisations asked candidates to state their position on 7 key issues. 25 political parties from 12 countries have responded to the AGBU questionnaire. The answers provided are a useful tool for citizens who wish to influence European policy in practical ways. They have been published, along with the 7 questions asked, on http://campagneelectorale.agbueurope.org/.
Candidates were asked 7 questions on a variety of topics of interest or concern to Armenians in Europe. For instance: what can the EU do to help prevent war in Karabakh or to promote cooperation in Armenia’s neighbourhood? What are Armenia’s prospects for European integration? Turkey is knocking at Europe’s door: what can and what will the EU do to press that country to radically break with its hostility towards Armenians, engage with Armenia and recognize the Armenian genocide? The EU is committed to multilingualism and intercultural dialogue: what will be the place of Armenians in the European cultural landscape?
By bringing these issues to the parties before the European elections, AGBU has provided candidates with an opportunity to communicate their views directly to their electors who are Armenian or are interested in Armenian questions. Over the next legislature, AGBU will have the opportunity to work with those who were elected so that these pre-electoral commitments can be translated into European policy.
AGBU wishes to thank all those political parties and candidates who have played the democratic game and taken the time to make their views known to their electors.
AGBU Europe is the European branch of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU). Established in 1906, AGBU (www.agbu.org or www.agbueurope.eu) is the world's largest non-profit Armenian organization and is headquartered in New York City. AGBU works to preserve and promote the Armenian identity and heritage through educational, cultural and humanitarian programs, annually serving some 400,000 Armenians on five continents.
For more information please contact: Anush Nazaryan
Tel: 00 32 2 762 67 97
Email:anazaryan@agbueurope.org
