Prague, Dec 2 (CTK) – The EU has suffered a number of partial defeats and it has to be ensured that it be meaningful to the population again, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD) said at the Prague congress of the Party of European Socialists (PES) Friday.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-Social Democrats) said political correctness should be ended.
Politicians also spoke about the need for a strong social policy.
British Labour Party leader Jeremey Corbyn said Britain was leaving the European Union, but it remained in Europe.
He said the Labourists demand that Britain should preserve its access to the EU market and conversely.
The EU social chapters and the environment protection must remain valid in Britain, Corbyn told journalists.
He added that his party, which is now in opposition, was resolved to ensure this.
German Vice-Chancellor and Social Democrat Party (SPD) chairman Sigmar Gabriel said social democrat systems were exposed to attacks by various parties.
The Socialists must show that they are capable of transforming Europe with people remaining in the centre of developments.
They must invest in employment, wages and social security.
“This must be in the centre of our policy,” Gabriel told journalists.
Fico said at the conference “we do not speak about some affairs because we do not consider it right,” said Fico, adding that during his political career he had many times kept his mouth shut on account of political correctness.
Fico said political rivals were speaking incorrectly, gathering points thanks to this.
It is necessary to speak openly about hypocrisy in the EU, the red-tape and description of international relations, he added.
“If we speak frankly, if we tell the truth, we will have nothing to lose,” Fico said.
There is also the question of whether European Socialists come up with topics in which people are interested, he added.
“In Slovakia, we have a 9-percent jobless rate, but no one is interested in unemployment,” Fico said.
He said more understanding for national distinctness was necessary.
Sobotka said the British decision to leave the EU was the most important partial defeat of the EU.
“People are telling us that we are doing something wrongly,” he added.
It is necessary to have a realistic idea of ensuring economic growth and prosperity, Sobotka said.
“Either we give people a hope for growth or they will look for a way out in anti-system parties,” Sobotka said, adding that he had in mind Finance Minister Andrej Babis’ ANO movement.
Security should be another EU priority, Sobotka said.
Turning to the migrant crisis, Sobotka said the EU had proved being unable to take a resolute action.
Sobotka said people must feel that Europe is synonymous with security.
He agreed with Fico that the closing of gaps between the living standards in the EU must be promoted.
Fico also spoke about social projects that can be labelled as populist. He mentioned free railway travel for students and pensioners his government government introduced in 2014.
PES associates socialist and social democrat parties. It has 33 members. The PES council meets annually. It is participated in by more than 500 delegates, activists, international guests ad other observers, the CSSD said in a press release.
