Declaration by Antonio Tajani, candidate for EP Presidency

Antonio Tajani, the EPP Group candidate for European Parliament President, made the following statement today:

"The European Union is in troubled waters. After the euro crisis came the refugee and security crises. European citizens expect us to respond. They expect this from the European Parliament.

We do not always agree. But we all realise that we have to find solutions. These solutions are not found in more and more Europe, neither are they found in blowing up the European project.

It is not for the European Parliament President to push a political agenda. That's up to you, Members of the European Parliament. You decide together the direction in which we go and how we give shape to these changes. Whoever is elected as President of our Parliament should ensure that this is done in an open and transparent manner without predetermining the outcome of decisions.

As European Parliament President, I commit myself to being neutral, serving all Europeans, focused on the things that really matter: security, migration, and jobs."