President of the National Council Mme Brigitte Boccone-Pagès welcomed the Monegasque press on the morning of Monday, September 18, at which she reacted to the end of EU Association talks, in no uncertain terms making it clear that Monaco’s elected body is pleased that the long-running talks have ended without agreement.
“This decision to suspending negotiations with the European Union represents for the National Council great satisfaction, and for a great majority of our national community, an immense relief,” she said.
She referred in particular to the fact that the Government’s own impact study on the signing of an agreement predicted ‘economic tension’ and even a recession in the first months following an Association Agreement coming into force. The Council’s own study, still in preparation, would no doubt have shown the same result, which would be unacceptable, she said.
Having expressed her appreciation for the hard work of Jean Castellini, who suddenly left his post as Finance Minister last Friday, Mme Brigitte Boccone-Pagès made the point that the National Council will be always an institutional partner independent of the Government.
