Donald Tusk elected as the next President of the European Council: another EPP victory; President Poroshenko attends EPP SummitBrussels, 30 August 2014
The European Council has unanimously elected the Prime Minister of Poland and President of the Civic Platform (EPP), Donald Tusk, as the next President of the European Council. The President of the European People's Party (EPP), Joseph Daul, made the following statement:
"I am extremely pleased that my friend Prime Minister Donald Tusk will succeed Herman Van Rompuy as President of the European Council. Herman Van Rompuy has carried Europe through difficult economic times and has done an exemplary job for the last five years. In addition to the election of Jean-Claude Juncker as President of the European Commission, the appointment of Donald Tusk reaffirms the EPP position as a driving force of the European Union. The European Council decision reflects what the EPP leaders agreed earlier today at the EPP Summit (list of participants here, photos here). Donald Tusk is a strong leader, a very successful prime minister, a great reformer, a committed European and a dedicated member of the EPP. Needless to say, Donald Tusk will continue Herman Van Rompuy's work and, together with Jean-Claude Juncker, will strengthen the European project, will keep the EU on the path to economic recovery, and will tackle the challenges in our neighbourhood and beyond. With Donald Tusk, we will see the continuation and the implementation of the European security and defence policy. The EPP leaders met prior to the European Council to discuss the top EU positions and the situation of Ukraine. The President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, exceptionally attended the Summit. President Daul expressed his concerns about the detiorating situation of the country: ''All EPP leaders very much appreciated the intervention of President Poroshenko at our Party Summit about the situation in Ukraine and also the intention of his party to join the EPP. In view of the escalation of the war in the eastern part of the country, we reaffirmed the EPP's full support and solidarity to President Poroshenko, the Ukrainian government, the Ukrainian people - who are suffering greatly from this war - and to the country's European future. We are extremely concerned about the latest developments in the eastern part of the country. The EPP is asking for strong sanctions against Russia. Russia must respect the sovereignty of Ukraine in its integrity." Note to editors: The EPP is the largest and most influential European-level political party of the centre-right, which currently includes 73 member-parties from 39 countries, the Presidents of the European Commission and the European Council, 12 EU and 6 non-EU heads of state and government and the largest Group in the European Parliament.
For more information: Kostas Sasmatzoglou, EPP Spokesman, Tel. +32-2-2854147
Javier Jiménez, EPP Director of Press and Communications, Tel. +32-475480446
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