Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant told the European Parliament in Strasbourg that during the last six months, the incoherencies at the heart of the EU’s policymaking have become sharper. Dr Sant, commenting during a debate marking the closing of the Dutch Presidency of the EU, said that following the terrorist attacks on Brussels, the Dutch referendum on the Ukraine agreement and now Brexit, the EU construct is being increasingly seen as ineffective.
“We are told that the only viable way forward is by promoting “more” Europe. That negotiating Brexit will mean first negotiating a British exit, then negotiating what arrangement to apply for relations with the UK. That managing the migration crisis involves a deal with Turkey that amounts to a hidden strategy of “refoulement” plus the creation of an external borders agency. That to beat terrorism the cooperation between national security services needs to be strongly reinforced. All this is highlighting divergences within the Union between its heterogenous parts, already accelerated by the neo-liberal austerity that is the hallmark of what goes for economic policy.”
Dr Sant said it is puzzling that so many are failing to recognize how in order to stabilize the situation the European Union needs consolidation. This should take full account of national perspectives and interests, with as first priority, the need to counter the divergences that have developed between north and south, and east and centre of the Union.
Maltese Version – L-UNJONI EWROPEA QED TIDHER INEFFETTIVA
L-inkoerenzi fid-deċiżjonijiet meħuda mill-Unjoni Ewropea fl-aħħar sitt xhut komplew aktar jiżdiedu. Dan qalu l-Kap tad-Delegazzjoni Laburista fil-Parlament Ewropew fi Strasburgu waqt id-dibattitu dwar il-Presidenza Olandiża tal-UE li ġiet fi tmiemha fit-30 ta’ Ġunju. Dr. Sant qal li wara l-attakki terroristiċi fi Brussell, ir-Referendum fl-Olanda fuq il-ftehim tal-Ukraina u issa l-BREXIT, l-Unjoni Ewropea qed tidher ineffettiva.
“Lilna jgħidulna li l-unika triq ’il quddiem hija l-promozzjoni ta’ “Aktar Ewropa”. Li dwar in-negozjar tal-BREXIT l-ewwel irid ikun innegozjat il-ħruġ tar-Renju Unit mill-UE u mbagħad isiru l-arranġamenti għar-relazzjonijiet mar-Renju Unit. Jgħidulna li l-kriżi tal-immigrazzjoni tinvolvi ftehim mat-Turkija bi strateġija moħbija ta’ soppressjoni u l-ħolqien ta’ aġenzija għall-fruntieri esterni tal-UE. Jgħidulna li rridu ninforzaw l-kooperazzjoni bejn is-servizzi tas-sigurta’ nazzjonali biex negħlbu t-terroriżmu. Dan kollu juri id-diverġenzi diġa’ aċċellerati fi ħdan l-UE bl-awsterita neo-liberali fil-politika ekonomika.”
Dr. Sant saħaq li l-Ewropa teħtieġ tikkonsolida l-pożizzjoni tagħha. Trid iżżomm bħala prijorita’ il-perspettivi u l-interessi nazzjonali tal-istati membri tagħha. Trid tnaqqas id-diverġenzi li żviluppaw bejn in-nord u s-sud u bejn il-lvant u ċ-ċentru tal-Ewropa.
Post a comment