MADRID, 17 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
King Felipe VI highlighted on Monday the “spirit of brotherhood” that Spain and Germany maintain, with both countries sharing the same vision of an “increasingly integrated” European Union, which “has been and continues to be a community of destiny” which has helped “to overcome very difficult historical experiences” and “to find” the path to democracy, freedom and the rule of law.
During the speech at the Gala Dinner in Honor of Their Majesties the King and Queen on the occasion of his State visit, the monarch pointed out that Germany is a “friend and ally, loved and respected”, while recalling the “personal component” who has had the trip. “Part of my family roots are intimately linked to these lands”, he has indicated.
In this context, Felipe VI has stressed that 2022 has marked “a new turning point” in the bilateral relations between Spain and Germany, which are, he said, “two close partners, with strong ties of friendship and also economically, the cultural and the social” but, above all, they share “convictions, principles and values, such as those that unite us in the common project of the EU, such as within the Atlantic Alliance”.
The head of state has put the recent Spanish-German summit in A Coruña or his visit to Germany to “reaffirm” the interest “in maintaining and promoting these excellent relations to a new level”. “The joint action plan agreed by our governments at that Summit will not only allow us to further strengthen our bilateral relations, but also establishes the framework, the path, so that our countries can cooperate in shaping the EU and the world we want,” he said. underlined.
In his opinion, Spain and Germany share “a vision of an increasingly integrated EU”. “For our countries, the Union has been and continues to be a community with a shared future that has helped us overcome very difficult historical experiences and find the path to modernity: the path to democracy, freedom and the rule of law”, defended the King, who has reiterated that the two countries are “completely committed to a sovereign and strong Europe”, capable of “fully assuming its responsibilities in an international society in which those values and principles that I mentioned before are increasingly questioned “.
Felipe VI has also dedicated his words to the war in Ukraine, showing his solidarity with the Ukrainian government and people and “unwavering” support for “the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine”.
In this sense, the monarch highlighted the strength of the European Union, while assuring that “Spain and Germany have been key players so that the political will has been deployed in Europe to face health, social and economic challenges in an supportive and concerted”.
“Europe has emerged stronger from the pandemic and this unity is also the way forward to overcome the serious threat that currently hangs over the European peace project,” he defended.
Faced with the challenges as a result of the war, Felipe VI recalled that in “welfare societies in which market freedom is complemented by social justice”. “We must not ignore the worries and concerns that the difficult economic situation is causing in many citizens. Consequently, the necessary measures must be taken decisively to respond to these fears. It is essential to maintain social cohesion, in the face of threats to the foundations of our democracies”, he exclaimed.
At this point, he has valued the “key role” of companies and “the proper functioning of our markets, deeply interconnected, and characterized by intense bilateral trade and investment flows”. “This interconnection of our economies affects all sectors, including also the digital sector and that of the energy transition and renewable energies. This cooperation is not accidental, but the result of our common priorities”, he emphasized.
For the King, Spain and Germany share “the vision of a digitization oriented towards the development and freedom of people, for prosperity, and for sustainability”, but also “the commitment to advance decisively towards an economy based increasingly on in clean energy that reduces our negative impact on the climate and the environment and ensures our well-being and that of future generations”.
“Research and innovation are priority areas to advance these objectives. And we are proud to see the large number of high-level Spanish researchers in prestigious German scientific institutions”, concluded Felipe VI.
