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Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodor Baconschi says that the current "health crisis, also responsible for a severe economic contraction", represents an existential test for the European Union and considers that "we can overcome the current difficulties only together, without national selfishness and protectionism".
"The Schuman Declaration - launched on 9 May 1950 - began the European federal process by uniting the two industries that had nourished with radically destructive effects, both world wars: oil and coal. Robert Schuman, alongside Alcide de Gasperi, Konrad Adenauer and Charles de Gaulle, in short, the founders of the new European project, were all Christian-Democrats. A lot has happened in the seven decades to come to this day. Beyond regular crises and populist foundations, the European Union has developed, expanded and deepened. Today, on the threshold of the future German presidency of the European Council, our democratic family is again being tried, not by a financial crisis, but by a health crisis, responsible for a severe economic contraction," Baconschi told AGERPRES.
He believes that the recent decision of the Constitutional Court of Germany, conditioning the European Development Bank in its plan to issue eurobonds (i.e. in the intention of sharing jointly, at pan-European level, the costs of the COVID -19 crisis) raises concerns in all Member States".
"Even if it has mobilised with a certain slowness, the EU's pandemic strategy has been substantial and even salutary so far. I was also pleased that the EU has found political attention and funds for its eastern neighbours. We now hope that, although diplomacy has moved online, political dialogue at the top will lead to a fair solution, evidence that we can only overcome the current and short-term difficulties together, without national selfishness and protectionism capable of dismantling the union stages already taken. It's an existential test for the European Union, so for each of its citizens. In my opinion, we have no other alternative, and that's good. Nearly three generations have worked in a convergent manner so that the EU can ensure peace, fundamental freedom and growing prosperity. Any step backwards would only thwart these not-so-perfect efforts, but spectacular and hard to dispute in their historical ensemble," Teodor Baconschi emphasised.
