European Managers support democracy and Ukraine’s sovereignty, and denounce Russian aggression
CEC European Managers strongly denounces the war in which the Russian President has engaged Europe and expresses its full solidarity with the Ukrainian people who are demonstrating with strength and courage that they are ready to fight to defend their freedom and democracy.
European leaders will be facing tough choices in the days to come, but true leadership is about being able to make the right decisions at the right time. There is no doubt that European leaders are ready to support Ukraine and fight for the right of this European State to decide freely its own path. No foreign state has the right to invade a country and take away the decision-making powers of a democratically elected Government. We feel very close to our Ukrainian sisters and brothers and call on all leaders in the EU to consider carefully how their leadership is best put to use, to stop this war as soon as possible, to spare as many lives as possible and reinstate the Ukrainian sovereignty.
The leaders of EU and of each of the European countries are facing the most difficult decisions. CEC European Managers expresses its support and backing. As a EU social partner, our organization has the privilege to be part of the democratic EU process. This privilege we need to protect from all threats, and it carries an obligation to protest when a European nation, its businesses, its trade unions and its people are aggressively deprived of their democratic privileges.
Since post WWII Europe has been carefully built to prevent all EU member states and their people from reliving the atrocities of war and state aggression. We have been protected since 1945, which in the long run is already something exceptional. We wish to let our European leaders know without doubt, that the one million executives and managers that we in CEC European Managers represent support them. We are asking them to take all the necessary measures to stop this war on our doorstep and make sure that their leadership and their decision-making power is aimed effectively to preserve peace on our continent and in our member states. We call on them to mobilize all their energies to protect us, we ask them to act united in the face of these events and to be ready if the worst happens. These decisions will affect our lives, our economies. But when democracy is at stake, our way of life and our values are at risk, it is the lesser evil and it is necessary.
Europe has dealt with COVID, taking exceptional measures. It must find new solutions once again. Europe, whose DNA was to avoid war between European countries, has shown all its efficiency. Now it is being asked to face up to war, to defend itself together against a common enemy. This is the ultimate challenge, which may well determine the 21st European century and the future of our children. In this hour, let us go beyond our trade union and political opinions and national interests. Let us stand together and be ready to do anything to support our leaders and defend our European values. Let us show that we are able to stand together and that no matter what happens we shall prevail together.
CEC wrote to President Von der Leyen, President Michel, and to High Representative Borrell, to ask them to take all the necessary mesures to stop this war and preserve peace on our continent. Download it here
