‘What we have achieved in Europe is unique in history,’ says Greek PM

The EU elections will happen in June, the primary for the reason that COVID-19 pandemic hit, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine started and the following power disaster despatched member states scrambling for provide diversification.

Consequently, main adjustments are anticipated to be made to the insurance policies governing defence, well being, the local weather and power over the subsequent 5 years.

On this episode of the World Dialog, Euronews’ Nikoleta Drougka sits down with Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Prime Minister of Greece, to search out out what the EU elections will imply for Europe.

To observe the interview click on on the video within the media participant above or learn in full beneath.

Nikoleta Drougka, Euronews: Prime Minister, thanks for having us. The European elections are lower than three months away. What are the most important challenges for Europe, in your opinion, and what are the stakes for this election?

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece: I feel these are notably essential elections for Europe as an entire, given the broader financial and geopolitical context. They’re happening in a really turbulent interval with a struggle raging on our jap flank, with a considerable humanitarian disaster unravelling in Gaza, as Europe is exiting from a really, very tough 5 years.

I feel it’s also a chance for us to take inventory of what we have now achieved over the last European electoral cycle and to focus on the numerous successes of the European Union. 

Via the cooperation of all of the establishments, we have been capable of defend ourselves efficiently in opposition to COVID-19. We arrange the NextGeneration EU, which for nations corresponding to Greece, has a selected significance when it comes to serving to us enhance our progress and likewise facilitate the inexperienced and digital transition.

Nikoleta Drougka, Euronews: How involved are you with louder and louder voices which can be in opposition to Europe, anti-European voices?

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece: I feel there’ll at all times be voices that problem the successes of Europe and certainly a number of the, I’d say, complaints could also be justified. However on the finish of the day, if one seems on the total image, I stay firmly dedicated that the way forward for the European Union is vivid and that Europe has been capable of ship for its residents.

And that’s the reason we have to make the case relating to what we have now achieved, but in addition what we have to obtain going ahead. As a result of as you have a look at the subsequent electoral cycle and the large points that we have now forward of us, those that I’d personally spotlight are three. To start with, the necessity to flip strategic autonomy from a slogan into an actual and efficient coverage.

Have a look at defence, for instance. We not solely must spend extra on defence, however we have to coordinate our defence spending. The second problem has to do with total European competitiveness. How we will make sure that Europe stays aggressive vis-a-vis China, the US and the World South? It will imply higher jobs and better-paying jobs for European residents.

The third problem is to be extra particular and extra sectoral. It has to do with agriculture and our farmers at a time when meals safety may be very excessive on our agenda. We have to perceive that a number of the steps that we took over the previous 5 years relating to the inexperienced transition have put far more stress than perhaps we even anticipated on our farmers and that we have to ensure that the inexperienced transition is executed at a velocity that doesn’t considerably affect the revenue of our farmers.

Nikoleta Drougka, Euronews: Would you say that perhaps typically the most important enemy of the EU is the EU itself?

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece: Look, there are 27 of us, and I am speaking concerning the European Council, which gathers quite a few occasions a 12 months in a room and all of us must agree by unanimity. This can be a course of that inevitably has to take time, and which additionally entails compromises and infrequently necessitates taking a step again to attain the widespread European good.

That’s the nature of the European Union. Similtaneously we’re considering European enlargement, we additionally want to have a look at methods of creating our decision-making simpler. That can be going to be a sophisticated train as a result of any change will once more require unanimity and the settlement of all Member States. One must recognise that what we have now achieved in Europe is exclusive within the historical past of the world.

We’ve got voluntarily given powers to a supranational entity and we have to make this correct steadiness, between decision-making on the European and nationwide stage, work every single day. However once more, that is, in quotes, the “value” that we have now to pay for us to additionally reap the advantages of taking part within the European Union.

Nikoleta Drougka, Euronews: You talked about one thing about Europe’s defence autonomy, as a problem forward. Would you additionally say that it ought to be the highest precedence, maybe, of the subsequent Fee and Parliament?

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece: Defence is existential as we realised after the struggle in Ukraine and perhaps some nations believed that the peace dividend that occurred after the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the autumn of the Soviet Union would final eternally.

However that has confirmed to be a fallacy. We had been by no means in that place as a result of we at all times spent a big quantity on defence due to explicit regional geopolitical challenges. However now we perceive that all of us must step as much as the plate and spend extra, but in addition spend smarter, be extra coordinated, streamline our defence procurement, and have perhaps extra European champions that may provide superior defence options at a extra aggressive stage than is at the moment the case.

Nikoleta Drougka, Euronews: Prime Minister, beforehand we have now seen some EU Member States – Greece will not be amongst them – battle to persuade their residents to go and take part within the European elections. Why would you say, is it essential for folks to exit and vote?

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece: As a result of what occurs in Brussels and since who represents us on the European Parliament issues. The choices which can be taken in Brussels and Strasbourg are crucial for our on a regular basis lives, and we have to ship certified folks to the European Parliament.

On the finish of the day, the European elections are concerning the European Parliament – to make sure that the Parliament will likely be comprised of consultant European residents and can bridge this hole between decision-making in Brussels and what the European folks really need.

The European Parliament is probably the most democratic of all our establishments and that’s the reason taking part within the European elections is essential. We’re a staunch pro-European social gathering, so that you would not anticipate me to say anything. And naturally, we’re doing our greatest to mobilise folks and to make sure that what historically is a low turnout election goes to perhaps defy the development and have elevated participation.