"Let us respect the EU better, let's not dirty its image, let's try to defend its image, let's say yes to patriotism, no to exaggerated nationalism that detests others and tries to destroy them". These are the words spoken by Jean-Claude Juncke, President of the EU Commission, in his speech on the state of the Union at the Plenary meeting held in Strasbourg.
"The external challenges are multiplying, we can not give up the grip to build a more united and stronger Europe. The enlargements for me remain successful, we have combined geography and history, but efforts remain to be made. We must definitively define the accession of the Western Balkan countries, otherwise the others will take on the task of shaping our neighbors. Europe must remain a continent of openness and tolerance, it will never be a fortress in a world that suffers, it will never be an island, it will remain multilateral, the planet does not belong to the few ".
Juncke added, "Whenever Europe speaks with one voice it succeeds in imposing itself on others, it must act as a compact front, and we have shown it when we have defended the Paris agreement".
The president of the European Commission then addressed the issue of migrants declaring his opposition to re-establishing the borders between the member countries. "I stand against internal borders, where they have been created must be eliminated. Our efforts have led to results with fewer refugees along the Central Mediterranean route, but the Member States have not yet found a just relationship between the responsibility of individual countries and the necessary solidarity, which must be demonstrated if they want to maintain the Schengen area. without Borders".
For Juncker, to help the states of the Union it is necessary "a strengthening of the coast guard and the European border up to 10 thousand units from here to 2020 and a European asylum agency", he then went on to invite the member countries to respect the image of the European Union "We respect the EU better, we do not dirty its image, we try to defend its image, we say yes to patriotism, no to exaggerated nationalism that detests others and tries to destroy them".