Unity is our greatest strength, President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides stressed on Tuesday presenting the priorities of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU before the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
"Europe’s Future, our Future, will ultimately be measured by our ability to act together. Unity is our greatest strength. And only by acting together, across institutions and across Member States, we can translate unity into action" the President said.
Noting that the Cyprus Presidency has begun at an inflection point for the Union, he said that this moment calls for united action, for a Union that is more autonomous, and open to the world.
President Christodoulides said he was standing before MEPs both with pride and humbled.
He said he feels pride “for the Union we have built. For the greatest political project the world has seen. The largest economic bloc and a global trade powerhouse.”
A political Union of 27 states, in which each Member State stands equal. And assumes the Presidency of the Council. In which, he stressed, each and every member state can lead, can broker compromises and can represent the Union.
This, he pointed out, holds the essence of the European project: “not a Union dictated solely by size or power, but a Union of equality.”
He acknowledged that “our Union is not perfect,” pointing out however that “it is precisely its unique ability to evolve, particularly at times of crises, that makes it stand out. Its ability to come together at times of great challenge, in order to deepen European integration.”
President Christodoulides said that Cyprus assumes the Presidency “at an inflection point for the Union. A moment of profound transformation.”
Europe, he noted, “is confronted with a rapidly evolving geopolitical and geoeconomic landscape characterized by unpredictability. The international order we relied upon for decades is no longer a given.”
To that extent, he referred, among other things, to the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine, the instability in the wider Middle East, trade tensions and climate change.
According to President Christodoulides “now is the time to do, what us Europeans know how to do best. Believe in our collective capacity to shape change. And to become that change. To invest in deeper integration. With urgency.”
Now is the time, he went on “to work to strengthen our network of free trade agreements, because Europe’s competitiveness grows through openness, and defend our borders, our citizens, our European way.”
“To those who question whether Europe’s beacon still burns brightly, we will answer with action,” he said, while addressing “those who seek to undermine our values and our unity" he said "we will respond with resolve.”
The question, he pointed out, “is whether we will rise to this moment, and once again, formulate solutions. The European Way.”
This moment, the President stressed, calls for action, decisive, credible, and united action. “It calls for a Union that is more autonomous and open to the world,” he noted.
“It is the natural next step in the evolution of European integration. And it demands building strength from within. And at the same time for outwardness. It calls for strength through partnership,” he said.
“A more autonomous Union is one with the internal strength to cooperate whenever possible. And act independently whenever necessary,” he pointed out.
“Unity is our greatest strength,” he told MEPs adding that “only by acting together, across institutions and across Member States, we can translate Unity into Action.”
President Christodoulides outlined five pillars on which the Presidency programme is structured.
The first pillar, he said, is autonomy through security, defence and readiness. Presenting this pillar, he made a special reference to Ukraine and Greenland in interconnection with the experience of Cyprus which is under military occupation.
“Cyprus knows from its own experience what lack of security means,” he said.
He assured that “we will stand firmly, unequivocally with Ukraine, while supporting international efforts for a peace that is viable and lasting, fully in line with the UN Charter and with full respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Ukraine, he noted, “is fighting for the principle that force cannot redraw borders in Europe, and if that principle fails, everything becomes negotiable, whether in Ukraine, in Greenland, or anywhere else.”
He said that “we must build a stronger European Security Architecture. And we must do so with urgency,” adding that this includes “strengthening Arctic security.”
“Let me be clear - we stand in full support and solidarity with Denmark and the people in Greenland,” President Christodoulides stressed.
He also assured, among other things, that the Cyprus Presidency “will work to strengthen EU–NATO cooperation, in an inclusive, transparent and mutually beneficial manner.”
The second pillar of our priorities, he said, has to do with autonomy through competitiveness.
Europe, the President said, faces intense geoeconomic competition, strained supply chains, and accelerating technological change, adding that “our response must therefore be pragmatic, focused, and firmly rooted in real economy.”
“We must make Europe faster, smarter, simpler” he stressed.
He told MEPs that the Presidency will work hand in hand with the European Parliament to conclude key files that cut red tape and noted that “completing and strengthening our Single Market, deepening the Capital Markets through the Savings and Investment Union remain central to European Integration.”
“We will prioritise the modernisation of our industries, Europe’s ability to innovate and produce the technologies of tomorrow, while advancing hand in hand the Green and Digital transitions,” he added.
President Christodoulides also spoke of a Union open to the world and referred to enlargement and of Cyprus’ experience.
“From Ukraine and Moldova to the Western Balkans and Turkey, Enlargement remains the Union’s most powerful and transformative geopolitical tool. It is far beyond completing a map,” he said.
It is about completing a vision, a vision of a reunified Europe firmly anchored in peace, democracy, security and stability, he added.
Referring to Cyprus he said that “EU accession has transformed the country, brought prosperity, safety, opportunity.”
And Cypriots, he noted, “hold on to the unfulfilled promise of reunification – European integration will never be complete with one of the Union’s Member States divided and under occupation.”
“With Cypriots – Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriots - not allowed to enjoy the same fundamental rights that other Europeans enjoy. And we know that the EU holds all the answers for a solution of the Cyprus question,” he added.
According to President Christodoulides, “that is part of what makes enlargement so powerful – because the Union is above all a peace project, an enabler of security and stability. And we cannot afford to lose this renewed momentum in enlargement. We need to make it credible, by delivering when our partners deliver.”
Presenting the fourth pillar, he spoke of “a Union of values that leaves no one behind.” To that effect he referred in particular to the need for affordable housing, saying that Cyprus will prioritise progress on the European Affordable Housing Plan, fully respecting subsidiarity and national competences. He also promised to advance the European action plan against cyberbullying and to focus on improving access and availability of medical products, strengthening medical supply chains and enhancing integration of our health systems.
The President also expressed commitment to engage “constructively and transparently with all partners and institutions, with the European Parliament”, in order to deliver a balanced, robust and ambitious multiannual financial framework for the Union’s future.
(Source: CNA)
