YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS: The European People's Party (EPP) Political Assembly (PA) met on September 5 and 6 in Brussels, gathering more than a hundred delegates from 74 member parties from 40 countries. Apart from discussing the preparations for the 2014 European elections, the PA had a strong focus on foreign affairs and welcomed UDAR (Ukraine) as a new observer member of the EPP.

“Armenpress” was informed from EPP press service that the EPP PA unanimously approved a resolution concerning the pressure exerted on the Eastern Partnership countries (link here) emphasising that "this unacceptable behaviour by Russia will have a negative impact on EU-Russia relations".

The EPP PA also expressed concern over the political crisis situation in Bulgaria and deplored the methods of the current coalition government. (resolution here).

Regarding freedom of faith and worship, the EPP PA adopted a resolution reaffirming the need to fight religious intolerance, notably denouncing the acts of violence against religious minorities and communities (resolution here).

Finally, the Ukrainian party UDAR led by Vitali Klitschko became an EPP observer member party, bringing the total number of member parties in the EPP to 74.

The EPP is the largest and most influential European-level political party of the centre-right, which currently includes 74 member-parties from 40 countries, the Presidents of the European Commission and the European Council, 13 EU and 6 non-EU heads of state and government, 13 members of the European Commission and the largest Group in the European Parliament.