Gozi: "The veto must go. Europe must reform its governance."

Statement by Sandro Gozi, Secretary General of the European Democratic Party and MEP (Renew Europe)

The Greek veto on the new sanctions package against Russia demonstrates once again that the problem was never only Viktor Orbán. Leaders change, but the blackmail of unanimity remains. Today it is Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Tomorrow it will be someone else. 

More and more governments are demanding national exemptions to shield individual sectors or companies. As a result, every major European decision becomes a marketplace of carve-outs, delays and vetoes, while Russia gains precious time. Europe cannot claim to be a geopolitical power if the foreign policy of 450 million citizens can be paralysed by a single government. 

As long as unanimity survives, the European Union will continue to lack the speed, credibility and strategic capacity required to defend its security, support Ukraine and protect its interests. 

Some still present treaty reform as an abstract federalist ambition and the defence of the status quo as ‘pragmatism’. The opposite is true. The real pragmatists in Europe today are those who understand that nothing meaningful will be possible without reform. 

We cannot build a stronger Europe, complete enlargement, strengthen our common defence or act decisively on the world stage with institutions designed for another era. 

Enough hypocrisy. Enough timidity. Enough false caution. The veto must go. Europe must finally reform its governance, because without reform, there will be no effective European action