MEP Roberta Metsola: “The cost of hesitation in responding to COVID19 is too high”

We will not allow differences in response between larger and smaller states.

“The only way to respond to this COVID19 crisis is for Europe to be united in solidarity. That means doing everything we can to minimise the contagion, keep Europe’s supply lines functioning, ensure our healthcare systems have all the support they need and safeguard jobs at this critical time,” said the PN Head of Delegation to the European Parliament, MEP Roberta Metsola. 

Speaking before an extraordinary European Parliament plenary session, MEP Metsola said that “Our response cannot be half-hearted, we cannot be afraid to spend and we cannot hesitate to do whatever it takes to shore up our economies and people’s jobs”. Urging Member States to react quickly, MEP Metsola said “the cost of inaction or hesitation will be too high a price to pay.”

“Today I will join MEPs, remotely, to vote on one of the largest packages Europe has seen. We will launch a 37 billion euro fund to support healthcare systems, businesses and jobs. We will extend the EU solidarity mechanism to cover public health emergencies and we will ensure the necessary flexibility to safeguard airlines, including smaller fleets like Air Malta. This virus knows no borders or geography, so we want to make sure that there is no difference in response between larger and smaller Member States. We are all in this together. This must be a blue-print for Europe in action, ” said MEP Metsola. 

“We need to make sure that even micro businesses in smaller economies like Malta and Gozo are able to feel the benefits of this EU package and that our airlines, our economic eco-systems and our healthcare services are all given what they need, to withstand the pressure they are currently under,” stated MEP Metsola. 

“The speed with which Europe has responded and the unity of our response shows that Europe can respond in crisis and I am pleased that our Union has shown leadership in addressing the crisis. Our economies will bounce back from the shock of this crisis and we have to make sure that when this is over, people can go back to their way of life.”