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Following the presentation by Commission President\u00a0<\/span>Ursula von der Leyen<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and the pledge by the Croatian Council representative\u00a0<\/span>Nikolina<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Brnjac<\/span><\/a>\u00a0to work with member states to swiftly conclude negotiations with Parliament on the new package, political group leaders took the floor to outline their initial reactions.\u00a0<\/span>Click on names to view the individual statements.\u00a0<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cEuropean solidarity is back and we are opening a new chapter for the EU\u201d,\u00a0<\/span>Manfred Weber<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(EPP, DE) said. The new money needs to be spent on fresh ideas and not on Europe\u2019s old problems. \u201cSolidarity goes hand in hand with responsibility\u201d, therefore it must be clear how the money will be paid back, he said, calling for new own resources and for digital giants to pay their\u00a0<\/span>part.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Iratxe<\/span>\u00a0Garc\u00eda Perez<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(S&D, ES) thanked von der Leyen for an ambitious proposal and for giving the EP \u201cthe role it deserves\u201d in the design of the recovery package. Warning that the survival of the European project is at stake, she urged the Council to adopt the new MFF by qualified majority to avoid keeping the EU \u201chostage by four member states that prefer a national response to a European one\u201d.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt is a game changer, unprecedented in the history of Europe\u201d, said\u00a0<\/span>Dacian\u00a0<\/span>Ciolos<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(Renew, RO). \u201cThe MFF and the recovery plan must focus on the future\u201d, with the Green deal and digital agenda as building blocks, he said. \u201cWe may differ on some details, but I really welcome the approach\u201d, he said, reminding member states that \u201cthe EU is not a cash machine. Solidarity comes with values\u201d.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n J\u00f6rg<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Meuthen<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(ID, DE) rejected the package proposal as \u201ccompletely wrong and nonsense\u201d, without a proper legal basis and lacking responsibility or economic sense. The Commission wants to spend money \u201cas if there was no tomorrow\u201d. It is a huge price for European taxpayers, he concluded.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Ska Keller<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(Greens\/EFA, DE) urged: \u201cWe must not repeat the big mistakes of the past and force countries into austerity and blind market ideologies. Instead, we need to make sure that the money is well invested into projects that will help in the long term, create jobs and save the one planet that we have.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Johan van\u00a0<\/span>Overtveldt<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(ECR, BE) said: \u201cIf we are going to allow loans and grants, there must be clear conditions. The money needs to go to where it is most needed, and there must be safety\u00a0<\/span>mechanisms in place for our businesses. People working and saving should not have to \u201cfork out\u201d for these programmes\u201d.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cInstead of making a clean break with past dogmas\u201d, the Recovery Plan stops \u201cmidstream\u201d said\u00a0<\/span>Manon\u00a0<\/span>Aubry<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(GUE\/NGL, FR). Welcoming the new proposals on Own Resources, she called for the crisis debt to be cancelled, for direct perpetual loans to member states, and for public support to be conditional on social considerations.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n