Strasbourg, 12 February 2025
Today at the plenary session in Strasbourg, Member of the European Parliament Željana Zovko made a speech on the Commission Work Programme 2025.
The European Commission presented its Work Programme 2025 with initiatives it plans to undertake in the next months.
Zovko pinpointed three key priorities that the Commission should bravely deliver on.
The first one is the White paper on the future of European Defence that will be a guiding road map for our security and the strengthening of the European pillar of NATO. Zovko emphasized that the White paper should contain a renewed security cooperation with our transatlantic allies and the UK. Zovko also stressed that we must also deepen our ties with partners in the Southern neighbourhood as the protection of their borders, that we never really cared about, is key to preserve our security.
The second key issue is the New Pact for the Mediterranean that will build comprehensive partnerships based on areas of mutual interest, without financing NGOs that live from salon politics.
However, Zovko highlighted that the third and most important topic of the Commission work is the strengthening of our competitiveness. In this regard, the Commission must create the conditions for AI revolution.
She pointed out the first amendment of the US Constitution that guarantees freedom of speech reflects the principle that is enshrined in our EU Charter of fundamental rights.
She continued: “But freedom of expression does not come without accountability for what is being said. Therefore I call on the end of anonymity behind the screen”.
Let us remind that Zovko is a member of the newly fully-fledged Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE) and actively advocated for stability in Southeastern Europe in her previous terms. She already has a significant experience in defence-related issues as she was rapporteur for numerous reports on, amongst others, the EU-Africa security cooperation in the Sahel, West Africa and the Horn of Africa.