Prime Minister Robert Abela attends European Council Summit and Euro Summit in Brussels
- Climate change and support for Ukraine dominate the agenda of discussions
“While maintaining the high level of ambition we have, we must ensure that we achieve our goals without placing disproportionate burdens on our families and businesses.” This was the main message of Prime Minister Robert Abela in one of the main discussions of this Summit.
In the context of the European Union’s efforts to strengthen global competitiveness, the Prime Minister spoke about the importance of making fair decisions that take into account the specific realities of each Member State, including in particular those of island Member States such as our country. In his interventions, the Prime Minister insisted that these realities must be reflected in the legislation that will lead the European Union to achieve its climate targets for 2040 and 2050, and reiterated that past mistakes must be avoided by studying the impact of each step in detail by the European Commission. This was also reflected in a declaration made by our country and annexed to the formal conclusions of the European Council, where the realities and specific needs of island Member States such as Malta were described.
Another key topic on the leaders’ agenda was the European Union’s support for Ukraine, with the Prime Minister stressing continued solidarity with the Ukrainian people, while reiterating that every effort towards a peace treaty, wherever it comes from, must be supported. In this regard, the leaders continued to discuss the concept of a Reparations Loan put forward by the European Commission, where Prime Minister Robert Abela once again actively participated and stressed the need to further study the impact on each Member State and on the European Union. He also reiterated that any proposal must be in line with international and European Union law, and that the Constitutional neutrality of our country must be respected.
In discussions on defence and security in Europe, the Prime Minister spoke of the importance of giving Malta the necessary freedom to operate and contribute within the limits of the Constitution. He emphasised that security goes beyond the traditional elements of defence and said that areas such as maritime security, crisis preparedness, and the protection of critical infrastructure across the Mediterranean and Europe’s southern neighbourhood remain priorities for our country.
The leaders also discussed other topics, including affordable housing as well as the situation in the Middle East, where the Prime Minister continued to emphasize the importance of mobilizing resources and humanitarian aid, particularly in Gaza. He mentioned that just as our country contributed to the evacuation and treatment of child patients from Gaza, a strong collective effort is needed, driven by empathy and guided by a single principle, that of the two-state solution. Only in this way will this region be able to ensure dignity in Palestine as well as security in Israel.
The Prime Minister also participated in the Euro Summit where he spoke about the need to continue strengthening fiscal sustainability in the design of economic policy for the future. He said that the European Union’s policy must be one of flexibility and respect for national competences, while continuing to ensure the financial stability of the European Union and the Member States.
Ahead of the European Council meeting, the Prime Minister also participated in a coordination meeting on immigration together with twelve other countries and the European Commission. Prime Minister Robert Abela reiterated our country’s continued support for a collective and strategic effort in the face of the immigration challenge, with an emphasis on solidarity, responsibility and cooperation with third countries, including those of origin and transit. The Prime Minister said that the process of adopting laws, particularly on the return of those who do not deserve asylum, should be expedited, while reiterating the need to strengthen cooperation with other European countries and institutions, including the Council of Europe, in order to address this challenge holistically.
Photo: OPM
