Former Prime Minister and Maltese MEP Alfred Sant cautioned on the need to consolidate what has already been achieved and to smoothen the enormous divergencies which already exist between different parts of Europe. Dr Sant was reacting at the European Parliament in Strasbourg to the State of the Union address by EU Commission President Jean Claude Juncker.
“This year’s State of the Union message gave a look back. It presented the remaining programme of activities the Commission will implement by the end of its mandate and provided post-mandate strategic guidelines for the EU’s future development.
We have swung from the depths of last year’s frustration and disappointment to a strong optimism. However, this is leading to contradictions as old integrative dreams for Europe re-emerge.
On the one hand, the claim is that the European project has to be further democratised and brought closer to the people. On the other, the suggestions are for further deepening, some to be implemented under the radar by an extension of existing rules and of the “Community method”.
The priority of ensuring consolidation by combating through political means, the strong divergences existing between parts of the Union, is likely to be lost. It happened in the past; it can happen again.
Deepening as of now will create new realities for which the political and economic mechanisms to manage them properly will be lacking. We should not let an unexpectedly good outturn deflect us from the strategic need to consolidate. Otherwise, the past will beckon.” remarked the Maltese MEP.
Maltese Version – L-EWROPA TRID TIKKONSOLIDA L-KISBIET TAGĦHA BIEX TNAQQAS ID-DIVERĠENZI LI NĦOLQU
Alfred Sant wissa dwar il-ħtieġa li l-Unjoni Ewropea tikkonsolida l-kisbiet tagħha biex tnaqqas id-diverġenzi li nħolqu bejn iż-żoni differenti tal-Unjoni. Dr Sant qal dan fil-Parlament Ewropew fi Strasburgu b’reazzjoni għad-diskors dwar l-Istat tal-Unjoni mill-President tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea Jean Claude Juncker.
“Il-messaġġ dwar l-Istat tal-Unjoni ta’ din is-sena ta ħarsa lura. Ippreżenta l-programm ta’ attivitajiet li l-Kummissjoni għadha trid timplimenta sal-aħħar tal-mandat tagħha filwaqt li ngħataw wkoll linji gwida strateġiċi għall-kumplament tal-iżvilupp tal-Unjoni anki wara li jiskadi l-mandat.
Mill-frustrazzjoni u d-diżappunt ta’ sena ilu, b’kuntrast issa morna għal diskors ta’ ottimiżmu kbir. Dan qed iwassal għal kuntradizzjonijiet hekk kif il-ħolma ta’ aktar integrazzjoni Ewropea qed jerġgħu jitilgħu fil-wiċċ.
Fuq naħa, hemm il-ħsieb li l-proġett Ewropew irid ikun aktar demokratizzat u mressaq aktar lejn in-nies. Fuq n-naħa l-oħra, is-suġġerimenti dwar aktar għaqda, li trid tiġi implimentata taħt il-kappa ta’ estenzjoni tar-regoli li diġa` jeżistu u tal-“Community method”.
Il-prijorita` li niżguraw konsolidament permezz ta’ għodda politiċi u li nnaqqsu d-diverġenzi kbar li jeżistu bejn żoni differenti tal-Unjoni, aktarx se tintilef. Hekk ġara fil-passat; hekk jista’ jiġri issa. Integrazzjoni fiż-żmien attwali se toħloq realtajiet ġodda li l-mekkaniżmi politiċi u ekonomiċi m’humiex tajbin biżżejjed biex isolvu. Ma għandniex inħallu riżultat tajjeb jiddevjana mill-ħtieġa strateġika li nikkonsolidaw. Inkella, l-passat jerġa’ jirrepeti ruħu.” qal Dr Sant.
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