site.btaEU's Future Lies in a Viable Green Transition: Jacques Delors Institute President Enrico Letta

This year and next are fundamental for the future of the European Union, according to Enrico Letta, President of the Jacques Delors Institute and prime minister of Italy in 2013-2014. He spoke on Monday at the opening of the Green Transition Forum. The event is organized for the fifth consecutive year by Green Transition Forum and Dir.bg at Sofia Event Center. BTA is a media partner.

According to Letta, these are years in which many processes take place. “There are crises, there are difficulties, but we have to overcome them,” he stressed. According to the former Italian prime minister, the Sofia forum is gradually establishing itself as a European meeting.

Europe now has a last opportunity to achieve security, independence and autonomy. Letta clarified that the concept of “security” is broad and includes energy independence and connectivity. Security also means financial systems that function independently. “Today, the European Union faces huge challenges,” he said, but added that he felt optimistic in the first months of the current European Commission's mandate.

“The future lies in the green transition. This is our future, the future of our children,” Letta pointed out. He added that the common mission is to adapt to the green transition, which must be realistic and feasible. Therefore, financial conditions are needed to allow this transition to happen - with job creation, not job destruction. The green transition must help the most vulnerable in society and not be to their detriment, he said.

“We need to make efforts to support those most affected,” Letta said, giving the example of agriculture. At the same time, she stressed the need for attention to industry. “Without energy, without technology, without industry and without the possibility of innovation, we cannot have a future,” he added.

In conclusion, Letta added that this week the framework of the green transition, to be presented at European level, will be discussed and reformulated in order to make it feasible and successful. “We want Sofia to make a significant contribution to all this,” stressed Jacques Delors Institute President and former Italian Prime Minister (2013-2014) Enrico Letta.