Aspen Romania's head Geoana: We'll need to reaffirm commitment for successful Europe

President of the Aspen Institute Romania Mircea Geoana on Tuesday expressed his conviction that Romania can responsibly take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, adding that Romania needs to reaffirm its commitment to a successful Europe, in the context of the current global challenges. 

"We do not know if the current world order will survive, as it is now, with the federative model. We do not know if America will survive the way it is, since it is a guarantor of this kind of order. The world is changing and I think Europe is weaker than ever. I don't hold out dreams that Romania's Presidency of the Council of the EU will be a magical solution, but I believe we will have to reaffirm our full commitment to a successful Europe, and I am convinced that the subject of this year's conference - collision or cooperation between the East and the West - is more topical than ever. (...) I am convinced that Romania can responsibly take over and act as President of the Council of the EU," Geoana said at the start of the Bucharest Forum. 

He underscored that through the organization of the seventh edition of the forum, Bucharest becomes for two and a half days the "capital of global thinking". Geoana also mentioned that the event is attended by participants from five continents representing over 30 nationalities. The former Foreign Minister also said the forum is intended as a launch pad for the next Presidency of the Council of the European Union, providing support to the Government and the Presidency in addressing the issues facing Europe. 

Geoana also referred to the fact that forum participants are about to tackle subjects such as Russia, migration or cyber-attacks. 

Bucharest Forum 2018 is organized by the Aspen Institute Romania and the Bucharest office of the German Marshall Fund of the US, with the support of the Romanian Government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Defense, the National Military Club, the Ministry for Business Environment, Trade and Entrepreneurship and the National Bank of Romania.