Il-“militarizzazzjoni” tal-profil tal-Bank Ewropew tal-Investiment se timmina l-Istati Membri politikament newtrali

Waqt sessjoni plenarja tal-Parlament Ewropew dwar ir-Rapport Annwali tal-2023 tal-Bank Ewropew tal-Investiment, il-Kap tad-Delegazzjoni Laburista Maltija fi ħdan il-Grupp tas-Soċjalisti u Demokratiċi fil-Parlament Ewropew Alfred Sant qabel li l-Bank Ewropew taI-Investiment jibqa’ strument finanzjarju kruċjali b’appoġġ għall-prijoritajiet politiċi tal-UE. Madanakollu, huwa esprima wkoll tħassib kbir dwar il-pressjoni persistenti biex il-Bank jinbidel f’wieħed li jiffinanzja l-industriji tad-difiża. “L-industrija tal-armi b’mod ċar għandha l-interessi kollha f’dan it-tibdil. Dan minkejja li l-Bank Ewropew taI-Investiment diġà għandu numru ta’ inizjattivi li fin-natura tagħhom huma relatati mal-industrija tad-difiża”, huwa sostna.

Il-Bank Ewropew tal-Investiment huwa l-fergħa tas-self tal-Unjoni Ewropea. Huwa wieħed mill-akbar istituzzjonijiet finanzjarji multilaterali fid-dinja u wieħed mill-akbar fornituri tal-finanzjament għall-klima. Ir-Rapport Annwali tal-2023 tal-Bank Ewropew tal-Investiment jenfasizza fost oħrajn l-analiżi dettaljata tal-iżviluppi tekniċi fl-intelliġenza artifiċjali u l-bijoteknoloġija li huma l-pern tal-investimenti f’teknoloġiji ġodda rivoluzzjonarji.

L-Ewroparlamentari Laburista Alfred Sant innota li ż-żieda fil-finanzjament militari u l-leġittimizzazzjoni ta’ tagħmir militari taħt il-finanzjament tal-Bank Ewropew tal-Investiment se twitti t-triq għal tnaqqis qawwi fil-finanzjament ta’ oqsma ewlenin oħra bħall-Patt Ekoloġiku Ewropew u proġetti ta’ diġitizzazzjoni. Barra minn hekk, il-“militarizzar” tal-profil tal-Bank Ewropew taI-Investiment jaffettwa b’mod negattiv il-karattru ambjentali u soċjali tal-Bank, kif ukoll il-governanza tiegħu, huwa wissa.

Alfred Sant enfasizza li bħala “bank tad-difiża” impenjat fil-finanzjament ta’ proġetti militari, il-Bank Ewoprew tal-Investiment jimmina l-istatus politiku ta’ dawk l-Istati Membri li għandhom status newtrali. Għal din ir-raġuni, huwa enfasizza li l-espansjoni tal-finanzjament tal-Bank Ewropew tal-Investiment lejn investimenti fis-settur militari għalih hija u se tibqa’ linja li m’għandhiex tinqabeż.

Ir-Rapport ġie approvat b’455 vot favur, 64 kontra u 26 astensjoni. Alfred Sant ivvota kontra.

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“Militarising” the EIB profile will undermine politically neutral Member States

During a European Parliament plenary session on the 2023 European Investment Bank (EIB) Annual Report, Head of the Malta Labour Delegation in the Socialist and Democrats Group of the European Parliament Alfred Sant expressed agreement that the EIB remains a crucial financial instrument in support of the EU’s political priorities. However, he also expressed deep concern over the persisting pressure to turn the Bank into one that finances defence industries. “The weapons industry has clearly all interests in such a turn. This despite the fact that the EIB already has a number of initiatives which are in their nature related to the defence industry”, he claimed.

The European Investment Bank is the lending arm of the European Union. It is one of the biggest multilateral financial institutions in the world and one of the largest providers of climate finance. The 2023 EIB Annual Report highlights among others the detailed analysis of technical developments in artificial intelligence and biotechnology that lie behind investments in revolutionary new technologies.

Labour MEP Alfred Sant noted that the further increase in military funding and legitimization of military equipment under EIB financing will pave the way to a severe reduction in the financing of other core areas such as the Green Deal and digitialisation projects. Besides, “militarising” the EIB profile would negatively affect the ESG rating of the bank, he warned.

Alfred Sant emphasized that as a “defence bank” engaged in the financing of military projects, the EIB would undermine the political status of those Member States that have a neutral status. For this reason, he emphasized that the expansion of EIB financing towards investments in the military sector for him is and will remain a political red line.

The Report was approved with 455 votes in favour, 64 against and 26 abstentions. Alfred Sant voted against.