Roberta METSOLA, EP President answers questions from the audience attending her address at Columbia University, in New York (USA).

statement

EU - USA (T)

EU - United Nations (T)

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

keynote speech

United States

New York

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to New York (United States): Questions and answers with audience at Columbia University

Host President Metsola, thank you so much for such an inspiring and ambitious agenda that you've put in front of us. And I'm going to start with a few questions to start off and then I'll open it up. And I guess I have to start with the issue that's dominated the news, which is Ukraine. And you

 you know, you spoke about I remember one European saying to me, I'm the first generation in Europe who has not seen war in Europe, and that's no longer true. So much of the purpose of Europe and the Union was to prevent war ever happening again. And yet here we are. And you met with President Zelensky in March and Ukraine attained EU candidate status in June. And we're expecting an assessment of progress in October. And we all know that that's a very complicated path that lies ahead. Could you tell us a little bit about where things stand and how you see the path ahead for Ukrainian membership?

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President So I think, you know, we have to really be grateful. I would say I would use that word to all Ukrainians who said on the first day of the invasion that we will fight until we win. I was there a few weeks after the invasion and I met with President Zelensky. I met him then first we met bilaterally and one year later I addressed with him a group of Ukrainian students like you live with him. And he was asked the same question Is you going to let us in? And I mentioned in my in my speech and I want and I made it you know, I referred to it specifically that once you look at Europe as your home, then we have, first of all, no option. But we would be so much better if we flung open our door wide. That's the message that the European Parliament gave to Ukraine immediately, also to Moldova. That's the path we are still on.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President October would be a big step in terms of identifying the progress achieved so far. And then we look to a big decision in December in order to open what we call accession negotiations, where you officially start to negotiate. And I remember that step taking place in my country, and it took a while between that because every country has its own path. But the transformational effect that a country goes through once you become an accession country, is enormous. And you speak to many leaders of countries who tell you, my younger generation look nowhere else. They look at Europe as their only hope. And I think this is now the question bearing on us. We're the ones taking the decisions. What is our answer to that? We have a country fighting a war. A country fighting for our values. The ones we defend every day. Is it? It's our responsibility to say you take one step, we take it with you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President We have not always done that. The European Union has disappointed in the past. I would like to see a European Union that does not disappoint. And I am convinced that with all the challenges and there are many steps to be taken, but if we are ready to reform and we are, we are you know, we've put a lot in the parliament and we we use our our our, I would say, directly elected status in order to say our citizens want this because they do that. Ukraine's place is right in the heart of Europe because we will be much more secure and richer because of that in all senses.

Host Let me let me turn to another theme you talked about in your speech, which is climate change and the sometimes false dichotomy between addressing climate change and economic growth and prosperity. And you you mentioned some of the things that Europe has done, carbon pricing, the carbon border tax. Tell us a little bit about how you think Europe can balance the concerns of many of its citizens around their own economic security and the imperative to move quickly to address climate change?

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President If I've learned one thing so I've been running for elections for a long time, I, I have my first election was almost 20 years ago. This would be my fifth election next year. So I didn't get elected to get elected the first two times is that if we don't listen, we should not be surprised when we lose our audience because for too long we spoke to each other and what grew is an ever increasing group, frustrated sectors of the population that feel like the establishment, the mainstream political parties, the ones who govern, the ones who are in parliament have simply stopped thinking they need their votes.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President And I speak about this also in preparation we have elections next year from the sixth to the 9th of June. Whoever is an EU citizen here is I will appeal that all of you vote is because if we don't do that, you know, I look at the chamber that I preside over 705 members will be 720 next year. What will it look like? And we will not manage to continue to embark on such unprecedented, climate ambitious legislation if we don't explain what we are doing, if we don't cushion the impact and we don't listen to those who tell us I cannot afford it, and that is the balance we need to seek. It's the one that we are managing to do. Individual member states are being helped in their investments in order to make sure that jobs are not lost. But we should not forget that at the end of the day, as legislators, as decision makers, we need to say this is going to be difficult, but it is necessary and we are going to help you along the way because we cannot leave a planet. Let's also use the last generation phrase here that we are the last ones that can do something about it. The ones before us didn't...

Host Okay. Let me ask you about another hot topic in Europe these days, which is immigration. You've called for a more holistic and humanistic approach to the migrant crisis. And the migrant crisis also really tests European solidarity because the burden is borne initially by those on the Mediterranean and less so by others. So it presents very real challenges to the Union. Tell us a little bit about what a more humane and holistic solution might look like.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President This has to be two facets of this of an answer. One, from a legislative point of view, I did not mention legislation we've actually passed on the table. We have a huge legislative package that brings together the security aspects of migration. In other words, how do you control your external borders, which means something completely different if the external border is a sea or a land border with a country that is not an EU member state, balancing that with asylum. In other words, understanding our role in the world to protect, to save lives, to give those who are eligible for protection that protection that they need because they are fleeing a life that is not possible to continue to be lived in the country that they are. There is nothing more emotional than the topic of migration in Europe, and it doesn't matter whether you are actually from the south or the north.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President So I come from the south. So an island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. It was just a few months after I got elected to the European Parliament ten years ago when Pope Francis said This is the largest cemetery in the world. And I thought to myself, I hope that we will manage to find that holistic, humane understanding that is fair, that is firm with those who are not eligible, that bursts through the trafficking model, that preys on the most vulnerable people on our planet, but that ultimately never forgets that behind every number, every person whose choice is no other than to go on the boat and face an almost certain death, There are hopes and dreams forever shattered. And I said, It's emotional. It's also difficult to say this because the easiest would be to say the complete opposite in politics.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President And I refuse to identify with a politics that excludes I. I have to be able to justify my work with politics that works for everybody and the continent that is faced with multiple challenges which cannot have, of course, a policy where everybody comes in, but neither can it look away and think that the next country would solve the issue because you can't.

Host Okay. Now, last question. You ended your speech calling upon young people here to rise to leadership. And so I wanted to ask you, what inspired you to go into politics as a young person and it's a difficult path to choose. It's not an easy life. And what would you what lessons do you take from your experience in politics and what would you advise young people today who have ambitions to go into political leadership?

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President Let's ask Elizabeth. Who has ambitions to go into political leadership. Very good. Let me look at the front row of the Maltese I. It was a very natural thing for me to do. I was a lawyer as law student studying. I'm an elections fanatic. Don't ask me why. You know, nobody could understand. Least of all my parents were trying to figure out what I wasn't interested in. I continue to be interested in the way elections turn out in different democracies of what kind of politicians they produce, actually. And I was called up to join a campaign for my country to enter the European Union. And to my and my generation, it was obvious, but it was the toughest campaign we've ever run because for a whole generation, mostly older, that was one which felt, oh my goodness, the European Union will swallow us up, will impose things on us that are not good for us, will will change the way we see the world. There was no option for me except to say no way. My generation places in Europe because I would like to have equality of access, equality to opportunity, better education, better environment. Was it easy? Absolutely. As I said before, I ran for the European Parliament elections fi...

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President A second time in 2009, I almost made it. That was the toughest. When you almost make it. But then I made it and I it's it's it's been great. And you said it's difficult. Yes, it's difficult, but I don't want any of you to leave this room thinking that all politicians are the same and that politics in any sense or form is not a force for good. And there will be people who try to stop you. There will be people who try. But for me, I don't think of those. I think of the older politicians in my country who picked me up and said, Hey, you continue one day, you'll manage that. I will. But I know many people every election I run and I know time is running out quick.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President Now, every election I ran, there were always people who said, Oh, you're not going to make it. Just withdraw already. What? How are you still in the race? And I said, I do not withdraw. I stand for what I believe. And then people will choose. And I think that is what we need more. And it's my responsibility now to hope that more hands if I ask this question again, I put up.

Host All right, good. All right. Well, let's hear from them and see what they're thinking about politics and politics in Europe. For those of you who have questions, there are two mikes in, if you could just queue up behind them and I'll alternate between the mikes.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President I'll be quick on Uzbekistan. I mean, we have specific reports, country specific reports, so you can very easily have a look at where we are. We look into each country on human rights. We have delegations that go to countries, including your own, in order to evaluate progress, monitor elections, and make sure that that reforms are welcomed after being recommended. So we are very much a parliament that looks beyond its borders, especially in in in your neighbourhood.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President Thank you for the question on human trafficking, I mean, this is one of the most difficult challenges we have globally. We have a situation where we don't have a unique and proper system of fingerprinting at the border. So we have a lot of unaccompanied children that disappear. The numbers are frightening, thousands per year that go missing. We also have a constant debate of on sexual crimes where we have a situation, whether we equate and this is a very let's academic and political debate we have, whether what we do to combat, for example, trafficking and exploitation offline, in other words, physically, how do we do that online together with with Interpol and and European law enforcement associations. So there I mean, I am it is unbelievably difficult to see. We need more cooperation than less. the first question that President Zelensky asked me on that 1st of April is have you ever been to Ukraine? Where are you? Off site. I need to see you, there you are.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President I would like to see even post-Brexit continued cooperation with the United Kingdom. We need a huge amount of intel between between governments on this because otherwise we will not manage to to in any way, I would not say eradicate, but look at what is happening under our very eyes, not only in our neighbouring countries but even in our own woman leader. I would. Oksana, first of all, thank you very much. You know, one, and I said, No. I said, I've never been. And then we had all the whole meeting. And in the end he came back and he gave me books. He said, These are books that teach Ukraine to children. I want your children to see this Ukraine and not the one you see outside at the moment with a curfew and nobody can be out. And I said that day to President Zelensky that that's I will never, ever stop fighting until we see Ukraine free again. And I would like to thank you because I'm no hero. You are a it was a difficult year.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President We saw the resilience of Europe come together like never before. We identified threats that the parliament was under. We had to combat those. But I would say that, you know, yes, it's you know, you take over the mandate, you have to hit the ground running. I've I've done that all my life. I have a great team. I have a husband here. He's not usually present. When I resigned, but today he's here. We have we have, you know, four kids who, you know, are into politics as much as me in the way because they really see me going from one place to another. And I'm trying to to figure out what their mother is really doing. But at the end of the day, I know that if if I every night, you know, can go to sleep and say, have I done the maximum I could, then I can wake up the next morning and say, now we continue. And that's how I live. My political, very difficult life, but one that is most rewarding if you if you take this as a mission to serve...

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President So first question, Copenhagen criteria. Well done for mentioning them. You know, even we tend to forget them when we talk like to listen to ourselves say, oh, what does enlargement mean? What do we want from countries? There's one thing I have learnt is that the pressure and this goes back to the person from Poland who asked me the question we in sometimes place such unrealistic demands from countries that are not yet members that we don't recognise or look away from the backsliding in our own. And that is one that I am very happy to admit and accept, because we are the ones who have to be first to recognise our failings on where we can do better and improve. Enlargement for me has never been just about size.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President Enlargement has been about values. Yes, it is about an economic block, but now it has taken complete different of aspects, which is one of security. And the larger European Union, in my opinion, is a more secure one, is more the more economically stable one, and this one that can really focus on making sure that those generations in those countries that would like to abide by our values because they live them, feel that they are with us and not with us looking at them, as happened in December with the non-decision on accession of Romania and Bulgaria to Schengen, which I think was the most difficult decision to comprehend. I was in Bucharest a couple of days later and the question to me was posed How would you then be surprised when you see the rise of extremism in this country?

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President And I could do nothing but not in agreement. That would mean, however, that we continue to talk to all our countries, those countries that would like to join the some that have taken a step back, some that see it as a different step. The European political, which basically brings together all the leaders, including the one of your own, is one that has proven very successful. We met last in Moldova, will meet next in Spain, in Granada. And I really much think that this is a good which is a good segway for my.

 The third question is that, you know, we spent many years, you know, as I said, listening to each other and not listening to our counterparts and our allies. I have sat in countless summits, whether it is with our Western Balkan partners, Latin American partners, African Union partners, and the leaders of those countries are telling us, you know, you like to talk to us a lot, you haven't listened one bit. And then we what is our takeaway from there? And the reference to the moral high ground is completely correct that when we we like to preach a lot, but we also have to recognise what we have done and whether we can finally say that we that when we talk about investment, we talk about partnerships, that investment is real and those partnerships are genuine.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President I would say normalising war because we have to continue to focus on the end game, which is where the war and when Ukraine wins with peace, that comes with liberty and justice and freedom and territorial sovereignty. You mentioned Greece. I cannot help but mention Cyprus and district in this regard because we still have a divided island in our continent and that is something that we need to resolve and the new president of Cyprus said exactly this morning also in New York. Rather than normalising war, what I would say is that our prime ministers have taken on a new perhaps onto the throne.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President Their predecessors and the predecessors before them were not war Prime ministers were not ones that had to go to their national parliaments and say we need to increase our defence spending where they had for many years actually decreased their defence spending. If you think about the 31 NATO's countries, only seven. Nine. But some are well, let's say nine countries reached a 2% spending target. So what I would also, however, say at the end is that we each prime Minister who travels to Kiev and stood side by side with Ukrainian leaders, came back more convinced than ever than ever that this was the right thing to do. And I have I give it a lot of addresses to national parliaments. And I'm always asked, you know, come on, like peace means that let's just end the war.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President You know, just just say, okay, let's say try to tell the Ukrainians who are suffering every day that who are we to tell them that absolutely nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. So I think our prime ministers have recognised that have run re-election campaigns on maps and have won campaigns on that. And I continue to think that that's a new European responsibility that we've taken and shouldered pretty well so far. Let's hope it continues.