World News | Insults, Flaring Tempers Mark Marathon EU Summit on Budget
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. Weary European Union leaders expressed cautious optimism Monday that a deal was in sight on their fourth day of wrangling over an unprecedented 1.85 trillion euro (USD 2.1 trillion) budget and coronavirus recovery fund, following a weekend of walkouts, flaring tempers and insults.
Brussels, Jul 20 (AP) Weary European Union leaders expressed cautious optimism Monday that a deal was in sight on their fourth day of wrangling over an unprecedented 1.85 trillion euro (USD 2.1 trillion) budget and coronavirus recovery fund, following a weekend of walkouts, flaring tempers and insults.
It took an emotional dinner speech by European Council President Charles Michel about leaders not failing their union, French President Emmanuel Macron slamming his fist in anger on a table, and a new set of budget numbers to send the marathon summit onward.
“There were extremely tense moments. And there will be more that no doubt will still be difficult. But on content, things have moved forward," said Macron, stressing his partnership with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Without Franco-German agreement, the EU has never taken momentous steps.
“An extraordinary situation demands extraordinary efforts," Merkel said as the leaders pushed on with one of the bloc's longest summits ever. What was planned as a two-day summit scheduled to end Saturday was forced into two extra days by deep ideological differences among the 27 leaders.
Overall, spirits seemed to have picked up since the talks hit rock bottom Sunday night.
“It looks more hopeful than when I thought during the night: 'It's over,'" said Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, a target of criticism for keeping a compromise impossible.
Rutte, defending the cause of a group of five wealthy northern nations — the Netherlands, Austria, Finland, Sweden and Denmark — sought to limit costs and impose strict reform guarantees on any rescue plan for needy nations.
He came under criticism from Macron, Italy and Hungary, whose Prime Minister Viktor Orban asked why the Dutchman had such “hate” toward him.
Rutte took it in stride.
“We are not here because we are going to be visitors at each other's birthday party later. We are here because we do business for our own country. We are all pros,” he said.
On Sunday night, after three days of fruitless talks and with hope dimming, Michel implored leaders to overcome their fundamental divisions and agree on the budget and recovery fund. Unanimous agreement is required.
“Are the 27 EU leaders capable of building European unity and trust or, because of a deep rift, will we present ourselves as a weak Europe, undermined by distrust?” he asked the leaders.
“I wish that we succeed in getting a deal and that the European media can headline tomorrow that the EU succeeded in a 'Mission Impossible,'” Michel said.
As he braced for a new round of talks, Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte said he was“cautiously optimistic” after a “tough" confrontations.
“We are offering a response to Europe. From this point of view, there can be no more fooling around,” he said.
The coronavirus has sent the EU into a tailspin, killing around 135,000 of its citizens and plunging its economy into an estimated contraction of 8.3 per cent this year.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez insisted the adoption of an ambitious plan was required as the health crisis continues to threaten the continent. (AP)
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)