RIMINI (ITALPRESS) – “The situation in Gaza remains horrific. Yesterday more journalists were killed, and this is intolerable. We want the killings to end, the suffering to stop, and the hostages to be released. We owe this to all future generations,” said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola during the Rimini Meeting.
“We must find the courage to take difficult decisions. With courage, obstacles can be overcome, and this must be our message of optimism,” she added.
According to Metsola, Europe has a central role to play but must remain united: “Europe can do a great deal. We must fight for peace. We face many challenges, and we must listen to what people expect from us. That is the response we must give, united around this message.”
Reflecting on the institution she leads, Metsola stressed: “Europe is what we have the courage to make possible. It is not complete, but the future of this unique project depends on each of us. My appeal is to fight for Europe: we cannot give up or underestimate what we can become.”
She acknowledged the shifting global landscape: “We are still at the beginning of our project. It’s true that the world is changing: the United States is more complex than in the past, the war in Ukraine exposed our dependency on Russia, and the terrible situation in Gaza has shown a new generation just how vital it is to have a strong Europe that promotes peace. Economic strength alone is no longer enough to keep Europe a global leader. The status quo means surrender and consigning ourselves to the sidelines.”
Metsola also delivered a pointed critique of European institutions: “Europe has never been a mere spectator, but it must find the courage to make necessary decisions. It’s time to stop seeing Europe only as it is, and start imagining what it can become. There are only two options: courageous change, or a slow and painful slide into irrelevance. I support change, even if it is difficult and requires sacrifices. We must ask ourselves hard questions: can we defend ourselves, do we want to integrate our markets and unlock their potential, will we support our businesses, are we ready to safeguard both free enterprise and social protections? The only possible answer is Europe. Now is the time to build.”
She warned that recent years have revealed just how much Europe must adapt: “Challenges we once thought unthinkable have already arrived. Recent events have shown us that in order to respond to a changing world, Europe itself must change. Otherwise, we risk moving from leaders to followers. The status quo is no longer enough. Too often, everyone says they want change, but too few are willing to make it happen. In recent years the European Parliament has undergone radical reform. If our institutions become shortsighted or weighed down by bureaucracy, citizens will lose faith in Europe’s ability to deliver.”
On the way forward, Metsola outlined priorities for growth: “The first step toward sustainable growth is to simplify rules, strengthen the single market, and expand trade. The European Parliament is not shying away from the decisions needed to move Europe forward. President Mattarella once called us a centre of gravity linking institutions and citizens. This is a responsibility we take seriously. We are making progress on regulatory simplification, but we must also be honest: adopting 13,000 regulations compared with just 3,000 in the United States would hold back anyone from leading the way to the future. We must recognize where we have moved too fast and where not far enough. Less moralizing, more action: we must support our industries, not stifle them.”
Finally, Metsola addressed U.S. tariffs: “On this, I want to be unequivocal: there is no stronger alliance than that between Europe and America. The provisional trade agreement is a step forward for transatlantic relations and trust between our continents. The European Parliament will do its part to support businesses and consumers, but we must also take this as a lesson to look further—to Africa and Latin America for new partnerships. This is the message I will bring to the G7 in Canada next week.”
(ITALPRESS)
Foto: Ipa Agency