(L to R) Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker attend a press conference after the informal EU summit held in Bratislava, Slovakia, Sept. 16, 2016. “We believe that there is no reverse gear – we must continue going forward, because prosperity, stability and security in Europe can’t be guaranteed but via the European Union”, said Fico.
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“It is now about applying an agenda for Bratislava that makes clear we are determined to react together to the weaknesses, to the tasks we face”, Merkel told reporters in Paris after meeting Hollande ahead of Friday’s summit.
But at the same time, Europe was ready to stand on its own two feet if need be, he said, apparently referring to remarks by US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump that in a crisis the US-led alliance might think of its own interests first before its North Atlantic Treaty Organisation commitments.
In Eastern Europe, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia meanwhile oppose taking in more migrants and believe nation states are the future of the European Union, not a centralised super-state.
But Dr Merkel said the bloc simply had to improve. “But we respect the needs of our British colleagues.Our British colleagues need more time to prepare themselves”. “We are opening the process of reforming Europe”.
They will pledge closer defence co-operation and agree to bolster security along the EU’s external borders, as well as discussing new initiatives to generate growth and jobs. The summit’s goal is the charting of a new course for the EU, mindful of the reasons behind the Brexit, as identified by European Council President Donald Tusk: fragmentation, populism and Euroscepticism. Other EU nations committed extra equipment and personnel.
Buffeted by crises that are unlikely to be resolved until elections next year in France, Germany, and the Netherlands, the 27 European Union leaders-Britain’s Theresa May isn’t attending-will try to forge common ground on issues such as an economy that has struggled to recover after the global recession, security cooperation following several terrorist attacks, and external defense in the face of a resurgent Russian Federation. Greece remains in the zone of European Union nations using the euro after its third worldwide bailout.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, whose country has been at the center of the region’s debt crisis and seen the arrival of hundreds of thousands of migrants, mostly from Turkey, over the past year said things can not continue as they are. “However, no one is talking about finding solutions to all problems during a single meeting”, she warned.
Tusk also said that a common European defense policy, worrying unemployment and related economic troubles were among key priorities.
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“At the end of the day I hope that we will be ready to prepare a roadmap, a roadmap of the most important topics we would like to deal with in next six months”. “This is about showing through deeds that we can become better”.
