Azernews.Az

BAKU – The European Union has allocated 100 million euros to Azerbaijan in the past two years under its Eastern Partnership program, with the amount to increase 75 percent next year, says Roland Kobia, head of the EU delegation to the country.

Kobia told a conference, titled "The Eastern Partnership, two years on: achievements and challenges", that the program opens up broad opportunities for Azerbaijan.

He said the initiative aims "to eliminate the dividing lines" among peoples created by the borders. He added that the Eastern Partnership seeks to resolve regional issues.

Eastern Partnership is a Polish-Swedish initiative under the EU Neighborhood Policy covering Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Belarus, Ukraine and Armenia. The program, which was launched in May 2009, envisages the allocation of 600 million euros to these countries until 2013 to strengthen state institutions, control borders and help small companies. The program does not envisage EU membership, but instead covers facilitating the visa regime, energy cooperation, and the introduction of free trade zones.

Belarus was expelled from the program after the presidential elections held in the country were not recognized by the EU.