Euractiv — Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat met yesterday in Athens with his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras and held discussions ahead of the 60th anniversary of the Rome Treaty.
Muscat noted that his country’s EU Presidency has been trying to give both a European and Mediterranean dimension with a special focus on the refugee crisis.
“We are very close to our hearts and I think that what we started a month ago with the summit of the Mediterranean countries has already achieved some positive results,” the Maltese politician said.
He reiterated that the Mediterranean countries’ gatherings was not a “closed club” and expressed his hope that the summit in Rome won’t be just a celebration but a basis which will provide guidance for the future.
Referring to the refugee crisis, he admitted that EU countries had been divided but now “we have entered an important debate concerning the dimensions of this issue”.
Tsipras stressed that the Mediterranean countries are at the forefront of the challenges Europe is faced with, such as unemployment and the downgrading of labour social rights.
He warned that EU values are at stake due to the rise of nationalism “which finds a fertile ground in conditions of economic recession and insecurity”.
“The European Union is the democratic and social acquis, without which it cannot exist […] we are trapped in austerity mathematics, indicators and numbers,” the leftist premier stated.
For Tsipras, the rise of Euroscepticism across Europe should be attributed to austerity-driven policies as well as the democratic deficit as “EU citizens do not feel like participating in the political developments”.
He underlined that the Rome anniversary should not be a celebration, but an anniversary, which will focus on the reflection and redefinition of the European project in order to be attractive to citizens.
The Greek bailout
The two leaders also talked about developments regarding the Greek bailout negotiations and the much-discussed conclusion of the second review of the financial programme.
Athens News Agency quoted Tsipras as saying that it is definitely possible to complete the evaluation at technical level by the next Eurogroup meeting on 23 March.
Muscat highlighted that the Greek government had achieved significant progress, and admitted many colleagues in Europe share the view that with the current government a “serious effort to make things right is taking place”.
Need for a social pillar
Joseph Muscat also stressed the need for a social pillar as an integral part of the future of the EU. “In Greece, I found someone who fully shares my view.”
The Maltese leader added that there are some member states with different political views and need to be convinced.
“There may be a coalition of the willing that wants to take a step forward, in order to have a real vision for better social conditions and less unemployment,” he said.
