From EU defense to the recent European elections: Sergio Mattarella in the round in his speech from Cotroceni Palace, in Bucharest, where he met the Romanian president Klaus Iohannis. A strong and clear message is the one linked to the unity of the Old Continent in relation to Ukraine. From this point of view, the President of the Republic reiterated the need for a common European defense “to give a deterrent response to Russia’s aggression”underlining that “the security of the whole of Europe depends on the defense of Kiev”. The head of state and Romanian president Iohannis confirmed full support for the defense of Ukraine and international rules.
Speaking of Bucharest, Mattarella urged the country’s entry into space Schengentaking the opportunity to call for the enlargement of the Union to include candidate countries such as those of the Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine: “We have a common vision of the urgency of completing the European Union in these countries which have applied and which we hope will be able to quickly enter the Union to contribute to its life”.
Asked about the results obtained by the far right in the last elections EuropeansMattarella underlined that democratic conscience requires always respecting the voters’ vote, recalling the indispensable character of the EU, born“from a pact of peace and democracy”. Principles and values, he added, which characterize the European Union and whoever is part of it must always have them as an insurmountable element of reference. As regards the future composition of the EU institutions, Mattarella reiterated that this must avoid fractures in view of the series of challenges to be faced quickly. Then the clarification on the point: “I would like to avoid confusing different plans: I spoke about speed referring to the need for the EU to be able to address problems, from the climate to health, from the economy to defence, in a fast way, by giving itself fast mechanisms, I didn’t talk about speed in formation of the bodies of the Union, is a different thing”.
Mattarella also focused on the recent fight in Palazzo Montecitorio, an event condemned in no uncertain terms by the president of
Repubblica, who spoke about “unseemly scene”: “A scene that everyone has condemned and which I hope is a lesson that makes those who triggered it understand that this is not parliamentary behaviour”.
