Home affairs minister highlights Maltese interest in EU resilience

Home affairs minister Carmelo Abela highlighted the importance of EU resilience for Malta.

Speaking during the opening of a seminar on global security at the University of Malta on Monday, Abela said that the need for such resilience was amplified for member states situated in the midst of complex geostrategic positions in Europe.

Abela continued that the recent terror attacks perpetrated on neighbouring member states are a cold reminder that the EU cannot refrain from taking action.

“The EU cannot afford not to be prepared and member states cannot hide behind their national borders if their objective is to strengthen their citizens’ social security while simultaneously having an influential role on global affairs,” Abela said.

He explained that this was why Malta endorses the strategic reflection period launched by EU foreign affairs representative Federica Mogherini with the objective of having a Global EU Strategy for Foreign Affairs and Political Security by June 2016.

“The EU’s challenges are tied to those of the surrounding regions as issues such as political instability, poverty, inequality migratory influxes, radicalization, access to education, unemployment and violation of human rights in neighbouring countries will inevitably affect the EU,” he said.

 “When these effects start to surface, we need to be ready to address the situation with a common vision and strategy, based on a sense of unity and solidarity,” he said, adding that efficient communication and sharing of information could also help to meet these ends.