Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-10-05-Speech-2-086"
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"en.19991005.5.2-086"2
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"Mr President, first of all, I would like to congratulate the rapporteur, Mr Martin, for producing the three reports, which can be examined together since they concern common issues. I would say that he has presented a well-balanced set of reports with particular sensitivity. Not only do I believe this, but our Committee also displayed this by adopting the amendments and text with a majority vote.
The European Union’s granting of financial assistance concerns three countries: FYROM, Bulgaria and Romania. We should once again clarify that we are talking about financial assistance of a macro-economic nature. In other words, on the one hand, it anticipates a viable balance of payments for those countries and, on the other hand, it facilitates the implementation of structural reforms which are necessary for all three countries if we want to see them face a future brighter than the past. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that in addition to the EUR 50 million loan for FYROM, there is also the non-returnable grant, a financial boost in the region of EUR 30 million. The reason behind this is that this country has been worst affected and has welcomed many refugees as a result of the atrocities in Yugoslavia and Kosovo.
As regards Bulgaria, EUR 100 million have been granted by way of loan solely in order to support the balance of payments and facilitate the structural changes and reforms which are scheduled. The same goes for Romania, for whom a loan in the region of EUR 200 million is envisaged.
Of course, the aid will not be given arbitrarily but will be monitored by the Commission with the cooperation of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and, of course, with the coordination of the International Monetary Fund. I believe, and those of us who support these reports believe, that those monies will be put to good use, as it is clear that those countries are venturing in the right direction. Of course, what we must realise and understand, and what we should be particularly mindful of, is the fact that those countries set off from a different starting-point to us. If we consider the fact that they have less than ten years’ experience of functioning within the private economy, within the free market and with free competition, whereas we were born into, we have grown up with and we have been shaped by the framework of a free economy, then we will understand just what these countries are up against. That is why I am certain that the aid they receive will prove to be beneficial.
In addition to this, I would like to say that the sooner they are given this financial assistance, the sooner they can grow and develop in the best possible way. There are no time limits. They are waiting their turn. They found themselves to be victims of a war they did not start and in which they did not participate except for acting as host countries to the negative after-effects. We have a moral duty and, indeed, we are in a position to give them this material support. At the same time, however, we must, of course, tackle the economic repercussions of all this, and there are other problems here which need to be resolved.
I am making an appeal, Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I am calling on everybody to vote in favour of these three reports. They are a move in the right direction; they express the sentiments of the European Union; they express the sentiments of this European Parliament.
I would like to ask that we all contribute towards increasing those resources
within the fiscal limitations – and we need to make some fiscal amendments to certain articles – so that we not only show our good intentions but that we turn them into deed in the best and most effective way."@en1
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