Press conference by Martin SCHULZ, EP President during the Informal Meeting of the 27 Heads of State and Government in Bratislava.

press conference

future of the European Union (T)

SCHULZ, Martin (S&D, DE)

Bratislava

Slovakia

informal summit of Heads of State and Government 16 September 2016 (T)

Informal Meeting of the 27 Heads of State and Government in Bratislava: extracts from the press conference by Martin SCHULZ, EP President

Arrival of EP President Martin SCHULZ to the Press conference

SOUNDBITE (English), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, Member States must decide what they want to do and one thing is clear and is now really the key question: which kind of European Union we want? The EU is as strong as the member states allow it.

SOUNDBITE (English), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, Therefore I expect that now, when it is about the future of the EU, the Bratislava summit will show unity, or at least the will to come to more unity.

SOUNDBITE (English), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, What I expect is that those who say &lsquo;this is wrong&rsquo;, make own proposals. My feeling they are on the way to make such proposals. They are meeting with Prime Minister Fico who reported from the Visegr&aacute;d discussions and all these proposals are welcome and I belong to those who say: if mandatory solution doesn&rsquo;t function but we get a voluntary one that is effective, then it is in the interest of the refugees that we find perhaps a combination between both. That on the basis of mandatory rules, nevertheless voluntary measures are possible.

SOUNDBITE (English), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, That such a country (the UK) is leaving the EU is weakening the EU, that&rsquo;s for sure. But why is the UK a G7 country? Why it is the second economy in Europe? With the unlimited access to the single market... And the cut it now. This is a loose loose situation from both sides. Therefore I am of the opinion that once they have triggered Article 50 we should avoid damages for both sides and I am strongly advocating a fair deal. But one thing is also clear, nobody is prepared to put in doubt the fundamental principles of the EU and the 4 freedoms.

SOUNDBITE (English), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, I disagree entirely with this renationalisation strategy which is in my eyes a way to give answers to the challenges of the 21st century with proposals of the 19th. This is wrong, but it is existing, and they&rsquo;re attracting voters so we have to discuss with them. My meeting with Viktor Orban was an offer; let&rsquo;s discuss what your way is and what&rsquo;s our way. Because we can&rsquo;t allow that they exclusively claim to represent the people. I represent the people as well.

SOUNDBITE (English), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, We should avoid such provocations like &lsquo;nihilist&rsquo; or &lsquo;cultural counter revolution&rsquo;... To find a way of mutual respect also of different opinions. This is still what I think we need to do.

SOUNDBITE (English), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, Refugee problems will not disappear with a referendum or with a relocation settlement agreement or whatever of the EU... is there. Refugees are coming, they are fleeing and we have to take the challenge. And all proposals to solve it are welcome. I don&rsquo;t believe that a referendum will change the problem. It is perhaps a support for a certain position of the Hungarian government, or no, we will see. But it will not change the need to tackle the migration problems.