A number of days earlier than the European elections, Vima spoke with Stelios Kymbouropoulos, a member of the European Parliament and a brand new candidate with the New Democracy about the way forward for Europe, the stakes of the electoral battle and the geopolitical function that the EU is known as upon to play . in a fluid world geopolitical setting.
Mr. Kymbouropoulos refers, amongst different issues, to the rise of the intense proper throughout Europe and calls on residents to decide on these forces that may work unitedly within the European Parliament.
Relating to the significance of the E.U. for the on a regular basis lifetime of Greek residents, the New Democracy MEP stands, amongst different issues, on the truth that 70% of the legal guidelines in our nation are purposes of European Directives. “From the Restoration Fund alone, Greece advantages about 36 billion euros. Many infrastructure tasks are presently financed by the European Union, whereas in instances of disaster, such because the pandemic, the EU creates a community of safety across the Member States,” he says.
Lastly, he asks for a vote for New Democracy as a result of this fashion “we specific our willpower to stay on the trail of stability and improvement that the present authorities has put Greece on.”
Your first time period within the European Parliament is coming to an finish. What have you ever discovered in these 5 years? The place ought to the EU focus within the subsequent 5?
The European Parliament requires information, the need to work laborious and alliances to have the ability to efficiently defend nationwide pursuits. The character of the establishment is such that the flexibility to influence and seek the advice of on the premise of strong, actual and measurable proof and indicators is the important thing to success.
The EU has large points to barter over the subsequent 5 years within the areas of economic system, improvement, protection and safety, well being, agricultural coverage, local weather change and migration. The frequent crucial to deal with is attaining actual convergence via regional cohesion insurance policies, in order that the advantages of the Union attain all European residents with out exception.
How involved are you with the rise of the far proper? Do you assume that the subsequent parliament can be a battleground for far-right political teams?
The European far-right is Eurosceptic and revisionist, goes towards the values and ideas of liberal democracy, is absolutist, populist and acts opportunistically. These options make for an explosive combine.
Maybe some residents have the impression {that a} far-right social gathering will higher defend nationwide pursuits, however the reality shouldn’t be that. From my expertise to date, I inform you that far-right teams fairly often have an undermining and divisive function within the European Parliament, with the end result that much less and less is achieved, particularly in issues of political cohesion and particularly for Greece. In immigration, for instance, the efforts we made as a rustic to introduce necessary solidarity encountered the largest obstacles from far-right teams. Thankfully, these have been in the end not insurmountable.
It’s as much as the residents to not strengthen these tendencies within the subsequent European Parliament and this is likely one of the the explanation why residents ought to go to the polls and select these forces that may work unifyingly within the European Parliament.
Why ought to anybody vote for New Democracy and also you within the upcoming European elections?
For 2 essential causes. One has to do with our nationwide pursuits. I’ve additionally stated in one other interview that we Greeks should vote within the European elections with strategic extroversion, realizing very nicely the place we place our forces within the European Parliament. New Democracy joins the European Folks’s Celebration, the bulk Eurogroup within the European Parliament. The extra Greek MPs now we have within the largest and strongest European social gathering, the larger would be the negotiating energy and parliamentary affect of our nation.
The second cause has to do with maybe crucial message to ship my fellow residents on this election. All through the election marketing campaign we witnessed the populist narrative and communication fireworks with which the opposition tried to cowl up the whole absence of clear, costed and possible political proposals.
A saturation of the political discipline was tried with rampant and poisonous demagoguery that in the end revealed the political stigma of the opposition. It is rather vital that voters reject these political attitudes, and ship a powerful message that as a rustic we’re carried out with these practices, that we aren’t and can by no means be keen to return to the times of apprentice wizards. With our constructive vote for New Democracy, we specific our willpower to stay on the trail of stability and improvement that the present authorities has put Greece on.
How vital is the EU? for our lives?
Very a lot. 70% of the legal guidelines in our nation are purposes of European Directives. Solely from the Restoration Fund Greece advantages about 36 billion euros. Many infrastructure tasks are presently funded by the European Union, whereas in instances of disaster, such because the pandemic, the EU creates a protecting web round its Member States.
The European Union acts as a multiplier of our nationwide energy and lately, because of the nice governance now we have had, Greece has recovered a lot of its political capital. The proposals of Kyriakos Mitsotakis are listened to, with the end result that Greece advantages essentially the most from its participation within the Union.
In a world of accelerating geopolitical challenges (Ukraine, Gaza, and many others.) what function is the EU referred to as upon to play? and the way far do its capabilities attain?
The European Union can be referred to as upon within the coming years to determine whether or not it needs to tackle the geostrategic and geopolitical function that belongs to it. Its capabilities attain so far as we wish them to achieve.
Our personal nationwide proposal – which I imagine will finally be adopted by different states as nicely – is the event of European protection coverage in order that the EU is geostrategically self-reliant and prepared not solely to answer the rising challenges within the area, but in addition to form the worldwide political scene. In my opinion it is a one-way avenue and is a matter of the utmost nationwide significance and profit which I’ll defend if re-elected with all my may.
When you handle to be elected for a second time period, what areas will you search to deal with over the subsequent 5 years?
Armed with the parliamentary expertise I’ve gained in these 5 years and the alliances I’ve constructed, I want to proceed my work on a lot of points wherein I’ve distinguished myself. First I’ll check with the well being sector, for which I’ve been awarded as the primary MEP with essentially the most affect on policy-making (RPP Well being Coverage Leaders 2024).
Having additionally served as Chair of the Cross-Parliamentary Group on Incapacity, definitely widening cohesion insurance policies for disabled residents can be one other space of emphasis for me. Other than these apparent areas of labor although, I’ve been named as one among 20 MEPs who stood out for his or her work in EU politics in the course of the 2019-2024 time period (Rising Star in EU Politics). I tabled 1397 amendments, 103 written inquiries to the Committee and stood 85 instances within the Plenary on wider social coverage points, on labor points such because the minimal wage, on environmental insurance policies such because the abolition of dangerous fluorine gases.
I’ve supported initiatives on the economic system, together with the Restoration Fund, the island coverage, and naturally I’ve passionately defended our nationwide points. I hope that Greek women and men will renew their belief in me, rewarding with their vote the laborious and sincere work I did in my present time period.
#Kymbouropoulos #Vima #Lets #apprentice #magicians
