Il-Bank Ewropew tal-Investiment għandu jinvesti aktar fi proġetti mfassla għal kontra t-tibdil fil-klima

Fl-intervent tiegħu dwar l-attivitajiet finanzjarji tar-Rapport annwali tal-Bank Ewropew tal-Investiment għall-2022 f’dibattitu plenarju tal-Parlament Ewropew fi Strasburgu, l-eks Prim Ministru Alfred Sant spjega li r-Rapport jippreżenta sett ta’ rakkomandazzjonijiet validi. Madanakollu, huwa saħaq li l-Bank Ewropew tal-Investiment irid jaħdem aktar biex jixpruna ‘l quddiem aktar investiment fejn għadu lura u jrid jinvesti aktar għal kontra t-tibdil fil-klima u għad-dekarbonizzazzjoni tat-trasport bl-ajru u bl-ilma. “Għan vitali hawnhekk huwa li jitnaqqas l-impatt fuq ir-reġjuni l-aktar milquta minn miżuri ġodda meħtieġa biex jiġi miġġieled it-tibdil fil-klima – speċjalment il-gżejjer”, sostna Sant.

Dwar x’jistqarr ir-Rapport dwar l-infiq mill-Bank fuq proġetti tad-difiża Alfred Sant qal li filwaqt li aċċetta din il-pożizzjoni bħala medjatur tal-S&D, hu personalment ma qabilx. Skont Sant, huwa inaċċettabbli li l-Bank Ewropew tal-Investiment joqgħod jagħti xi appoġġ lill-industrija tal-armamenti peress li din għandha tibqa’ barra mill-kompetenza tal-Unjoni Ewropea u tal-istituzzjonijiet kollha tagħha.

Alfred Sant kien il-medjatur għall-S&D dwar ir-rapport annwali tal-Bank Ewropew tal-Investiment 2022. Kull sena l-Parlament Ewropew jadotta żewġ riżoluzzjonijiet dwar l-attivitajiet annwali tal-Bank.

Sant irrimarka li kwistjoni delikata għal dan ir-Rapport u punt ewlieni għall-S&D hija l-governanza interna tal-Bank. Dan huwa kkaratterizzat minn relazzjoni tassew ħażina bejn l-impjegati u t-tmexxija tal-Bank u qed iħalli impatt negattiv fuq il-ħidma tal-Bank Ewropew tal-Investiment, huwa sostna. Huwa nnota li l-Bank Ewropew tal-Investiment jibqa’ l-unika istituzzjoni Ewropea li ma tirrikonoxxix id-dritt tal-impjegati tagħha li jissieħbu fi trejdjunjins. F’dan l-isfond, huwa għamel sejħa qawwija għal bidla fil-politika dwar din il-kwistjoni.

Ir-Rapport ġie adottat b’443 vot favur, 74 kontra u 98 astensjoni.

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EIB should achieve a stronger level of investment to combat climate change

In his intervention on the financial activities of the European Investment Bank (EIB) annual Report for 2022 at a European Parliament plenary debate in Strasbourg, former Prime Minister Alfred Sant explained that the Report presents a set of valid recommendations. However, he emphasized that the European Investment Bank must do more to stimulate investment where lagging and must achieve a stronger level of social investment towards climate change and the decarbonisation of air and water transport. “A vital aim here is to soften the impact on regions hardest hit by new measures needed to combat climate change – especially islands”, Sant claimed.

On the Report’s position regarding defence spending Alfred Sant said that while he accepted this position as an S&D shadow, he personally disagreed. He noted that it is unacceptable that the European Investment Bank should back the weapons industry since it should remain outside the remit of the European Union and all its institutions.

Alfred Sant was shadow rapporteur for the S&D on the European Investment Bank 2022 annual report. Each year the European Parliament adopts two resolutions on the bank’s annual activities. 

Sant pointed out that a delicate matter for this Report and a major point for the S&D is the internal governance of the Bank. This is characterised by a dysfunctional relation between staff and management, with a negative impact on the EIB output, he claimed. He noted that the EIB remains the only European institution that does not recognise its employees’ right to join a trade union. Against this backdrop, he issued a strong call for a change of policy on this matter.

The Report was adopted with 443 votes in favour, 74 against and 98 abstentions.