Croatian Prime Minister comments on EU’s future.
The concept of multi-speed Europe should be demystified and it is important that it does not exclude anyone, said on Friday Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković after the summit of leaders of EU member states, reports Večernji List on March 11, 2017.
“We need to demystify the multi-speed Europe which already exists, since there are certain segments of European integration in which some countries are included while others are not, such as the Eurozone, Schengen area, enhanced cooperation in some sectors”, said Plenković.
Plenković said he was committed to an inclusive approach, which will not allow just a few selected countries to make all the decisions. “Croatia is committed to an inclusive approach. We will strive to not only accept the full acquis of the EU, but also to be among those countries, guided by the national interests and the interests of our people, which will build the European project”, said Plenković.
He added that Croatia believes there are three main points: greater democratic legitimacy of the EU institutions, including the ongoing fight against populism and demagoguery; greater benefits from common policies and the EU budget; and a better role of the EU on a global level with regards to security challenges. He also noted that the EU must remain open for further enlargement, “particularly for countries in our neighbourhood, primarily for Bosnia and Herzegovina”.
Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said at a press conference after the end of the summit that the multi-speed Europe does not mean building a new Iron Curtain. “I have noticed, not without surprise, that some colleagues see this as the introduction of new lines of division, a new Iron Curtain between the East and the West. That is not our goal”, said Juncker.
The basis for discussion on Friday was a working document with guidelines prepared by European Council President Donald Tusk, the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Prime Minister of Malta Joseph Muscat and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni.
The working document containing guidelines says that the EU would work together in order to promote the common good, accepting that some of the member states go closer, farther and faster in some areas, leaving the door open for those who join later and preserving the integrity of the single market, the Schengen area and the EU as a whole. Undivided and indivisible Union, working together whenever it can, with different speed and intensity, whenever necessary, according to the working document.
It seems that these words had a goal of trying to calm the fears of some countries, especially those in Central and Eastern Europe, that the multi-speed Europe could mean the division of member states into different categories according to their importance.
