A Resolution on the insularity of island regions at the European Parliament has been amended by Maltese MEP Alfred Sant to address Gozitans’ concerns that the island’s special circumstances warrant special treatment. In an explanation of vote, Dr. Sant highlighted the significant problems that arise for islands like Gozo without a national capital, attached to an island state. “Here, given the double insularity, depopulation persists even when economic growth prevails. Purely quantitative measures fail to account for this problem. “I refer to the island of Gozo. Even now, with economic growth running at over 4 per cent per annum in the Maltese islands, young people in Gozo tell you they have no future in their island.” said Dr. Sant.
Dr. Sant said that depopulation in small EU islands will become irreversible unless exceptional measures are allowed which do not necessarily comply with wider EU rules and policies. “These would involve a deeper economic intervention of the public sector in partnership with private business to create new enterprises, new jobs especially for young people. Digital ventures, financial services, artisanal and farming enterprises and health services could all be targeted to reverse depopulation, both when the national economy is performing healthily and when it is weak.”
The resolution, approved by the European Parliament, states that Island regions have common and specific characteristics and features that clearly distinguish them from mainland regions such as certain permanent handicaps which require particular attention. It refers to the fact that EU islands are also peripheral regions situated on the EU’s external borders and are particularly vulnerable to the challenges which Europe is currently facing. It states that intensive tourism concentrated only in certain periods of the year and not effectively planned might entail risks for the environmentally sustainable development of island region. It calls for better connectivity through maritime routes, improved access to ports and better air transport services. It asks at the Commission to launch an in-depth study/analysis on the extra costs incurred as a result of being islands, in terms of the transport system for people and goods, energy supply and access to markets, in particular for SMEs. It stresses furthermore, that the digital capacity is a vital means of counterbalancing the connectivity handicaps of island regions.
Maltese Version – ALFRED SANT JINKLUDI Ċ-ĊIRKOSTANZI SPEĊJALI TA’ GĦAWDEX F’RIŻOLUZZJONI FIL-PARLAMENT EWROPEW
Riżoluzzjoni fil-Parlament Ewropew dwar l-insularita` ta’ reġjuni gżejjer fl-Unjoni Ewropea ġiet emendata mill-Membru Parlamentari Ewropew Alfred Sant biex tindirizza aħjar iċ-ċirkostanzi speċjali ta’ Għawdex li jeħtieġ trattament speċjali. Dr Sant semma’ l-problemi ta’ gżejjer bħal Għawdex, mingħajr kapitali nazzjonali, marbuta ma’ stati gżejjer oħra. “F’ċirkostanzi bħal dawn, minħabba l-insularita` doppja, il-popolazzjoni tibqa’ tonqos anki waqt żmien ta’ tkabbir ekonomiku. Miżuri kompletament kwantitattivi mhux biżżejjed biex jindirizzaw il-problema. Qed nirreferi għal gżira ta’ Għawdex. Anki issa, bit-tkabbir ekonomiku li jaqbeż l-4% fis-sena għal gżira ta’ Malta, iż-żgħażagħ Għawdxin jgħidu li ma għandhomx futur fuq gżirithom.” qal Dr Sant.
Dr Sant saħaq li t-tnaqqis fil-popolazzjoni se jsir irriversibbli fi gżejjer bħal Għawdex jekk ma jkunx permess li jittieħdu miżuri eċċezzjonali li mhux neċessarjament jaqblu mar-regoli u l-politika tal-Unjoni Ewropea. “Dawn il-miżuri għandhom jinvolvu intervent ekonomiku mis-settur pubbliku bis-sħubija mal-privat biex jinħolqu intrapriżi ġodda u impjiegi ġodda speċjalment għaż-żgħażagħ. Is-settur diġitali, is-servizzi finanzjarji, intrapriżi artiġjanali u agrarji u s-servizzi tas-saħħa kollha jistgħu jkunu fil-mira biex permezz tagħhom jitwaqqaf l-esodu tal-popolazzjoni. Dawn ikunu jistgħu joffru l-imjiegi kemm meta l-ekonomija nazzjonali tkun sejra tajjeb u kemm meta din tkun qed tbatti.” saħaq Dr. Sant.
Ir-riżoluzzjoni, approvata mill-Parlament Ewropew, tisħaq li reġjuni gżejjer għandhom karatteristiċi simili u speċifiċi u karatteristiċi oħra li jiddistingwuhom mir-reġjuni ċentrali. Dawn jistgħu jissarrfu f’ċerti impedimenti permanenti li jeħtieġu attenzjoni partikolari. Ir-riżoluzzjoni tirreferi għall-fatt li l-istati gżejjer tal-UE huma wkoll reġjuni li jinsabu fil-periferija tal-Ewropa u huma parti mill-fruntieri esterni tal-UE. Għalhekk huma partikolarment vulnerabbli għall-isfidi li l-Ewropa qed taffaċċja bħalissa. Tisħaq li turiżmu intensiv ikkonċentrat tul ċertu perijodi tas-sena u mhux ppjanati b’mod effettiv jista’ jfisser riskji għall-iżvilupp ambjentali u sostenibbli tal-gżejjer. Is-sejħa hija għall-konnettivita` aħjar bil-baħar, aċċess aħjar għall-portijiet u titjieb fis-servizzi tat-trasport bl-ajru. Il-Kummissjoni Ewropea qed tintalab titlaq bi studju jew analiżi dettaljata tal-ispejjeż żejda li jakkumulaw r-reġjuni gżejjer, f’termini ta’ sistemi tat-trasport għan-nies u għall-prodotti, ħażna tal-enerġija u aċċess għas-swieq, b’mod partikolari għall-intrapriżi żgħar u medji. Aktar minn hekk ir-riżoluzzjoni tisħaq ukoll li l-lat diġitali huwa vitali biex jikkumpensa għall-impedimenti fil-konnettivita` ta’ reġjuni gżejjer.
Post a comment