The European Political Community is an institution that allows all the countries of the European continent to exchange views and discuss the burning issues that Europe is facing today.
Tomorrow we will have the opportunity at the informal European Council to discuss a number of critical issues concerning Europe’s strategic direction and the immediate priorities we need to address.
We will discuss the challenges on the migration front. I want to welcome the fact that agreement in principle has been reached in the Council on the asylum and migration management regulation, which constitutes a major relief for frontline countries.
However, I will again insist on the need to increase the European Union budget, in the context of the forthcoming review, so that more European resources are available to address a critical issue that concerns the entire European Union.
The same applies to the response to the climate crisis, especially with regard to climate change adaptation actions. I also had the opportunity in Malta, at the Summit of the Southern European Union countries, to reiterate my indignation at the fact that the resources currently available from the European Solidarity Fund for dealing with natural disasters are extremely limited.
Greece will propose the increase of European funds by at least €2.5 billion, so that European citizens know that Europe is there for them no matter what, in the event that a country is affected by natural disasters linked to the climate crisis.
Greece today has a strong economy and can absorb without shocks the recent natural disasters that hit primarily the region of Thessaly. I would like to express once again my satisfaction that, within the existing frameworks and financial instruments at our disposal, the European Commission has moved with great speed, giving Greece the maximum flexibility to absorb European resources, in order to deal with this very large natural disaster.
