Interview with MEP Tomislav Sokol (EPP)

Roma, 30 giu. – For the latest episode of its interview series ‘EU Verified’, Askanews delighted to sit down with Croatian MEP Tomislav Sokol of the European People’s Party. As a member of the newly founded European Parliament’s Special Committee on Covid-19 and a substitute member of the Special Committee on Beating Cancer, MEP Sokol takes a keen interest in European health policy.

In this interview, MEP Sokol touches on his work on both Committees. He shares his thoughts on the Cancer Plan adopted by the plenary in February, discussing its strengths and weaknesses, and the places he sees room for improvement going forward. While praising the steps taken by the BECA committee to endorse harm reduction as a means of reducing cancer rates, he suggests that the EU as a whole could go further in embracing the concept.

On the topic of Covid-19, he discusses the Committee’s plans to combat the outbreak of new endemics and pandemics going forward, as well as the general toll pandemic induced lockdowns have had on the mental health of European citizens.
‘EU Verified’ offers a platform for in-depth discussions with policymakers involved in drafting and implementing one of the most ambitious policies the EU has ever formulated in the health arena, Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. Our interviewees have been carefully selected to give a voice to all those involved in the discussions and to ensure the EU ethos is upheld in the form of transparency and openness.

Please find the full text of the interview in English.