L-Ewropa taħdem meta tkun qrib in-nies - Il-President Metsola tindirizza l-Patt tas-Sindki  

Dear President von der Leyen, dear Ursula,
Dear President Tüttő, dear Kata,
Dear Mayors,
Dear colleagues,
 
Good morning.
 
It’s a real pleasure to be here with you today.
 
We started this week by opening in this very chamber the European Week of Regions and Cities on Monday. And over the past few days, I’ve had the privilege and the chance to meet and speak with many local representatives — to listen, to exchange ideas, and to hear what really matters to Europe.
 
All week, this Parliament and this city have been buzzing with local councillors, regional leaders, mayors, people who are really at the heart of what makes Europe, Europe. You have met with Members of the European Parliament, we have had Ministers who have come from the capitals to discuss with you in this House, and there is nothing that strengthens the bond between Europeans than this. This week has shown Europe in action: that is ambitious, that is cohesive, and that is close to its people.
 
And what I would say this week has confirmed to me is that our regions, our cities and our towns are where Europe is actually being built. In the places where people live their lives: in our schools, in our hospitals, in the squares and cafés where people meet, in the local councils where decisions are made. That’s where Europe is alive. That’s where people see it: in every new road, every renovated school, every new park where children can play, every home insulated against the cold, every new bus line running on clean energy, every start-up space supported by EU funds — all of these, proof that Europe is making a real difference in people’s daily lives.
 
I learnt early on that all politics is local. I started my European journey in student politics, campaigning for my country to join the European Union, and even then, it felt close. Ultimately, that campaign was about people, about what mattered in their daily lives. And I can tell you, that’s something that has stayed with me every day since.
 
Of course, you know this better than anyone. Every time we speak with mayors, you across Europe, I see how hands-on your work is: dealing with the cost of living, housing, energy prices, environmental issues, with how to make your communities safer, greener, more liveable. You see the faces behind every decision you make, and you know that trust is something that has to be earned, over and over again.
 
And maybe that’s why trust in local and regional authorities is now at its highest in a decade — because people see that you deliver. When people see action, when they feel heard, they stay engaged. But when they don’t, they turn away. And often they would turn to those who offer easy answers, those who seek to divide. So by delivering, by showing that Europe works locally, you are defending democracy itself.
 
This Covenant of Mayors, the community that you’ve built, is really Europe at its best. Cities learning from each other, working together, turning ideas into real change. And let me say congratulations to Mechelen, Lappeenranta and Domokos — and also to Heilbronn, Siena and Assen. You are showing the way forward, quietly, steadily, but with real impact.
 
And I can tell you that that is the same spirit that drives us here, in this European Parliament. This is a Parliament that represents everyone: not just the big capitals, but the small towns, the remote islands, the rural villages. Every voice matters here, in every decision that we take in this chamber. And together with my fellow Members of Parliament, we are focused on results, on making Europe deliver for people. On making sure that when we make decisions here, they actually work on the ground, where you are.
 
And that means simplifying, cutting red tape, making things easier for the people that we represent, for businesses, for communities. It means listening, it means adapting, and putting action before words.
 
It also means leading on the big challenges of our time, and helping our towns and cities prepare for the future: making homes warmer and cheaper to heat, supporting communities to adapt to floods, droughts and heatwaves, investing in cleaner transport, stronger grids, better water systems, and creating new, forward-looking jobs in the process. That’s how we build safer communities and a stronger, more competitive Europe at the same time.
 
These challenges that we face — issues of extreme weather and climate change - we have an obligation to address properly. I come from an island in the middle of the Mediterranean. This issue is personal and well as institutional, for me. In 1988, it was the Foreign Minister from my country who pushed through the UN resolution that declared climate change as a “common concern of mankind”. The legacy reminds us that Europe has always led when others hesitated.
 
And we know that when Europe gets it right, people feel it. And when we get it wrong — and we sometimes do get it wrong — people feel that too. We want a Europe that helps people, not one that gets in their way. That is what this Parliament stands for. And that is what we’re building together.
 
That is why cohesion policy matters. It’s how we make sure that every community, no matter how small or how far, can thrive. That no one feels forgotten. That change does not come at the expense of those who need support the most.
 
And as we look ahead now to the next Multiannual Financial Framework that has been proposed and that we are discussing here, this is something that we are determined to defend. First, we will keep pushing for strong cohesion funding, because this is how every euro spent goes towards improving people’s lives, strengthening communities, and creating sustainable opportunities. Your local and regional authorities drive half of Europe’s public investment, and you manage a third of public expenditure. You are the backbone of implementation, so you must have the means to act. And I want to be clear on this point, the European Parliament as the budgetary authority will do its job.
 
Second, we need to make sure that both the design and implementation of these programmes stay as close as possible to local and regional realities, and actually deliver on their aims. Because policies only work when they reflect the people and places they’re meant to serve. That means listening more, involving you more, and building together from the ground up.
 
Europe — and I’ll conclude with how I started — isn’t a distant idea. It begins locally: in your cities, your towns, your neighbourhoods. It is something we are building together, every single day.
 
So I thank you, for leading, for caring for your communities, for showing that Europe only works when it’s close to its people. And for reminding us why we must keep going, even when it’s not easy. Especially when it’s not easy.
 
Thank you very much, and I look forward to continuing the conversation with you.