At a conference on the forthcoming “Conference on the Future of Europe”, organized by the Socialist and Democrat Group in the European Parliament in Brussels, MEP Costas Mavridis (DIKO – S&D) focused on the urgent need for the EU to move forward with its own strategic autonomy, to play a leading role in shaping the future at the international level.
In his speech, the Cypriot MEP initially stressed that achieving social cohesion and the convergence of the economies of the Member States make the completion of the Banking Union (with the Pan-European deposit guarantee) absolutely necessary, since with each passing day, its absence hinders economic convergence through fair competition and at the same time creates risks, which we unfortunately experienced in a brutal way in the previous economic crisis.
Mr. Mavridis then referred to the issue of security and strategic autonomy in Europe, stressing the following: “The management of the unprecedented economic and social crisis due to the pandemic has resulted in a strong reaction of the EU due to the convergence of views. This convergence prevailed, despite different governmental, state, regional, political and ideological differences and priorities, because it was based on a broader alliance. Such a broader political alliance within the EU, which prioritizes the implementation of Europe's strategic autonomy with common security and defense, is absolutely necessary and not simply desirable. “In today's world of threats and conflicts, there can be no respect for EU rule of law without respect for international law.” Finally, he praised the position of his colleague Alicia Homs (Spanish, S&D), President of the Young European Socialists for the need for strategic autonomy, noting that the EU has a present and a future if it forms it with strategic autonomy. .
