NEWS

Georgia and Moldova today signed pre-agreements of partnership with the European Union (EU) in a solemn ceremony held at the Litexpo congress and exhibition center, which hosts the third summit of the EU and the Eastern Partnership.

"This is a very important step for the Eastern Partnership program," said Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite at the opening of the ceremony.

The Lithuanian head of state, who holds the EU's half-yearly presidency, stressed that the signing of these pre-agreements is a milestone and show that 'the Eastern Partnership works'.

'Europe is getting wider', he summarized.

The documents were signed in the presence of Heads of State and Government of the Twenty-eight and of the six former European and Caucasian Soviet republics (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) participating in the Eastern Partnership.

"Today is a historic day," said Moldovan Prime Minister Iure Leanca, who stressed that his country has always been part of Europe and this preliminary agreement is a sign of confidence in Moldova.

Georgia, in addition to the pre-agreement of association, signed an agreement with the EU on crisis management.

For its part, Azerbaijan signed an agreement with the EU for the facilitation of visas.

After the ceremony, the heads of the delegations participating in the summit posed for the 'family photo', after which the plenary session was opened.

At the end of the meeting, Grybauskaite and the presidents of the European Commission, José Manuel Durao Barroso, and the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, will offer a joint press conference.