Bosanac: We should continue to be careful, we know what Putin's intentions are like

Members of European Parliament, Davor Ivo Stier and Gordan Bosanac, commented on Ursula von der Leyen's speech on the state of the European Union for Croatian Television today.

Davor Ivo Stier, a European parliamentarian from the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party, said that the news and information coming from Poland certainly marked this morning. He noted that the President of the Commission was a few minutes late in her speech on the state of the Union.

“It seems to me that it is precisely because she wanted to update, change her initial speech in order to add those sentences expressing solidarity with Poland in this situation. For that, she received, as you yourself said, a big round of applause from the entire hall. Therefore, I think it is a message of unity and solidarity towards Poland in this situation,” said Stier.

Gordan Bosanac, a European parliamentarian from the Možemo party, said that he thinks it is one in a series of Russian provocations.

“We need to be careful. The way NATO and the EU reacted is important. We saw that this provocation was eliminated very quickly. Which perhaps suggests that not everything is as dark and that we are not as weak as people often want to talk about Europe and the EU. However, we should continue to be careful. We know very well who Vladimir Putin is and what his intentions are,” said Bosanac.

Work is being done on the 19th package of sanctions, increased support for Ukraine, but also a new solution for financing all Ukrainian efforts when it comes to defense.

“I think that was a message that was approved by a large majority in the European Parliament. I would also add to that its message that now is the time when Europe should preserve, of course, its alliance with the United States of America, primarily within NATO, but also build its own capabilities and thus achieve strategic autonomy,” said Stier.

Ursula von der Leyen referred to the situation in Gaza. The message was more than clear. Hunger is unacceptable as a weapon of war. Europe's inability to resolve this conflict as soon as possible was very clearly highlighted.

Bosanac stressed that we could finally hear much harsher words from the President of the Commission.

“I regret that she did not explicitly mention genocide. We know that the architecture of the EU is such that it does not have the power that, for example, prime ministers in European countries have, but that a member state can always lift the brakes and it is clear that, unfortunately, in some countries, they are always lifted,” Bosanac explained.

“I would say that unfortunately, this is also the case in my country, Croatia, which made, in my opinion, an incredible diplomatic blunder yesterday by receiving the Israeli Foreign Minister,” said Bosanac.

Stier rejected criticism on this account, saying that Ursula von der Leyen emphasized what is also the position of the Republic of Croatia.

“The only peaceful solution can be achieved if a two-state solution is reached,” Stier stated.

Source: HRT