Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant told the European Parliament that the way forward for the European Union is through consolidation of existing structures and policies, guided politically and not market based, also premised on the need to promote a real social justice within the Union. In the current situation, consolidation though vital, would still be a tough and complex project. Dr Sant made these remarks at the European Parliament in Strasbourg during the debate on the ‘State of the Union’ which was addressed by Commission President Juncker.
“An analysis of the state of the EU today needs a long range critical review of events over the last twenty years or so. The current angst cannot be blamed uniquely on the 2008 crisis from which the EU still has not freed itself. Its roots go back to the after effects of policies adopted in the 1990s under the call for enlargement and deepening of the union.”
Dr Sant said that vision was unfortunately also driven by a huge soft power that was frequently misunderstood and misused. Consequently, and not just because of the 2008 crisis, the European Union is now seriously unbalanced, politically, economically, territorially and socially.
“Unsurprisingly, the Council has become the real powerhouse of the Union, even if there, stalemate is frequently the order of the day.”
The Maltese MEP said the way forward is not through further projects for institutional change, conducted “by stealth” or by “convention”, which are then used to justify wider changes.

Maltese Version – L-Unjoni Ewropea għandha tippromovi ġustizzja soċjali reali

Alfred Sant qal lill-Parlament Ewropew fi Strasburgu li l-politika tal-Unjoni Ewropea għandha tkun imnebbħa mill-ġustizzja soċjali reali u mhux mis-swieq ekonomiċi permezz tat-tisħiħ tal-istrutturi eżistenti u tal-politika tal-UE. Għalkemm bħalissa l-konsolidament huwa importanti, dan huwa proġett kumpless u diffiċli qal Dr Sant f’intervent waqt id-dibattitu dwar l-istat tal-Unjoni li ġie indirizzat milll-President tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea Jean Claude Juncker.
Dr Sant qal li analiżi tajba tal-Unjoni Ewropea llum teħtieġ skrutinju tajjeb ta’ dawn l-aħħar għoxrin sena. “L-inkwiet preżenti ma jistax jiġi attribwit biss għall-kriżi tal-2008 li minnha l-UE għadha ma rkupratx. L-għeruq tal-inkwiet imorru lura għall-effetti li ħolqot il-politika tat-tkabbir u t-tisħiħ tal-UE fis-snin 90.
Dr Sant qal li l-viżjoni ta’ dawk iż-żminijiet sfortunatament kienet immexxija mis-‘soft power’ li għandha l-Unjoni u li ħafna drabi ma kienx użat sew. Issa, l-UE tinsab żbilanċjata kemm politikament, ekonomikament, territorjalment u anki soċjalment.
“Mhux ta’ b’xejn li l-Kunsill sar in-nifs tal-Unjoni, anki jekk ħafna drabi l-affarijiet fih jibqgħu staġnati.”
Alfred Sant saħaq li t-triq ’il quddiem ma għandhiex tkun dik ta’ aktar proġetti favur bidla istituzzjonali b’metodi tradizzjonali, biex imbagħad bihom ikunu ġustifikati l-bidliet il-kbar.

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