"Super Tuesday for enlargement, as the European Commission has dubbed it, could prove a blow for Southern Italy. The four accession conferences for Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro, and Albania are opening today without adequate reflection on the consequences this process will have on Southern Europe."

Five Star Movement MEPs Danilo Della Valle and Valentina Palmisano stated this in a statement, highlighting how "an independent study by Centro Europa Ricerca published yesterday shows the numbers are unequivocal: Sardinia would lose 58% of the European funds it currently receives , Campania 32%, Sicily 29%, Puglia 31%, and Marche 47%." Calabria, Abruzzo, Molise, and Basilicata would also be "heavily penalized."

"We," the M5S MEPs add, "are not prejudiced against enlargement, but we urge caution to avoid economic repercussions on Europe's poorest regions."

"The cohesion funds and the CAP," Della Valle and Palmisano conclude, "are the driving force of the EU, and this engine risks stalling without adequate compensatory measures. The Five Star Movement will continue to defend the rights of these regions because citizens' rights cannot be sacrificed on the altar of geopolitical balances."

(Unioneonline)

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