At a European Council Summit, Prime Minister Robert Abela together with European Leaders discussed important themes related to developments in Ukraine and the Middle East, the mid-term review of the European Budget for a period 2021-2027, the economy and immigration.
The Summit took place between October 26 and 27 in Brussels and continues to build on the extraordinary one that took place virtually last week. “I want to commend the progress made so far and support the plan to secure a strong agreement by the end of the year. This agreement should be a package and include additional funds essential to address the challenge of immigration among others; a challenge that is affecting many of the member states of the European Union.”
It was this important message that Prime Minister Abela spoke about in the context of the European Budget known as the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). He claimed that concrete action is crucial. The Prime Minister also spoke about the importance of additional resources for external priorities and more concretely building strategic alliances with our neighboring countries.
This is even against the background of the fact that most of the resources allocated to such priorities when this Budget was originally agreed should have been assigned to provide assistance to Ukraine. In Brussels, Dr. Abela also spoke on the latest developments related to the war in Ukraine and that between Israel and Hamas.
“International support, especially from the G7 countries, remains fundamental. The Maltese Government continues to reiterate the call for the accountability of all those who have committed crimes against Ukraine, spurred by the principles of international law,” stated the Prime Minister in the context of the war in Ukraine. He also pointed out about the role of our country as an agent of peace, particularly with Malta’s participation in the Security Council and the high-level meeting in favor of peace in Ukraine that our country will host at the end of this very week.
Regarding the Middle East, the Prime Minister unreservedly condemned the attack by Hamas on the State of Israel and welcomed the release of a number of hostages while pointing out the need to release all the captured hostages in Gaza. “Our ultimate goal is and remains the safety of both Israeli citizens, but also to see that the Palestinians are not massacred. What is going on in Gaza worries us quite a bit. So while we recognize Israel’s right to defend itself, I stress the importance of subsequent actions being proportionate and in line with international law to protect the common citizen,” stressed the Prime Minister.
In this context, Dr. Abela reaffirmed the humanitarian aspect of this tragedy in the Middle East. “The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is severe, and while some aid has arrived in the region, more must be done. Humanitarian aid for the Palestinians remains crucial and humanity must win.” The Prime Minister also welcomed the news of the European Commission tripling the humanitarian aid for the Palestinians while he reiterated about the humanitarian aid that Malta is offering to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.
In this regard, the Prime Minister also explained how Malta continues to believe in the two-state solution and that every effort should be made to facilitate discussions on peace. On the subject of immigration, the Prime Minister Robert Abela stated that the prevention of leaving the country of origin remains the main element to address the challenges we are all facing due to the current situation of the irregular immigration.
“Therefore we need to significantly increase cooperation with third countries of origin by implementing a strong and strategic partnership based on mutual trust that consequently addresses the roots of the challenge.”
In relation to the economic sector, the Prime Minister said that the recent geopolitical and economic developments, including the inflation rate, showed the importance of European unity in the face of these global challenges. Again, European leaders pointed out the importance of investment in the energy sector.
Prime Minister Robert Abela said that sufficient and affordable energy supplies are a prerequisite for the success of our citizens and businesses. “It is clear that if we want to strengthen the competitive advantage of the European Union in a global scenario of increasing challenges, we must continue to build a robust and resilient economy,” concluded Dr. Abela.
Photo: OPM
