The President underlined that the Brexit vote had revealed all of the EU’s problems. Confronted with such challenges as unstable economic conditions, unemployment, the migration crisis, and terrorism, Europe is unable to deal with them quickly and effectively. This has undermined the people’s trust in the European Union, encouraging euroscepticism and populism.
According to the President, Brexit lessons have to be taken into account very responsibly and the EU must respond to the expectations of its citizens. The EU’s ultimate goal is to ensure that all citizens feel safe. This can be achieved through an effective protection of external borders, reinforced EU capabilities to counter hybrid, cyber and energy security threats, as well as efficient exchange of information on terrorism.
Dalia Grybauskaitė pointed out that the second priority for the EU was a growing and competitive economy. It was therefore necessary to reduce long-standing unemployment, improve business climate, remove bureaucratic constraints, develop a digit economy, eradicate poverty and social exclusion.
The President stressed that the United Kingdom has been and will continue to be an important partner of the European Union. However, she said, the EU will always defend the four fundamental freedoms: the free movement of persons, capital, goods, and services.
The meeting with European Council President Donald Tusk was held in the framework of consultations ahead the Bratislava summit. On Sunday, September 11, President Dalia Grybauskaitė will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin to exchange views on the future of the European Union.
