Appoġġ baġitarju tal-UE lis-setturi kulturali u kreattivi affettwati mill-Covid-19

Ir-rapport adottat mill-plenarja tal-Parlament Ewropew jinkludi emendi oħra minn Alfred Sant bħall-enfasi fuq il-konverġenza soċjoekonomika fil-baġit tal-UE, u l-konsiderazzjoni speċjali għall-gżejjer fil-Faċilità Connect Europe li tirreferi għas-sitwazzjoni speċjali tar-reġjuni insulari u periferiċi Ewropej.

L-għan tar-riżoluzzjoni huwa li tagħti direzzjoni politika lill-figuri baġitarji li huma miftehmin f’voti paralleli u li eventwalment jiġu nnegozjati mal-Kunsill u l-Kummissjoni Ewropea. Tqis ukoll is-sitwazzjoni kontinwa li qed jiffaċċjaw l-Ewropej minħabba l-pandemija COVID-19.

Alfred Sant esprima appoġġ għas-sejħa tar-riżoluzzjoni għall-ħolqien t’ allokazzjoni baġitarja ddedikata biex tappoġġja l-proċess politiku fil-Libja, kif ukoll id-direzzjoni multilaterali f’din ir-riżoluzzjoni biex tissolva l-problema tal-Belarussja.

Min-naħa l-oħra, Sant esprima dispjaċir dwar l-enfasi mogħtija lill-oqsma ta’ difiża u l-militar li tinjora l-pożizzjoni ta’ Stati Membri newtrali bħal Malta.

“Il-kollegi m’għandhomx jieħdu bħala fatt l-appoġġ tal-UE kollha kemm hi għad-devjazzjoni ta’ fondi ta’ investiment li aħna lkoll nikkontribwixxu, il bogħod minn skopijiet ċivili, u lejn oġġettivi ta’ difiża u militari”, qal Alfred Sant lill-plenarja tal-Parlament Ewropew.

EU budget support for cultural and creative sectors affected by Covid-19

The report adopted by the plenary of the European Parliament includes other amendments by Alfred Sant such as the long-term focus on socio-economic convergence in the EU budget, and the special consideration for islands within the Connect Europe Facility that refers to the special situation of European insular and peripheral regions.

The objective of the resolution is to give political direction to the budgetary figures that are agreed in parallel votes and that will eventually have to be negotiated with the Council and the Commission during trilogue negotiations. It also takes into account the on-going situation faced by Europeans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alfred Sant expressed support for the resolution’s call for the creation of a budgetary allocation to support the political process in Libya, as well as the multilateral approach adopted in this resolution towards resolving the Belarus problem.

On the other hand, Sant expressed regret on the emphasis given to the defence and military areas that ignores the position of neutral Member States like Malta.

“Colleagues must not take for granted the support of the EU as a whole to the diversion of investment funds to which we all contribute, away from civilian purposes, and towards defence and military objectives”, Alfred Sant told the plenary of the European Parliament.