The Greens believe that a social Europe is one that really enables and empowers everyone to live a fulfilling life, and that this vision of Europe is an integral part of the European identity and a key ingredient to our future success. Living in good health, with a decent income, in good homes, enjoying the opportunity to develop one’s abilities and skills throughout life, working in jobs that bring fulfilment and create value for the individual and society, having the possibility to build a family, to live a long and healthy life are all clear green aims. This is all part of a promise Europe has for all of its citizens, and fulfilling this promise must now be brought back to the heart of government action.

The EU must also demonstrate leadership and initiative in defining ambitious goals and setting standards in the area of social policy. Undermining these standards would be the surest way for Europe to enter a downward spiral that will leave it poorer as a whole. It is now time to enter a path of sustainable development where, learning from both past and the present experience, we strive to drastically reduce our consumption of non-renewable resources and our emissions of greenhouse gases.

The European Greens’ Green New Deal is a step in this direction as it seeks to create opportunities out of the current energy and financial crises, by creating new green jobs which not only generate income and economic stimuli, but at the same time create solutions for our environment and well-being. We are envisaging a concerted initiative by the EU and its member states to foster a new wave of green investments to prepare our economy for a post-oil era and to prevent further climate change.

This will at the same time increase welfare system revenue while cutting unemployment, as these investments will create millions of jobs in Europe in areas such as renewable energy, clean transportation, organic agriculture and green building techniques.

Apart from this new deal, we recognise the necessity of addressing the financial issues facing our welfare systems, and the challenges such as rising unemployment, greater health care needs due to an ageing population, a subsequent rising demand for pensions, and the need for a greater expenditure in education to train and retrain workers in today’s ultra-competitive economy.

We do not believe the solution is to be found in the usual combination of privatisation and of a weakening of welfare provisions. In fact, for many people, such as pensioners or job seekers, social benefits provide the only income, or are an investment to build one’s future upon (eg. education).

As Greens, therefore, we propose that in order to meet both demographic evolution and to improve social inclusion in Europe, the percentage of GDP dedicated to welfare as a whole needs to be increased. This is both an ethical obligation as well as an investment in our future.

The way forward is replete with ideas, such as raising the intensity and effectiveness of combating tax evasion, modulating taxes and social contributions according to social and environmental criteria, and making health prevention a priority, thus moving away from healthcare systems that are only cure-oriented, and therefore reducing the overall cost of care through prevention.

All this can become possible through the choice of a Maltese Green MEP on 6 June, either by voting the two AD candidates straight up or else by giving your subsequent preferences. We will be voting for 5 MEPs, eventually becoming 6, this time round, and with your vote you can elect in the Green Group a Maltese representative who can influence 50 other MEPs in Malta’s favour, thus increasing the number of MEPs influenced by Maltese MEPs from the present 450 to 500.

AD can really make a difference, especially in these difficult times, by being your positive and propositive voice in the European Parliament.

On 6 June we can make history together by electing a Maltese Green in the European Parliament 47 years after a third party parliamentarian was last elected.

Let us go for it. Yes, we can!

[email protected]

www.alternattiva.org.mt

www.arnoldcassola.wordpress.com

Arnold Cassola Chairperson of Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party and candidate for the European elections