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WORLD NEWS Friday 24 april 2020
EU agrees budget, recovery plan

needed to beat virus impact

In this Aug. 16, 2019, photo, large Icebergs float away as the
sun rises near Kulusuk, Greenland.
Associated Press.
Greenland ready to take US aid

but won't accept conditions

By JAN M. OLSEN Associated Press
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Greenlanders said
Thursday they welcome U.S. investment in their island,
but the money has to come without conditions.
The U.S administration is expected to announce the
European Council President Charles Michel, right, and European Commission President Ursula opening of a U.S. Agency for International Develop-
von der Leyen participate in a media conference after a video conference with EU leaders in EU ment office at the new American consulate in the cap-
summit format at the European Council building in Brussels, Thursday, April 23, 2020. ital, Nuuk, and confirm at least $12 million in new aid
Associated Press. projects.
The announcement, expected Thursday in Washing-
By LORNE COOK and confidence that relatively take, either grants or loans. ton, will come less than a year after President Donald
RAF CASERT wealthier northern EU part- Von der Leyen said that the Trump drew derision for expressing an interest in buying
Associated Press ners like Austria, the Neth- budget "investment should Greenland, which is part of the Danish Realm. Already,
BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe- erlands or Germany — who be front loaded in the first suggestions of a greater U.S. presence in Greenland
an Union leaders agreed have suffered less from the years and of course it is have been met with criticism in Greenland and in Den-
Thursday to revamp the disease — are willing to necessary to find the right mark.
EU's long-term budget and take swift, sweeping mea- balance between grants The Inuit government said in a statement preceding the
set up a massive recovery sures backed by real eco- and loans." announcement that the U.S. government had decided
fund to tackle the impact nomic firepower. When asked what amount to allocate $12.1 million for projects in Greenland., fo-
of the coronavirus and But the leaders did agree of money might be found cused on economic development including the min-
help rebuild the 27-nation to task the European Com- with some adjustments, eral industry, tourism and education. The local govern-
bloc's ravaged economies, mission with revamping the she said: "we're not talking ment said it had accepted the offer.
but deep differences re- EU's next seven-year bud- about billion, we're talking "This good news confirms that our work on building a
main over the best way to get — due to enter force about trillion." constructive relationship with the United States is fruit-
achieve those goals. on Jan. 1 but still the sub- Even before these new ful," Greenland Premier Kim Kielsen said.
With more than 100,000 ject of much disagreement funds are agreed, the EU's "It is positive that the increased cooperation between
Europeans known to have — and devise a massive institutions and member Greenland and the U.S. is reflected in tangible results in
died from the virus, ac- recovery plan. While no fig- countries combined have the form of funding for projects in Greenland. "
cording to the European ure was put on that plan, mobilized around 3.3 trillion The funds are expected to be implemented primarily
Centre for Disease Preven- officials believe that 1-1.5 euros ($3.6 trillion) for over- as consultancy and advisory assistance from U.S. ex-
tion and Control, and busi- trillion euros ($1.1-1.6 trillion) burdened health services, perts, as well as through existing programs under the
ness only slowly starting to would be needed. suffering small businesses, U.S. State Department, the government said.
open in some countries, "There is only one instru- embattled airlines or wage Aaja Chemnitz Larsen from the left-leaning IA opposi-
the urgent need for funds in ment that can deliver this support for people unable tion party called it a "charm offensive."
hard-hit countries like Italy magnitude of task behind to work. "The Americans are welcome if they want to invest in
and Spain has never been the recovery and that Despite knowing that the Greenland," she told The Associated Press. "But it is im-
starker. is the European budget revamp will cost her coun- portant to make sure that Greenland doesn't owe any-
"This pandemic is putting clearly linked to the recov- try more money, German thing back to the United States. We are skeptical about
our societies under seri- ery fund," European Com- Chancellor Angela Merkel what they really want besides influence."q
ous strain. The well-being mission President Ursula von endorsed the plan, saying
of each EU member state der Leyen said. "of course this means Ger-
depends on the well-being "The budget is time test- many must calculate with
of the whole of the EU. We ed. Everybody knows it. It higher contributions for the
are all in this together," Eu- is trusted by all member next budget ... but that's
ropean Council President states." right and good." In normal
Charles Michel told report- Northern European coun- times, the seven-year bud-
ers after chairing the lead- tries, like the Netherlands get totals around 1% of EU
ers' video-conference sum- and Germany, generally gross national income, or
mit. remain reluctant to share just over 1 trillion euros.
The uneven impact of the too much debt out of fear French President Emmanu-
virus on countries with very of having to foot the bill for el Macron welcomed that
different budgetary means others, and debate raged the summit found "a con-
has eroded trust, with Italy Thursday over what form sensus on a fast response
and Spain notably lacking some of the funding should and a strong one."q