Karolina Baca
„Over recent years the European Union has expanded more than ever, but that does not mean that it is integrated,” said Professor Jerzy Buzek, the President of the European Parliament and a special guest of the session.”Common policies, such as regional or agricultural, are the symbol of European policy, and now also energy policy. Particularly in the case of the latter, this is necessary in order to have a stronger bargaining position in negotiations with external partners.”
Aleksander Kwaśniewski, the former president of Poland, added that the EU has lost its power due to „national egoisms” which have arisen (he indicated, among other things, the Slovak-Hungarian conflict), and protectionism on the part of certain countries.
„One may have the impression that Europe is moving backwards,” he said.
Kwaśniewski emphasised that this year’s forum is an opportunity to recall important anniversaries: the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the World War II and the 20th anniversary of the Round Table. „It was from Poland that impulses for change originated 20 years ago,” he added.
