Different sorts of messages and rhetorics underscored by populist and Eurosceptic forces in Europe find themselves in a common goal with Russia: to weaken and divide Europe, strongly points the European People’s Party, Joseph Daul, in an exclusive interview granted for CaleaEuropeana.ro. The view of the European leader comes before important electoral moments in Europe: this year Romania will hold its parliamentary elections, while in 2017 the presidential elections in France and the legislative ones in Germany will be the headline for the political future within the continent. Nonetheless, the European Elections from 2019 are not that far.
Simultaneously, the leader of the largest political family in Europa has explained how the European Union can rise out of its crises that have brought the European project in uncertainty and which are the necessary measures for a better cooperation in fighting against terrorism.
Robert Lupițu (R.L.): We had in the last years as followed: national debt crisis, Greece debt crisis and its inability of payment on the financial markets, challenging and revisionist security environment in the Eastern Neighborhood. Now, with the migration crisis, UK’s agreement and referendum and the danger of terrorism, is proven that Europe cannot cope with multiple crises. What is your diagnosis on this and your overview for the near future?
Joseph Daul (J.D.): On the contrary, the EU has proved that it can cope with any crisis if it stays united. We should always see a crisis as an opportunity to take bold steps ahead and make the necessary changes to become more resilient. The answer to each of these crisis is more European integration.
For example, during the financial crisis we were able to stay united and implement drastic reforms at the European level in a record time, like the Banking Union or the European stability mechanism to protect our citizens’ finances and prepare the EU economy for future challenges.
At the national level, the EPP governments in countries such as Cyprus, Latvia, Ireland, Spain, and Portugal showed courage and leadership and together with the sacrifices from their citizens succeeded in putting their economies back on track. Even if these government understood that unpopular measures will turn away many voters, they still put their interest of their citizens first. Every EU member that encountered difficulties has received help to overcome the crisis. EU solidarity exists and it functions.
As regards ongoing challenges, like Greece, migration, or Brexit, I believe we can find a solution but only if we stay united and respect the rules. For instance, the European Commission has put forward the necessary measures to help deal with the refugee crisis and alleviate the burden on the member states. But it was also up to each country individually to implement the Commission’s proposals.
Whatever the future has in store for us, we must always embrace every challenge and turn it into an opportunity. We live in an ever changing world and Europe also needs to constantly adapt to these new changes. Only by working towards finding solutions together, we will be able to overcome our problems. Europe is not the problem but the solution despite what the populists are saying. The populists are a threat to our values as they can only offer simple solutions to complex problems but none of their answers are sustainable at the end.
R.L.: On the terrorist threat: different locations (Charlie Hebdo, Saint Denis, Bataclan, Zaventem, Maelbeek) the same result – panic, deaths, insecurity and no prospective. Does Europe, as a whole, need to learn that this is our new modus vivendi? If not, what are the concrete actions in this direction? Passengers Data Flight directive, Schengen Information System update, EUROPOL enhanced capabilities etc.? If intelligence services cooperation is possible, what should be the driving force for that to happen? It seems that political consent is not enough?
J.D.: While I condemn all terrorist attacks against innocent people, I strongly believe that we should maintain our way of life and not yield to terror. Our societies are based on democracy, freedom, and tolerance, and we must stay united in front of these threats by defending our values and fight any type of extremism.
It is clear that we are facing new security challenges in Europe with foreign fighters returning from Syria and Europeans becoming radicalized by terrorist organisations. This new reality requires more efforts from the member states on all levels. One of the EPP’s priority has been to ensure the safety of our citizens. In order to achieve that, we believe that the EU should have a real and functional security and defence policy, including a European army, as we already stated at our congress last autumn in Madrid. We need a European army not to make war but to maintain peace.
EU countries’ intelligence services are already cooperating among each other and I am confident that such collaboration will continue to increase. Apart from internal cooperation, we should also work closely with our neighbouring countries to prevent and identify these threats.
The EPP has also been the driving force in the European Parliament to pass legislation that would help EU countries prevent more terrorist threats, like the European Fingerprint Database (EURODAC), the Schengen Information System II (SISII), or the European Criminal Record System (ECRIS) and the Directive on Terrorism. The EPP group in the European Parliament also advocated for months to adopt immediately the law on the Passenger Name Record (PNR) but the process got delayed as other political parties blocked it until recently.
The EPP will continue working towards making Europe a safe place.
R.L.: Europe’s relation with Russia has divergent views: The European Parliament has a consent for keeping the sanctions up, in the Council the Member Countries seem divided, at the Commission President Juncker had criticized declaration Passau last year about Russia. Now, with the Panama Papers, there are data that reveal suppositions: Russian financing through off-shores Euro-sceptic and populist factions like Marine Le Pen’s National Front. How should the European Union continue to act regarding Russia and how the foreseeable future looks for EaP countries, like Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine – is it a European one?
J.D.: One of the preconditions for the EU to let go of the restrictive measures against Russia is the fulfilment of the Minsk agreement by the Russian Federation. As long as these conditions are not met and the Russian aggression against Ukraine continues, the EPP will not support lifting the sanctions.
It is no secret that Russia has been financing National Front of Marine Le Pen in France as well as fully supporting the European extreme-left and extreme-right. If there is one goal Russia shares with the populist parties in Europe, is to weaken and divide Europe.
EU enlargement has been one of the most successful European policies and an effective tool in promoting democracy, reforms, and economic development. The EPP family has always been supportive of the Balkan and Eastern Partnership countries that are seeking to join the European Union and will continue to advocate for enlargement until these countries are ready to join our Union. In the meantime, these countries must implement the necessary reforms and put in place the rule of law, fight corruption and achieve an independent justice system. Only then they will be able to offer a stable economic environment to foreign investors, which will lead to more jobs and prosperity for their citizens, and ultimately a place in the EU family.
We also call for Russia to respect the territorial integrity of every country. The annexation of Crimea and the pressure it exerts on the Eastern Partnership countries with embargoes and geopolitical games is unacceptable.
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