Above: Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy (Photo: OP)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez called on European lawmakers to prioritize jobs and stimulate economic growth during a visit to the European Parliament in Brussels.

Fernandez was speaking during a European visit that began with his arrival in Paris this weekend.

“In the short term, there is clearly a need to implement policies aimed at increasing growth and employment, without losing the perspective of giving way to sober, responsible and sustainable fiscal policies,” he said.

Fernandez warned that if the international community fell “into a second wave of recession, it will be much more dangerous and harmful, and will be much more powerful than the first [one].”

The Dominican Republic’s leader said his government believed that the European Union had enough influence to help solve the problem and “refocus” the global economy.

He also pointed to the Dominican Republic’s push for regional integration in the Caribbean, highlighting the role of CELAC as a potential counterpart to the EU.

The EU and the Latin American and Caribbean region should strengthen their ties, he said, something he called a “fundamental key in the 21st century.”

Fernandez’ European trip has also included a meeting with Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council, who said the Dominican Republic was a “good example” of economic growth.