Id-diskors dwar l-Istat tal-Unjoni ma rnexxilux jikkonvinċi lill-elettorat – Alfred Sant

Fir-reazzjoni tiegħu għad-diskors tal-President Ursola von der Leyen dwar l-Istat tal-Unjoni tal-2023, l-eks Prim Ministru Alfred Sant enfasizza li fuq tliet kwistjonijiet kruċjali d-diskors naqas milli jindirizza b’mod adegwat it-tħassib tan-nies: l-inflazzjoni; l-inċertezzi li qed jinħolqu mill-gwerra fl-Ukrajna; u l-konsegwenzi soċjali tal-inizjattivi tal-Patt Ekoloġiku Ewropew.

Huwa sostna li Mme von der Leyen donnha qed tinjora u titfa’ fil-ġenb it-tħassib dwar l-inflazzjoni u tiddelegahom lill-Bank Ċentrali Ewropew. Dwar il-gwerra tal-Ukrajna, huwa innota li l-impenn miftuħ u bla limitu biex tappoġġja lill-Ukrajna bl-ebda mod ma kien marbut ma’ xi idea ta’ kif il-gwerra tista’ tinġieb fi tmiem aċċettabbli, li huwa dak li jridu jisimgħu n-nies. Dwar il-konsegwenzi soċjali tal-inizjattivi tal-Patt Ekoloġiku Alfred Sant innota li ma kien hemm xejn ġdid. “Kjarifika aħjar tal-impenji meħuda mill-Kummissjoni dwar kwistjonijiet bħal dawn kienet mixtieqa”, huwa ssuġġerixxa.

Fid-diskors tagħha dwar l-istat tal-Unjoni, il-President tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea Ursola von der Leyen iddeskriviet l-inizjattivi ewlenin għas-sena li ġejja bbażati fuq sitt prijoritajiet ewlenin. Dawn jinkludu l-Patt Ekoloġiku Ewropew, Ewropa adattata għall-era diġitali, ekonomija li taħdem għan-nies u Ewropa aktar b’saħħitha fid-dinja.

L-Ewroparlamentari Laburista Alfred Sant innota li filwaqt li l-President iffukat fuq il-kisbiet tal-passat tal-Kummissjoni, hija naqset milli tipprovdi sens ta’ progress u gwida għall-futur.

Sant sostna li d-dikjarazzjoni ta’ von der Leyen setgħet niżlet tajjeb ma’ persuni qrib tal-ħidma li titmexxa fi Brussell minħabba l-wegħda dettaljata u ta’ min ifaħħarha li żżomm il-programmi attwali tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea fit-triq it-tajba u li twettaq l-impenji kollha li ttieħdu. Madanakollu, von der Leyen bil-messaġġ tagħha ma kienx se jirnexxielha tikkonvinċi lill-elettorati Ewropej.

---

State of the Union speech fell short of connecting with the larger electorate – Alfred Sant

In his reaction to the speech by President Ursola von der Leyen on the 2023 State of the Union, former Prime Minister Alfred Sant emphasized that on three critical issues the speech failed to adequately address people’s concerns: inflation; the uncertainties being triggered by the war in the Ukraine; and the social consequences of Green Deal initiatives. 

He argued that Mme von der Leyen seemed to brushing off inflation worries to the side and delegating them to the European Central Bank. On the Ukraine war, he noted that the open-ended commitment to back Ukraine was in no way linked to any idea of how the war could be brought to an acceptable end, which is what people want to hear. On the social consequences of Green Deal initiatives Alfred Sant noted that there was nothing new. “A better clarification of the commitments made by the Commission on such issues was desirable”, he opined.

In her state of the Union address, President of the European Commission Ursola von der Leyen outlined the flagship initiatives for the year to come based on six main priorities. These include the European Green Deal, a Europe fit for the digital age, an economy that works for people and a stronger Europe in the world.

Labour MEP Alfred Sant noted that while the President leaned more towards showcasing the Commission past achievements, she failed to provide a sense of progress and guidance for the future, he claimed.

Alfred Sant noted that von der Leyen’s statements may have resonated with Brussels insiders given its broad ranging and commendable promise to keep the European Commission’s current programmes on track and to deliver on all commitments made but it fell short of convincingly connecting with the larger electorate.