The ECPM was very happy to be present at the second conference of Christian democrats of Eastern Europe.

This second conference of Christian democrats of Eastern Europe organized by the Christian Democratic Union of Armenia, Christian Union of the Netherlands, European Christian Political Movement, Eastern European Bureau of Christian Democratic Parties, Christian Democratic Union of Nagorno Karabakh and Christian Peoples’ Unity of Armenia was held on September 25-26 in Sevan, Armenia.

The representatives of Christian Democratic Parties and organizations from 8 countries such as Moldova, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, the Netherlands, Armenia and not recognized Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh gathered around the topic: “European Democratic Movement today. From Values to practice”. Among guests were the ambassadors and the representatives of different NGOs.

The Conference was held in Sevan in Hotel Complex “Harsnakar” (Sevan).

By means of an official greeting, the chairman of the ECPM, Mr Peeter Vosu wished all participants a blessed meeting and stated the following about the importance of Christian democrats in politics:

We need Christians in European politics. Only politicians with strong Christian identity can preserve and advance Christian values in our societies. To be a politician is a calling from the Lord, like to be a pastor or a priest. You are called by the Lord to serve your societies.

Furthermore, the General Secretary of the ECPM, Guido van Beusekom and the representative for Eastern Europe, Leo van Doesburg, were present at the conferencem together with many other participants.

The participants and the organizers of the conference also received greetings from the General Secretary of the European People’s Party Antonio Lopez Isturiz, who stated about party’s support of the consolidation of Christian democrats of Eastern Europe and the establishment of a stable cooperation between them. In his written address to the Conference he expressed interest in the development of closer ties will all European Christian democratic political forces, which share the same values and principles and welcomed the initiative of Khosrov Harutyunyan to host the second conference of the Eastern European Bureau of Christian Democratic Parties in Armenia.

The Conference resulted in establishment of the Association of Christian Democrats of Eastern Europe and the decision to register it according to the Ukrainian legislation. The decision on establishment of the Association was taken by the chairmen and representatives of 5 parties (CDM of Georgia, CDPP of Moldova, BCD, Belarus, CDU of Armenia and the CDU of Ukraine). The idea on establishment of the Association was supported by the Chairs of CDU of Latvia and Estonian Christian Democrats.

All these parties are also a member of the European Christian Political Movement. Also, the CDU of Nagorno-Karabakh joined the Association as an associated member.The chairman of CDU of Armenia, former Prime Minister and former speaker of Armenia, Mr. Khosrov Harutyunyan was elected as the Chairman of the Association. The deputy chairman of the CDU of Ukraine Yuri Reshetnikov was elected as the Executive Secretary of the Association.

The ECPM fully supports the close cooperation between Eastern European Christian democratic parties and hopes that the establishment of the Association will be truly beneficial to Christian politics in Eastern Europe.