A Conversation with Roberta Metsola
The EU in uncertain times
Maltese MEP Roberta Metsola has been elected to the presidency of the European Parliament in January 2022, succeeding the late David Sassoli. Her first year as president of the Union's co-legislator is not over, but as the State of the European Union address is held in the Parliament in Strasbourg this week, it is worth taking a look at the major policy issues currently affecting the EU.
Read our interview with Roberta Metsola below.
The European Parliament has been very proactive in supporting Ukraine’s EU accession bid. How do you see this going forward and what else can the European Parliament do, from a legal and political standpoint?
Since Putin’s illegal war started in Ukraine the Union has always responded with unity. I strongly believe that the EU is playing a key role to support Ukraine and its people. We have reacted to this unacceptable aggression with solidarity and with a strong and united answer, that includes already seven packages of sanctions.
The decision to grant candidate status to Ukraine was also an historic and important decision to show all Ukrainians that the EU stands with them and it is crucial to give hope to the people who are fighting for our values.
But we have to avoid war fatigue, and it is possible to do more. We need to keep firm in our support to the Ukrainian people, exploring every possibility of taking new measures or sanctions, as we have recently done regarding the visas to Russians tourists. Every loophole must be closed.
Emmanuel Macron must deal with a relative majority in France, and Italy will have to go forward without Mario Draghi. How does this new political landscape leave the EU in terms of its ability to tackle the major problems we are currently facing ? How will this influence the Council’s willingness to move forward on the conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE), which the European Parliament has endorsed.
I believe that Member States will always do what is best for Europe no matter their government or the colours of the parties in power. In this case, both Italy and France have always performed as true Europeans and I am confident that they will continue to tackle the main challenges that the EU is currently facing.
During the Conference on the Future of Europe, citizens from all over the Member States have shared their concerns, suggestions, criticisms and praise for the functioning of the EU and these must be listened to and taken into account.
Following the Conference on the Future of Europe, I believe that today there is a common feeling in Europe that we need to adapt ourselves to the new times, especially to be more efficient in vital areas such as health, energy and defence. This is why the European Parliament calls for a convention, that would be the best platform to discuss the way forward.
The European Commission is trying to diversify the continent’s energy supplies away from Russia. Following the European Commission’s memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Azerbaijan, you told Malta Today that the EU should end its energy dependence on autocratic regimes. To what extent, and at what cost, do you think friend-sourcing should take precedence over energy realpolitik?
We need to break away from Russian energy because we cannot anymore rely on the gas and oil of an autocratic government. This war has shown once again that energy is, as it has always been, political. We need a strategic change to rely on our friends, not on our foes.
We also urgently need to change our energy model, which is why our work must now focus on renewables, on expanding the green energy infrastructure in the EU and improving interconnections. This is not the time to back trade on our climate targets.
As an MEP, you have been a leading voice in the effort to put together EU legislation against strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) — i.e. lawsuits that threaten journalists and NGO activists. Why are SLAPPs such a problem in Malta, your own country ? And how content are you with the EU Anti-SLAPP Directive as it is?
Freedom of expression and freedom of the press are essential in a democratic society. Let us be clear, Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) have only one goal in mind: to silence. To silence journalists from reporting the truth which too often is rooted in criminal behaviour. This is why we need legislation to combat this abusive practice. To ensure that journalists do not have to wake-up every morning and assess whether they can literally afford to report the truth.
Unfortunately, SLAPPs are on the rise in Europe including in my own country. As Co-Rapporteur of the Parliament’s own-initiative report on anti- SLAPPs, I have raised my voice on this issue several times. The Commission’s proposal for a directive to protect journalists from abusive lawsuits has a lot of elements from the Parliament's recommendations. It is a good step forward in our fight against this abusive practice but more can always be done.
The European Parliament will give priority to this issue. We need anti-SLAPP legislation sooner rather than later.
2022 is the European Year of Youth. What is the EU doing to listen to young people throughout the year? While the EU showed unity in reacting to the war, including weaning itself off Russian energy, the economic shockwaves of such decisions will alter the prospects of those entering the job market in the years to come. Do you think the next generation will be pro or anti-EU ?
With war in Europe, today young people see and understand more than ever the value of Europe. I believe it is the best option for their present and their future. However, young people see the importance of some fields where the EU has been too slow, such as the environmental issues and the climate change. It is clear for them that the EU has to work more intensively in these areas.
Of course we, as the current generation, have a responsibility.
We have to do more to bring the benefits of the European project closer to the citizens, especially young people who have only known peace in Europe.
We must also listen to young people, to understand their concerns, their frustrations, and to offer them answers and possible solutions.
I want young people to recapture a sense of enthusiasm for Europe, that together we can make our shared space safer, fairer and more equal. This is one of my commitments for my mandate as President of the European Parliament.