Dalai Lama lauds EU’s landmark Coronavirus rescue package
DHARAMSALA, 22 July: The Tibetan Spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Wednesday lauded the European Union leaders on their agreement of a landmark 750 billion euro ($858 billion) plan to rescue their economies from the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is heartening to know that European Union leaders have succeeded in meeting one of the toughest challenges in the organization’s history by agreeing on a package of measures to rescue their economies from the disruption caused by the pandemic,” the Dalai Lama said as he welcomed the agreement reached by the European Union leaders after five days of intense talks.
Applauding the Coronavirus rescue package that the EU leaders have unanimously agreed on in Brussels early Tuesday, the Tibetan Nobel Laureate has said, “Once again, the European Union has shown the importance of taking the common interests of all its members into account. Through persistent negotiation and compromise, the respective leaders have reached an agreement. This shows wisdom and maturity in a world often unsettled by emotional crises.”
The octogenarian Tibetan leader who has long expressed his admiration for the spirit of the European Union has further said, “As ever, I would like to reiterate how much I admire the spirit of the European Union. While I congratulate European Union leaders on what they have achieved on this occasion, I also wish them every success in meeting other challenges that lie ahead, including the threat of climate change and global warming. I believe that a strong European Union is an inspiring model for others to follow.”
The Forbes reported that the pandemic has hit the bloc’s economic the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression and that the agreement follows days of rocky talks and table-thumping between leaders, which watchers warned could have plunged the world’s biggest trading bloc into discord had a package not been agreed upon, following years of fracture and Brexit.
According to the report, European Council President Charles Michel, who chaired the summit, has hailed the agreement as a “pivotal moment,” while French President Emmanuel Macron, who pushed for the package has welcomed the result as “historic” for Europe.