Europe must develop a vision to inspire its citizens, otherwise it will be driven to an existential crisis and a deadlock, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Friday after a meeting of the EU’s 27 leaders in Bratislava.
He noted that for the first time, a social agenda has been added in the joint conclusion of the summit, mentioning the statements made by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker who spoke about unemployment, inequalities and social cohesion.
“If we do not embrace the notion of solidarity we will not escape from the crisis” Tsipras said.
Commenting on the issues discussed at the summit, he said that differences remain on the measures that have to be taken, but a small step was taken towards establishing a social agenda and this is the direction the EU must take.
Asked if he’s pessimistic after the meeting, he said: “No, I don’t leave more pessimistic, I leave cautiously optimistic that something can be changed”.