EPP Group Vice-Chair responsible for relations with the US Congress and EPP diplomacy and EPP Group Standing Rapporteur on Trade Control with the United States Željana Zovko took part in a mini-plenary debate in Brussels on EU-US relations in light of the results of the US presidential election.
Zovko emphasized that she was in Texas last week for the Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue, where the delegation of the European Parliament was hosted by Republicans. She added that she was glad to see Texas after the election and feel patriotism and joy among the people there.
During the debate, Zovko pointed out that America is a democracy with mechanisms of balance of power, and it is not only Trump who is elected, but also the House of Representatives and the Senate. She added that the EU must work with congressmen and senators and work on consensus and concrete issues, not ideology. The EU and the US, for example, must work on defence and the fight against floods. Zovko also stressed that people voted for Trump because they didn’t get help when they needed it.
She said she was looking forward to the moment when the EU would “come to its senses” and get out of this infantile position in which she expects someone else to solve her problems.
“Accept reality, start working with those with whom we can build bridges and find common interests, whether it’s Trump, the House of Representatives or the Senate, on the same goals we need in this geopolitically turbulent world,” Zovko concluded.
Last week, as a member of the Delegation for relations with the US, Zovko participated in the 89th Interparliamentary Meeting of the Transatlantic Legislative Dialogue (TLD) between the EU and the US in Fort Worth, Texas, where topics of common interest, such as transatlantic security, cooperation in the digital and energy sectors, as well as food security, were discussed.