Speaker Anġlu Farrugia on Monday said that the European Union risks abandoning its founding ideals by shifting increasingly toward militarisation. He called on EU leaders to invest more in social resilience and diplomacy, and less in weapons, warning that the bloc may be drifting towards becoming a "Union of permanent arms."

"Are we building a union of peace - or are we preparing a Europe of permanent arms?" Farrugia asked in his speech in Budapest, as he criticised the rising scale of European defence spending and called for renewed focus on social cohesion and diplomacy.

Referring to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Farrugia noted that "our Member States have spent over €140 billion in military support." He continued, "We now debate a €150 billion EU defence facility, and under the ReArm Europe plan, nearly €800 billion in military investment may soon follow."

The Speaker also publicly supported the recent legal challenge by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, who questioned the legal basis of the proposed defence fund. 

Farrugia acknowledged that "security matters", but questioned whether this military direction reflects the will of European citizens. "Is this truly the Europe our citizens asked for?"

He contrasted the increasing investment in arms with persistent social issues within the bloc. "Because while these numbers grow, 95 million Europeans remain at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Many wonder: where is Europe's urgency when it comes to lifting lives, not lifting weapons?"

Speaking "not only as Speaker of Malta's Parliament, but as a European, and as a citizen," Farrugia made a strong appeal to EU leaders: "Do not act in my name - and do not act in the name of millions of Europeans - without first listening to the people."

"We want a Europe of peace, not a Europe of war. A Europe that opens channels for dialogue - not doors for profit. A Europe that does not serve power, but serves its people," he said.

Farrugia strongly defended Malta's stance on neutrality, framing it as a proactive rather than passive position. "Malta's neutrality is not silence - it is substance. We may not take part in military alliances, but we take our place with dignity in the humanitarian, diplomatic, and moral efforts of this Union. Because neutrality, when driven by principle, is not inaction - it is intention."

Turning to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Farrugia urged the EU to show equal moral concern across global conflicts. "As Europe stood united for Ukraine's sovereignty, it must not turn its gaze from Gaza - a Mediterranean shore like ours, in the Middle East, where suffering unfolds just across the same waters that bathe Malta and Europe."

He sharply criticised recent EU actions related to Gaza, remarking, "And then we hear that EU offers Israel help with a plan to replace aid agencies distributing food and medicine in Gaza. Shame shame. We are witnessing the 'annihilation' of people in Gaza."

Farrugia presented three concrete proposals for shifting the EU's direction toward peacebuilding and social equity:

1.     "Redirect 10% of national military budgets into a European Social Resilience Fund - to address poverty, housing, education, and public health."

2.     "Establish a Permanent European Council for Peacebuilding and Neutral Mediation - possibly hosted in Malta - so that diplomacy becomes a permanent pillar of European strategy."

3.     "Create a new Maastricht - a Maastricht for Dignity - where cohesion, not only competitiveness, determines our shared future."

"These proposals are not idealism. They are duty!" Farrugia declared. "Because if we do not listen to the people of Europe - we risk losing them. And if we lose their trust, we lose the soul of the Union itself."

He called on political leaders to remain accountable to their citizens: "The voice of the electorate must not only be heard - it must be respected. Those entrusted with power across Europe are not paid to do what serves themselves. They are paid - and obligated - to serve the collective future of all Europeans."

Farrugia concluded with a final appeal to his fellow Speakers: "Let this be our turning point - not toward more division, but toward deeper responsibility. Let us rise from this chamber, not just with applause, but with the courage to change course - and the wisdom to remember why this Union was born at all."