Sant jappella biex tingħata prijorità akbar lill-bżonnijiet speċjali tal-gżejjer

Fil-plenarja ta’ Ġunju tal-Parlament Ewropew fi Strasburgu, il-Kap tad-Delegazzjoni Maltija (S&D) tal-Partit Laburista Alfred Sant esprima appoġġ sħiħ għal rapport dwar il-gżejjer u l-istat tal-politika ta’ koeżjoni Ewropea maħsub biex iwieġeb għas-sitwazzjoni attwali u l-isfidi futuri. Huwa sostna li r-rapport jitfa’ dawl fuq il-kwistjonijiet l-aktar importanti għar-reġjuni reġjuni insulari tal-Unjoni Ewropea. Wasal iż-żmien, enfasizza Sant li l-Kummissjoni Ewropea tistabbilixxi Direttorat Ġenerali sħiħ li jopera b’mod orizzontali. Dan jipproponi u jmexxi politiki Ewropej relatati mal-bżonnijiet speċjali tal-gżejjer.

Ir-rapport dwar l-istat attwali tal-gżejjer Ewropej u l-isfidi futuri jesplora l-ispeċifiċitajiet tal-gżejjer tal-Unjoni Ewropea kif ukoll l-isfidi tagħhom u l-mezzi eżistenti ta’ żvilupp. L-għan ewlieni tar-rapport kien li tiġi pprovduta bażi għal diskussjoni u riċerka futura ddedikata għas-sitwazzjoni tal-gżejjer.

L-Ewroparlamentari Laburista Sant fakkar li f’ħafna okkażjonijiet kien ippropona l-iżvilupp ta’ viżjoni Ewropea għall-gżejjer. Madanakollu, il-messaġġ tiegħu mhux dejjem ingħata l-attenzjoni li jixraqlu. Pereżempju, bil-miżuri li qed jiġu proposti dwar it-trasport bl-ajru bħala parti mill-Patt Ekoloġiku Ewropew, il-gżejjer jirriskjaw li jitilfu l-kompetittività tagħhom fis-swieq tat-turiżmu filwaqt li jkollhom jassorbu pressjonijiet ta’ inflazzjoni akbar minn tal-kontinent Ewropew.

“Jidher bħallikieku l-approċċ ġenerali tal-Unjoni Ewropea lejn il-gżejjer huwa wieħed fejn dawn jiġu injorati u jkun mistenni li l-problema ser issolvi ruħha waħedha, meta li hemm bżonn huwa approċċ imfassal apposta għall-politiki li japplikaw għalihom”, sostna Sant.

Ir-rapport ġie approvat b’577 vot favur, 38 kontra u 10 astensjonijiet.

---

Sant calls for greater priority to the special needs of islands

At the June plenary of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the Head of the Maltese S&D Labour Party Delegation Alfred Sant expressed full support for a report on islands and the state of European cohesion policy meant to respond to the current situation and future challenges. He stated that the report throws light on the main issues at stake for the European Union’s insular regions. The time has come, Sant emphasized for the European Commission to establish a fully-fledged Directorate-General that operates horizontally. This would propose and run European policies relating to the special needs of islands.

The report on the European islands state of play and future challenges explores the specificities of islands of the European Union as well as their challenges and existing means of development. The main objective was to provide a basis for future discussion and research dedicated to islands’ situation.

Labour MEP Sant recalled that on many occasions he had proposed the development of a European vision for islands. However, his message did not always get the attention it deserves. For instance, with the measures being proposed on air transport as part of the European Green  Deal, islands risk losing their competitivity on tourism markets while having to absorb greater inflationary pressures than on mainland Europe.

“It seems as if the general European Union approach towards islands is one of not so benign neglect, when the need is for a tailor-made approach to policies that will apply to them”, Sant argued.

The report was approved with 577 votes in favour, 38 against and 10 abstentions.