We praise the action of the prime ministers and the responsible measures taken.
“I would like to express my sincere support for all the efforts at local, regional, national and European level to contain the spread of this COVID-19 virus while preserving calm in society.
“I would also like to express my solidarity with the countries that have been hit and, in particular, with those who have lost citizens because of the virus”, the letter sent by PES President Stanishev reads.
The PES underlines the need to protect the most vulnerable in society, including at-risk groups, those on the frontline of the healthcare system, and people working in occupations with an elevated risk of contagion.
The PES calls for unity, maximum cooperation and maximum coordination between the EU’s member states, the EU’s institutions and international health organisations, stressing the importance of European unity and solidarity: “Protecting our citizens, with a special focus on the most vulnerable, is our main priority”.
The letter calls for measures to offset the social and economic impact resulting from this crisis: “Europe must support affected economies with all means necessary including the flexible application of fiscal rules.”
The current crisis, the letter underlines, highlights the need to reflect on the consequences of Coronavirus and Europe’s readiness to deal with such events. The PES therefore calls for a longer-term reflection, once the crisis is over:
“For the longer term, we need to discuss ways to support our healthcare systems, supporting the medical professions, supporting research, and increasing our ability to deal with unforeseen crises”.
The PES is in close contact with the prime ministers and ministers of our political family involved in the response to COVID-19 in Europe.
