Τhe Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, highlighted the need for deepening the EU’s strategic autonomy while briefing today the Parliamentary Standing Committee on European Affairs, on the developments in European issues and outlining the Greek positions.
In particular, Mr. Varvitsiotis noted that he is content that the new year begins with the French Presidency, which focuses on the imperative of the EU’s strategic autonomy. For Greece, said the Alternate Minister, strategic autonomy of the EU is a step towards a political Union, which will ensure security conditions in its member states, but also towards turning from a humanitarian aid provider into a security provider in the wider SE Mediterranean region. “Today we need more Europe, with a stronger voice in the world. We need a sovereign Europe, which will not only focus on internal issues, but it will also have a single and decisive voice abroad, especially on European security issues”.
Regarding Turkey in particular, the Alternate Minister stressed that the government has turned Greek-Turkish issues into EU-Turkish issues, making it commonplace in the EU that Turkey deviates from the acquis communautaire and is at odds with all EU foreign policy decisions.
As regards the Western Balkans, Mr. Varvitsiotis noted that Greece supports the European perspective of Albania and North Macedonia. He made it clear, however, that this course is not irreversible. “If our northern neighbors change their position regarding the full implementation of the Prespa Agreement, then accordingly Greece will change its position as well,” he stressed, saying that in this context, specific memoranda that are stipulated by the agreement have rightly not yet been ratified by the Greek Parliament. In fact, that issue was not raised by the other side; on the contrary – he said – it was brought up only by SYRIZA.
Referring to the Future of Europe, the Alternate Minister stressed that we need a new model of production towards a Green and Digital Europe, while deepening its social model. In fact, regarding the social character of Europe, Mr. Varvitsiotis pointed out that Greece’s proposal for a minimum guaranteed income is embraced by all participants in the European project and is included on the Commission’s agenda.
Referring to the issue of the amendment of European treaties raised by the representative of SYRIZA, Mr. Varvitsiotis opposed the abolition of unanimity on foreign policy issues, emphasizing that the right of veto is important for Greece and is a safety net for small countries. “Deepening Europe does not mean that member states will lose and sacrifice any guarantees they have regarding exercising foreign policy,” he noted.
Regarding the Stability and Growth Pact, the Alternate Minister pointed out that we want its reform in such a way that “we do not find ourselves in the grip of underfunding” of the previous decade, but taking into account the new needs that have emerged following the economic crisis caused by the pandemic.
On the issue of migration, the Alternate Minister underscored that our country has reduced migration flows by 90%, but at European level there should be a mechanism of sanctions against those who instrumentalize migrants, while at the same time there should be solidarity and fair burden-sharing clauses as well.
As regards energy, “the major problem of our time”, Mr. Varvitsiotis noted that the dilemma between green and cheap energy is a “pseudo-dilemma” and stressed that Europe “cannot ignore that there are gas reserves in the Southeast Mediterranean” at a time when it feels dependent on Russian gas. He noted that 1.7 billion have been allocated to our country by the Recovery Fund for Green and Digital Transition, money which should be put to the best possible use, considering that the environment is changing, as the recent snowstorm showed.
Referring to the pandemic, Mr. Varvitsiotis stressed the importance of common policies in the supply of vaccines and the vaccination certificate, while noting that Europe is the largest donor of vaccines in the world, with our country having donated millions of doses.
As far as the Conference on the Future of Europe is concerned, the Alternate Minister emphasized the importance of the Greek presence in this dialogue and called on the political parties and the Civil Society to take an active part. In addition, he pointed out that Greece needs to highlight the importance of protecting the marine environment of Europe and in particular the Mediterranean, noting that Greece has made this a key issue at the Summit of the nine Mediterranean EUMED countries.
You can watch the Alternate Minister’s speech here and his second intervention here.