Politika militari u ta’ difiża tal-UE m’għandhiex titpoġġa qabel l-interessi tal-Istati Membri newtrali – Alfred Sant

L-eks Prim Ministru Alfred Sant iddikjara li politika Ewropea militari u ta’ difiża, jekk tiġi deċiża, aħjar tiġi segwita fil-kuntest ta’ Komunità Ewropea ta’ Difiża. Din ikollha strutturi separati minn dawk tal-UE anki jekk topera fl-istess direzzjoni. Huwa qal dan waqt sessjoni plenarja tal-Parlament Ewropew fuq ir-Rapport Annwali 2023 dwar l-implimentazzjoni tal-Politika ta’ Sigurtà u Difiża Komuni.

Alfred Sant qabel li l-Istati Membri ma jistgħux jiġu miċħuda mid-dritt li joħolqu/jipparteċipaw f’alleanza Ewropea jew alleanza militari oħra, jekk jiddeċiedu li dan huwa fl-aħjar interess tagħhom. Madanakollu, alleanza bħal din m’għandhiex tifforma parti mill-qafas tal-UE. Dan inevitabbilment se jkun askapitu tal-interessi tal-Istati Membri newtrali fl-Unjoni, huwa wissa.

L-oqsma ewlenin tar-Rapport jiffokaw fuq l-invażjoni Russa tal-Ukrajna u r-rispons tal-UE, u s-sitwazzjoni fil-Lvant Nofsani fost oħrajn. Ir-Rapport jappella għal aktar skrutinju parlamentari tal-Politika ta’ Sigurtà u Difiża Komuni, speċjalment minħabba ż-żidiet riċenti fl-infiq fuq il-politiki u l-programmi tad-difiża fil-livell tal-UE u fost l-Istati Membri. Il-Membri Parlamentari Ewropej li jiffurmaw parti mill-Kumitat għall-Affarijiet Barranin tal-Parlament Ewropew talbu għall-ħatra ta’ Kummissarju tal-Unjoni tad-Difiża u Kumitat tas-Sigurtà u tad-Difiża b’responsabbiltajiet leġiżlattivi u baġitarji sħaħ dwar kwistjonijiet ta’ difiża Ewropea.

L-Ewroparlamentari Laburista Alfred Sant innota li r-Rapport ma jagħti l-ebda kont tal-karatteristiċi uniċi ta’ sigurtà u difiża ta’ Stati Membri individwali. Huwa saħaq li l-istatus ta’ Malta bħala pajjiż newtrali jipprojbixxi l-parteċipazzjoni fil-proġetti ta’ alleanzi militari, sakemm ma jkunux appoġġjati min-Nazzjonijiet Uniti. Hu rrimarka li l-premessi tar-Rapport għall-azzjoni tal-UE jikkontradixxu dan l-impenn u esprima riżervi qawwija dwar il-ħolqien ta’ dimensjoni militari għall-UE.

“Għalhekk, ma nistax naqbel ma’ emendi għar-regoli attwali li jikkonfermaw il-votazzjoni b’maġġoranza kwalifikata għal deċiżjonijiet dwar il-Politika ta’ Sigurtà Barranija Komuni u l-Politika ta’ Sigurtà u Difiża Komuni. Bl-istess mod, ma naqbilx mat-twaqqif ta’ Kummissarju Ewropew għad-Difiża”, stqarr Sant.

Ir-Rapport ġie adottat bi 350 vot favur, 91 kontra u 96 astensjoni. Alfred Sant ivvota kontra.

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An EU military and defence policy should not override the interests of neutral Member States – Alfred Sant

Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant has declared that a European military and defence policy, if decided upon, had better be pursued in the context of a European Defence Community. This would have separate structures from those of the EU even if operating in parallel with them. He stated this during a European Parliament plenary session about the Annual Report 2023 on the implementation of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).

Alfred Sant clarified that Member States cannot be denied the right to create/participate in a European or other military alliance, if they decide that this is in their best interests. However, such an alliance should not form part of the framework of the EU. That would inevitably override the interests of neutral Member States in the Union, he warned.

The main areas of the 2023 Report focus on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the EU’s response, and the situation in the Middle East among others. The Report calls for increased parliamentary scrutiny of the CSDP, especially given the recent increases in spending on defence policies and programmes at EU level and among Member States. MEPs forming part of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs called for the appointment of a Defence Union Commissioner and a Security and Defence Committee with full legislative and budgetary responsibilities on European defence matters.

Labour MEP Alfred Sant noted that the Report does not take into account the unique security and defence characteristics of individual Member States. He emphasized that Malta’s status as a neutral country prohibits participation in the projects of military alliances unless they are backed by the United Nations. He pointed out that the Report’s premises for EU action contradict this commitment and expressed strong reservations about the creation of a military dimension to the EU.

“Therefore, I cannot agree with amendments to current rules that would confirm qualified majority voting for decisions on the Common Foreign Security Policy (CFSP) and CSDP. Similarly, I disagree with the establishment of a European Defence Commissioner”, Sant declared.

The Report was adopted with 350 votes in favour, 91 against and 96 abstentions. Alfred Sant voted against.