The European peoples want a Europe of nations, they do not want a federal solution, former Prime Minister Alfred Sant told the European Parliament. The Labour MEP said that the challenge ahead is to respect what the peoples of Europe want, while satisfying the requirements of an effective monetary union between democratic nations. This challenge can only be met by developing confederal structures.
Alfred Sant said that in recent years, the euro zone experienced a recession that exposed its deficient structures. Arrangements were introduced to prop it up and keep it competitive in a globalised framework. Dr. Sant said that interventions by the European Central Bank that probably go beyond the Bank’s legal remit saved the monetary union from paralysis. Ironically, the unelected leaders of the Bank have called for political developments that would make the monetary union more fit for purpose.
Sant explained that within the monetary union, we lack a central fiscal mechanism that balances divergences between centre and periphery through transfers from center to periphery. Many among us here prefer to improve an economic governance that props the already existing management structures.
Dr Sant reminded the European Parliament that the European Convention of some twelve years ago was intended to establish a constitution for Europe. In the event, it was rejected in the countries of Europe which had led moves towards ever closer union. Meanwhile, in the absence of an economic union, a monetary union had been established which carried wide divergencies between its nation state components.

Maltese Version

IL-POPLI EWROPEJ JRIDU EWROPA TAN-NAZZJONIJIET

Alfred Sant qal lill-Parlament Ewropew li l-popli Ewropej iridu Ewropa tan-nazzjonijiet, ma jridux soluzzjoni federali. L-isfida hi kif se nirrispettaw dak li jridu l-popli, waqt li nissodisfaw il-ħtiġijiet ta’ għaqda monetarja effettiva bejn nazzjonijiet demokratiiċi. L-isfida tista’ tintlaqa’ biss bl-iżvilupp ta’ strutturi konfederali fiż-żona ewro, qal l-Ewroparlamentari Laburista.
Alfred Sant qal li wħud fostna hawn jaraw dan biss bħala teorija. Jippreferu titjib fil-governanza ekonomika li diġà ssostni l-istrutturi eżistenti ta’ tmexxija. Fl-aħħar snin iż-żona tal-ewro ġarrbet riċessjoni li ħarġet fil-beraħ in-nuqqasijiet fl-istrutturi tagħha. Iddaħħlu arranġamenti biex isostnuha u jżommuha kompetittiva fil-qafas tal-globalizzazzjoni. Fi ħdan l-għaqda monetarja jonqosna mekkaniżmu fiskali ċentrali li jwieżen diverġenzi bejn iċ-ċentru u l-periferija billi jittrasferixxi riżorsi miċ-ċentru lejn il-periferija.
Alfred Sant qal li kellhom ikunu interventi mill-Bank Ċentrali Ewropew li x’aktarx imorru lil hinn mill-qafas legali tiegħu li salvaw lill-unjoni monetarja mill-paraliżi. Ironikament il-mexxejja tal-Bank, li mhumiex eletti, sejħu għal aktar żviluppi politiċi li jagħmlu l-unjoni monetarja adatta aktar għall-għanijiet tagħha.
Sant fakkar li l-Konvenzjoni Ewropea ta’ xi tnax-il sena ilu kellha tfassal kostituzzjoni għall-Ewropa li ġiet miċħuda mill-istess pajjiżi Ewropej li kienu favur għaqda dejjem eqreb fl-Ewropa. Sadattant kienet twaqqfet għaqda monetarja fin-nuqqas ta’ għaqda ekonomika li ġarret fiha diverġenzi ekonomiċi kbar bejn l-istati membri tagħha.
Segwi l-intervent ta’ Alfred Sant fil-Parlament Ewropew fuq din il-link

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