Labour MEP Professor Edward Scicluna today praised a European Parliament resolution on the need for EU policies and funding for mountain regions and islands, describing it as “a strong statement of intent that will protect Malta’s interests, particularly Gozo.”
Speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on a Motion for Resolution that focused on the needs of mountainous regions, islands and sparsely populated areas, Prof Scicluna referred to the parliamentary question he had tabled in September 2009 about the value of Declaration 36 of Malta’s EU accession treaty, which promised that the Maltese government would guarantee EU regional structural funding for Gozo.
Prof Scicluna said:
“It is highly regrettable that the government’s prized Declaration 36, aimed at safeguarding the economic future of Gozo, did not result in any funding ever materialising”.
But he stated that Gozitans should be reassured that the resolution, which calls for a specific EU policy framework for islands, as well as funding safeguards under the EU financial framework and 2014-2020 budgetary cycle, would help secure the island’s financial future.
Prof Scicluna commented that:
“I am pleased that this resolution calls for carefully devised EU programmes and policies that are specifically adapted to each island with a view to make them more competitive and capable of adjusting to the challenges facing them. This should lead to a more flexible use of Structural Funds and financing from the European Investment Bank.”
Concluding, Prof Scicluna said:
“Mountain regions and islands across the EU share common features that differentiate them from other regions of their own Member State. It is important therefore that small island Member States such as Malta should have regional development programmes that cater for their specific needs”.
Ends
The link to Prof Scicluna’s speech in the European Parliament can be found at:http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sed/speeches.do?orator=Q-T
Stqarrija lill-istampa dwar Għawdex
Prof Scicluna jqajjem il-bżonn ta’ fondi Ewropej għal Għawdex
L-Ewroparlamentari Laburista Malti l-Professur Edward Scicluna l-bieraħ reġa’ qajjem il-każ ta’ bżonn ta’ fondi Ewropej bil-għan li jkun salvagwardjat il-futur ekonomiku t’Għawdex. Prof Scicluna għamel dan f’intervent fis-sessjoni plenarja tal-Parlament Ewropew (PE) fi Strasbourg. Huwa kien qed jitkellem fuq mozzjoni ta’ riżoluzzjoni tal-PE dwar il-bżonn ta’ politika u fondi Ewropej għal regjuni muntanjużi u gżejjer. Prof Scicluna ddeskrieva din ir-riżoluzzjoni bħala “dikjarazzjoni qawwija ta’ intenzjoni li jkunu protetti l-interessi ta’ Malta, partikolarment t’Għawdex.”
Il-mozzjoni tiffoka fuq il-bżonnijiet ta’ reġjuni muntanjużi, gżejjer u postijiet b’popolazzjoni żgħira. Prof Scicluna rrefera għal Mistoqsija Parlamentari tiegħu f’Settembru 2009 li kienet titratta Dikjarazzjoni 36 tat-Trattat ta’ Sħubija ta’ Malta fl-Unjoni Ewropea (UE) li wegħdet li l-Gvern Malti kien jiggarantixxi fondi strutturali reġjonali mill-UE għal Għawdex.
“Hija ħasra li din id-Dikjarazzjoni, maħsuba mill-Gvern Malti biex tissalvagwarda l-futur ekonomiku t’Għawdex ma wassletx biex jingħataw fondi speċifiċi għal Għawdex,” qal Prof Scicluna.
L-Ewroparlamentari Laburista qal li madankollu l-Għawdxin għandhom ikunu assigurati li r-riżoluzzjoni, li titlob speċifikament għal qafas politiku tal-UE għall-gżejjer, kif ukoll għal salvagwardar ta’ fondi Ewropej taħt il-Qafas Finanzjarju u l-Baġit 2014-2010, tgħin biex ikun assigurat il-futur finanzjarju tal-gżira.
“Ninsab sodisfatt li r-riżoluzzjoni titlob għal programmi tal-UE u politika li huma speċifikament adattati għal kull gżira bil-għan li tagħmilhom aktar kompetittivi u kapaċi biex jadattaw lilhom infushom għall-isfidi li għandhom. Dan għandu jwassal għal użu aktar flessibbli ta’ fondi strutturali u finanzjament mill-Bank tal-Investiment Ewropew,” qal Prof Scicluna.
Huwa temm jgħid li reġjuni muntanjużi u gżejjer fil-pajjiżi tal-UE għandhom fatturi komuni li jagħmluhom differenti minn reġjuni oħra ta’ pajjiżhom stess. Huwa għalhekk importanti li pajjiżi membri zgħar bħalma hija Malta għandu jkollhom programmi ta’ żvilupp reġjonali li jkopru bżonnijiet speċifiċi.
Tmiem
Biex tisma’ l-intervent tal-Professur Scicluna fil-Parlament Ewropew aghafas hawn:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sed/speeches.do?orator=Q-T
News Release released on the 23rd September, 2010