Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant said that Eurozone rules automatically advantage the stronger members to the detriment of the weaker. The fundamental problem facing the eurozone is the lack of a political will to accept that the growing divergences within the eurozone have to be first of all recognised and corrected through a new political agreement.
Dr Sant made this explanation of vote at the Plenary of the European Parliament when he voted against the report “Joint debate – Future of the EU: Budgetary capacity for the Eurozone” during a series of debates on the future of Europe. The report does not make any reference to the will for a new political agreement on removing the existing economic divergencies between the European centre and its peripheries.
The fundamental problem, said Dr Sant, is not the Eurozone design, though this needs to be considered. Divergences have resulted, and are growing, due to a too fast and blinkered development of the eurozone project, on the back of the EU’s soft power and in disregard of the impact of globalisation. Dr Sant said such a situation can only be corrected though political action not through the addition of new rules to the system.
While having every respect for the competence and dedication of the rapporteurs,
I consider the exercise that they undertook to define the parameters of a budgetary capacity for the eurozone as technically interesting but politically premature.
“Though technically insightful, the budgetary capacity additions being proposed will indeed serve to enhance divergences, not reduce them, in the absence of a new political agreement. Unfortunately the current exercise amounts to one in which the cart is being put before the horse. I cannot support it.” said Dr Sant.
The debate on a Budgetary capacity for the Eurozone was followed by a vote which passed with 340 in favour, 255 against and 68 abstentions.
Maltese Version – Ir-regoli taż-żona ewro jivvantaġġjaw lill-pajjiżI l-kbar bi skaptu tal-pajjiżi ż-żgħar
Alfred Sant qal lill-Parlament Ewropew li r-regoli taż-żona ewro awtomatikament jagħtu vantaġġ lill-pajjiżi l-aktar b’saħħithom tal-UE bi skaptu tal-pajjiżi inqas b’saħħithom. Il-problema fundamentali taż-żona ewro hija n-nuqqas ta’ rieda politika li l-ewwel nett jingħarfu li qed jiżdiedu d-diverġenzi, imbagħad li dawn jiġu kkoreġuti bi ftehim politiku ġdid. Dr Sant qal dan waqt l-ispjega tal-vot tiegħu kontra r-rapport “Il-Futur tal-UE – Kapaċita` Baġitarja Għaż-Żona Ewro”. Ir-rapport ma għamel ebda riferenza favur rieda politika ġdida favur it-tneħħija tad-diverġenzi ekonomiċi eżistenti bejn iċ-ċentru tal-Ewropa u l-pajjiżi fil-periferija.
Il-problema fundamentali, qal Dr Sant, mhux il-qafas taż-żona ewro, anki jekk dan xorta waħda għandu jiġi kkunsidrat. Id-diverġenzi bejn il-pajjiżi l-kbar tal-Ewro u l-pajjiżi fil-periferija tal-Ewropa qed ikomplu jikbru, minħabba żvilupp mgħaġġel wisq u strett tal-proġett tal-ewro. L-iżvilupp qed jirkeb fuq dahar is-‘soft power’ tal-Unjoni u ma jikkunsidrax l-impatt tal-globalizzazzjoni. Dr Sant qal li sitwazzjoni bħal din tista’ tiġi kkoreġuta biss b’azzjoni politika u mhux permezz ta’ regoli ġodda fis-sistema.
“Għandi kull rispett lejn il-kompetenzi u d-dedikazzjoni tar-‘rapporteurs’. Iżda nikkunsidra l-eżerċizzju li wettqu biex jiddefinixxu l-parametri tal-kapaċita` baġitarja għaż-żona ewro, teknikament interessanti imma politikament prematuri.
“Minkejja li teknikament huma interessanti, iż-żidied fil-kapaċita` baġitarja proposti, fl-assenza ta’ ftehim politiku ġdid, se jservu biex iżidu d-diverġenzi u mhux biex inaqqsuhom,. Sfortunatament l-eżerċizzju attwali jsarraf f’wieħed fejn il-karru tqiegħed qabel il-bhima. Ma nistax naqbel ma’ dan!” qal Dr Sant.
Wara d-dibattitu dwar il-kapaċita` baġitarja għaż-żona ewro ttieħed vot li għadda b’340 vot favur, 255 kontra u 68 astenzjoni.
ALFRED SANT : “Bil-proposti ġodda għaż-żona Ewro id-diverġenzi bejn il-pajjiżi l-kbar u dawk dgħajfa se jkomplu jiżdiedu, mhux jonqsu.”
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