Otvoriť - EUROREPORT plus

Summary
Danube River by twenty per cent by 2020.
To what extent is Slovakia involved in the
foreseen planning?
From the beginning Slovakia takes
an active part in preparations and
implementation of the EU strategy for the
Danube region. It can be proved by the
fact that the latest session of the strategy
managing committee was held in Bratislava
this spring and it was attended by the
European Commissioner for the regional
development, Mr Johannes Hahn.
As for us the most important objective is
to improve infrastructure and to remove the
obstructions in sailing the Danube River.
To be honest there are such sections on
the Slovakian and Austrian and Slovakian
and Hungarian stream of the Danube
river where there is impossible to reach
a favourable state making other measures
than constructing the water work.
Next obstruction to sailing the Danube
River occurred to be the Old Bridge in
Bratislava the reconstruction of which
over two years will help to achieve
a needed height of under-bridge for the
vessels. Long-term sustainability of the
adopted measures is crucial. It requires
an international cooperation which can be
seen primarily just in the frame of the EU
Strategy for the Danube region. Therefore,
we are awaiting the real solutions for the
domestic water transport development
from the conclusions adopted at the talks
held by respective working groups and the
managing committee within the Danube
strategy.
Excerpt from an Interview given by
His Excellency, the Ambassador of the
Republic of France to the Slovak Republic,
Mr Jean-Marie Bruno
■■ Some critics say that top politicians in
Brussels who project the present vision of
Europe can understand both financing and
politics however they do not understand
Europe, the life and needs of people.
Your Excellency, what Europe, in your
opinion, should make French people feel as
comfortable as they could?
Harmony between decisions made
by politicians and expectations of their
voters is the essential issue in European
Foto: P. Urbi
democracies where the significant portion
of competencies has been exercised
jointly since now. The goal of currently
ongoing considerations is to strengthen
democratic character of the institutions.
Direct elections of European deputies
in 1979 turned to be the big deal for the
fundamentals of the European Parliament
legitimacy. Project envisaging the vision
that it will be possible to vote a certain
portion of European deputies on the
supranational candidacy made up by
the European political parties and not
by respective parties of the member
countries could turn to be already realistic
in forthcoming years prospectively. Thus,
European structure would gain a new,
more polished dimension.
I think that majority of French people
can feel comfortable in the European Union
as the European Union is not only the
guarantor of the values being defended by
France to be honest but also the guarantor
of peace in Europe. The EU is not of no
mistake, however, it has brought a good
deal of the positive aspects to nations they
are part of the EU. The matter is that the
Europeans could feel advantages and they
would be aware of being able to benefit
a lot from the EU further in near future.
Therefore, communication about the
inevitable measures has to be ameliorated.
It cannot be expected that citizens may
understand everything right away and
accept it – it is a long term target to be
achieved.
■■ French people are wellknown
for Savoir vivre
– The art to live. France
is a completely different
country from Germany. If
the United States of Europe
were originated how would
the two leading nations
adapt to it?
If the concept of the
European Federation
was specified the nations
would keep obviously
their language, culture
and values as this is just
what predetermines
the EU welfare since it
has been originated; it
is its drive. Therefore, there is no need
to project French people and Germans
against each other and make them, or,
other EU countries, the fighting enemies,
but it is important to stick with the
outlined modus vivendi. Jacques Delors
said: “Europe should respect “loyalty to
the nation and home”. Moreover, “Europe
should be thinking of the significance to
save our nations as the venue of rooting
their citizens.” This is the reason why it
is more reasonable to speak about the
project related to the European Nations
Federation, and not to use the expression
of the United States of Europe.
To shift the competences towards the
EU enables a more favourable cooperation,
setting up the fundamentals of common
rules in certain sectors but it does not
stand for the synonym of uniformed
cultures and values.
The European Federation Project that is
widely-spoken about is a long term process.
Interesting discussions have been held for
a few years already; however, the outstanding
issues have to be solved out first the EU
countries are facing. The member countries
do not wish to proceed in the same pace
and they do not share the identical wishes
and ideas. We will be allowed to experience
different levels of integration on our way
forward. Once the federal identity may
be raised which will not put other forms
of solidarity and common competences
distribution under doubt.
English-written by © Mária Vrabcová
70 Časopis na prezentáciu Slovenska v Európskej únii