Angela Merkel welcomes the second Eu Regions week with a long distance discussion on the priorities of the German Presidency of the European Council. At a time when nothing seems to be the same; where the pandemic has led Europe to an economic and social crisis, a crisis that needs definite and sustainable change. It seems that the crisis has found an unprepared Europe, a Europe with significant gaps in various areas, such as health, education, the environment. A Europe threatened by the refugee crisis, climate change, economic crisis and unemployment.
A Europe that struggles to gain the trust of its citizens, to build a relationship of mutual trust and communication across borders. A Europe of citizens whose main motto is Together. "Together" is the slogan of the German Presidency campaign. In her speech, Angela Merkel emphasized the next day of the European Union, the next step: a step of development and progress. The great transition towards a greener Europe, the turn towards the new digital age. This Europe that will be based on new, stronger health programs, with new state-of-the-art equipment and necessary means.
This Europe will emphasize the protection of the environment and the shift towards a new digital future. The German Chancellor also added that "this will be our weapon, as Europe, in climate change". This can only be achieved with the cooperation of all Member States in designing a recovery and tolerance plan. The European citizen, now, more than ever, needs access to new technologies and adaptation to a different model of everyday life.
The Presidency of Germany will promote the Next Generation EU program. It will come up with ideas and talk to the people of Europe. It will propose solutions for the implementation of a modern model that will be adopted by all EU Member States. After all, as the German Chancellor argued: "The Next Generation of Europe depends on each of us" and is a bet for Europe to emerge stronger from the pandemic crisis. So this was the occasion for the redesign of a common European line, a "green economy", a Europe of digitization and challenges.
Member States have a duty to uphold the values of the European Union and the rule of law. Local authorities need to cooperate at both national and European level, in order to protect and maintain internal and European stability. The German Chancellor, among other things, referred to the need to rebuild a new modern health system at a pan-European level. The protection of vulnerable groups in the midst of a corona-virus crisis is the main objective of the Member States. Protecting the elderly or people suffering from chronic diseases or illnesses and, consequently, need further protection from the virus. Hospitals and medical staff must be properly prepared to protect citizens from a new wave of Covid-19. A necessary condition is to fill the vacancies, through the recruitment of medical staff, while it is also necessary to strengthen the medical units with the appropriate equipment. Germany is the first country to open its hospitals to accommodate citizens from all over Europe in need of medical care. As President of CoR, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, emphasized, this should be an example for other European countries.
Another issue that was on the table and considered to be of the utmost importance, was the issue of education. The President of CoR, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, noted that only 6 countries of the European Union today, can fully respond to distance education, a percentage that is particularly dissatisfied to Europeans. The need for a strong model of distance education, with the necessary means, is the main issue of the post- corona virus crisis. Europe is here to revitalize education, putting key proposals on the negotiating table for modernizing public and private education.
Despite the fact that Germany took over the presidency at a seemingly difficult time, it is willing to find solutions to public education, public health, civil protection, the refugee and economic crisis - through support for those affected. countries - to provide the best and most favorable solutions for the agreement with England and Brexit and to set the lines for a new beginning, a green era, an era of digitization. Daily contact with the citizen is the main goal of the German Presidency. The need for Europe is to listen and support the needs of the European citizens, to lay the groundwork for regaining a relationship of trust between leadership and citizens.
Europe must avoid a new lockdown, all the necessary anti- corona virus security measures must be taken by all Member States to protect stability. "The result will be better if we are like-minded", said German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Europe needs to recover new exceptional measures and key instruments. It needs new financial opportunities and new jobs. It needs to protect the environment and turn to another direction, the green economy. And that is our main goal.
by Alexandra Chr Pavlou (Cyprus)
