Kompletament inaċċettabbli: Id-devjazzjoni tar-riżorsi Ewropej lejn il-produzzjoni tal-munizzjon

L-eks Prim Ministru Alfred Sant saħaq li l-proposta attwali li tiġi ffinanzjata l-produzzjoni tal-munizzjon permezz ta’ fondi Ewropej hija kompletament inaċċettabbli. Waqt li kien qed jindirizza l-plenarja tal-Parlament Ewropew fi Brussell dwar il-proposta tal-Kummissjoni dwar l-Att Favur il-Produzzjoni ta’ Armi u l-Munizzjon, Sant esprima qbil mal-għan ġenerali li jappoġġa bis-sħiħ lill-Ukrajna biex tiddefendi ruħha kontra l-invażjoni Russa. Madanakollu, huwa enfasizza li l-allokazzjoni tar-riżorsi Ewropej lejn il-produzzjoni bla rażan ta’ armi u munizzjon mhijiex linja ta’ ħidma aċċettabbli.

L-Att Favur il-Produzzjoni ta’ Armi u l-Munizzjon huwa tweġiba diretta għas-sejħa tal-Kunsill Ewropew biex jitwasslu munizzjon u missili b’mod urġenti lill-Ukrajna u jgħin lill-Istati Membri jimlew mill-ġdid l-istokkijiet tagħhom billi jintroduċu miżuri li jilħqu miri preċiżi. Dan se jiffaċilita t-tkabbir tal-kapaċità tal-produzzjoni tal-armi u l-munizzjon fi ħdan l-Unjoni Ewropea u se jippermetti lill-industrija tad-difiża Ewropea tappoġġja aħjar il-forzi armati tal-Ukrajna u tal-Istati Membri.

Il-MPE Laburista nnota li mill-bidu tagħha l-Unjoni Ewropea kellha l-għan li tistabbilixxi unjoni permezz ta’ konverġenza ekonomika u soċjali bejn l-Istati Membri tagħha, b’Unjoni Ewropea tad-Difiża li titwaqqaf u titmexxa separatament. Din l-aħħar mira kienet ġiet miċħuda mill-parlamenti nazzjonali.

Huwa rrikonoxxa li l-proġett ta’ qrubija kompla b’suċċess fl-oqsma politiċi, ekonomiċi, soċjali, ambjentali u kulturali. Madanakollu, “f’dawn l-aħħar snin, kwistjonijiet ta’ sigurtà u difiża ġew imqabbda ma’ dan l-approċċ fuq il-bażi ta’ raġunijiet u inizjattivi li ma kinux ippjanati minn qabel imma twettqu biex jaffaċċjaw sitwazzjonijiet ġeostrateġiċi partikolari”.

Alfred Sant wissa li dawn l-impenji marru lil hinn minn dak li nnegozjaw dwaru Stati Membri ġodda, b’mod partikolari dawk newtrali meta ssieħbu fl-Unjoni u għalhekk iqum dubju fuq il-leġittimità tagħhom.

Ir-Rapport ġie adottat b’446 vot favur, 67 kontra u 112 astensjoni. Alfred Sant ivvota kontra.

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Completely unacceptable: The diversion of European resources towards the production of ammunition

Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant stressed that the current proposal to finance ammunition production via European funds is completely unacceptable. Addressing the plenary of the European Parliament in Brussels on the Commission’s proposal on the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP), Sant expressed agreement with the overall aim of fully supporting the Ukraine in repelling the Russian invasion. However, he emphasized that the diversion of European resources towards the full blast production of ammunition is not an acceptable way forward.

The Act in Support of Ammunition Production is a direct response to the European Council’s call to urgently deliver ammunitions and missiles to Ukraine and help Member States refill their stocks by introducing targeted measures. This will facilitate the ramp-up of ammunition production capacity within the European Union, allowing the European defence industry to better support Ukrainian and Member States’ armed forces.

The Labour MEP noted that since its inception the European Union aimed to establish a union via economic and social convergence between its Member States, with separately a European Defence Union. The latter was rejected by national parliaments.

He acknowledged that the convergence project continued successfully along political, economic, social, environmental and cultural dimensions. However, “in recent years, security and defence issues have been hitched to this approach on the basis of ad hoc rationales and responses covering particular geostrategic situations”.

Alfred Sant warned that these commitments went beyond what new Member States, in particular neutral ones bargained for when joining the Union and questioned their legitimacy.

The Report was adopted with 446 votes in favour, 67 against and 112 abstentions. Alfred Sant voted against.