VALLETTA (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The President of the European Parliament and Maltese MEP Roberta Metsola called on Europe and Malta to lead a renewal process by understanding the real challenges of tomorrow and taking the tough decisions.
Metsola who was addressing the Mabel Strickland Memorial Lecture in Valletta titled ‘Malta in a changing European landscapè.
She declared that the EU must work to fulfill its promises to safeguard the rule of law and standards. Referring to the corruption scandal that hit the European Parliament in December, Metsola declared “we knew we had to take immediate steps or risk people losing trust in politics, in Europe, in our institutions”. She added “wève seen what happens when those in positions of power try to sweep it under the carpet. Corruption cannot pay. That is the message I want citizens to hear. That’s the message I want investors to hear”.
The European Parliament’s President also referred to the ongoing anti-corruption protests in Malta. “People want the standards and accountability that we promised Europe would guarantee. Corruption is the antithesis of what politics should be about. Sadly, it is a crime as old as time, but the true measure of the robustness of our systems is how we respond when it happens” she said.
During her address, she spoke about her vision for Malta with particular attention given to the need for a long-term vision in building planning, clean energy, and the need to improve the working conditions of migrants.
Metsola declared that the issue of migration in Europe cannot be tackled by a country alone. She added that the European Parliament has agreed on a way forward on migration, one that is fair and firm but also humane, that protects borders and ensures that traffickers do not benefit from profiting from human desperation.
-photo agenziafotogramma.it-
(ITALPRESS).
