Press Releases

The 5^th Southern EU Countries Summit was held today, 29 January 2019, at the Filoxenia Conference Center, in Lefkosia. The Summit was hosted by the President of the Republic, Mr Nicos Anastasiades, with the participation of the President of the Republic of France, Mr Emmanuel Macron, the Prime Ministers of the Republic of Malta, Mr Joseph Muscat, the Hellenic Republic, Mr Alexis Tsipras, the Republic of Italy, Mr Giuseppe Conte, the Republic of Portugal, Me Antonio Costa, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Spain, Mr Josep Borrell Fontelles.

Following the deliberations of the Summit, the six Heads of State and Government and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Spain, made statements to the Press.

 Speaking in English the Prime Minister of Malta Mr. Joseph Muscat, said:

“ I will be very brief because colleagues have said what needed to be said. I do appreciate this Med7 meetings because they are strategic in nature rather than just debating on what will happen or what we will say at the next Council meetings. We tried to take a longer term perspective and I think that this is the crucial competitive edge that we have as a group of countries. We try to address issues not only of today and tomorrow but also long term issues. We have to think  where we should go in the next years.

Today΄s discussion should be taken within this context both when it comes to the reform of the Eurozone and also on the issue of migration. I believe that despite the different nuances and also differences, clear differences, that might be present amongst us from time to time, there is a clear understanding that there needs to be a unified approach. I do believe, that  all of us, as frontline countries, we have found in many cases each others solidarity. We are there to guard each others back in a way that no one single member state is left on its own. Obviously, in order to do that one must be comforted that we are all following rules. Obviously when I say everyone, it means member states, it means NGOs, it means everyone. This is where we are coming from, this is where we are truly going and I do look forward that in the next meeting that we will hold in Malta, to have a clearer chance to try to engage on the work programme of the new Commission and on how these challenges will be addressed.

Τhank you President Anastasiades for your kind hospitality ‘’         

( DC )