Europe cannot subordinate democratic principles and human rights to economic interests
The Brussels based Centre for European Studies held its 4th International Visitors Programme at the European People’s Party’s Congress in Bucharest between 16 and 18 October. At the working breakfast held on Wednesday morning, participants debated the EU’s role in the World: is its leading role still intact or is there a realignment between international powers?
The panel held on Wednesday morning was opened with speeches from MEP Elmar Brok, president of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs committee and John Bruton, former prime-minister of Ireland, followed by remarks from the participants to the meeting.
DAHR’s MEP Csaba Sógor spoke on behalf of the EP’s delegation to ASEAN and reflected on Thomas Spiller’s opinion maintaining that Asia expects Europe to come up with solutions to the world’s problems.
Csaba Sógor considers that “the EU needs to maintain a value-based approach in its relations with third countries – among them with the BRIC countries - because, regardless of the level of economic competition in the world, Europe cannot be indifferent to the internal situation of a country and cannot subordinate democratic principles and human rights to temporary economic interests. The current crisis is not only a financial and economic one, it has moral aspects as well, thus solidarity between countries and societies is crucial. Regarding Europe’s leading role in the world: Europe will lose status of leading power if it loses its credibility; Europe cannot expect anyone to look up to it and believe in it if it does not believe in itself. The economic crisis is also a moral crisis, so economic austerity measures will not suffice, we need a social union”, said the MEP.
“Former Burmese generals who are now members of the Parliament have asked me which European model to follow. I told them to look to the better performing member states, just like the good students in a class. The example is Germany, a federal state, where the focus is not on centralization. Or the Scandinavian states where they invest into education, not the military or the secret service, where there are strong labor unions that cannot be bought with seats in Parliament. I told them to follow those states that do not spend money on the assimilation of minorities, but rather gain economic benefits from the minorities’ cultural and territorial autonomy, because not only the given region, but the entire country benefits from it” – the Hungarian MEP from Transylvania explained.
He continued saying that the key to success is a mentality that is based on subsidiarity, solidarity and responsibility. He emphasized the importance of Christian-democratic values since the EPP does not think in 4-5 year terms, but rather plans for the long term. Sógor stated that the EPP deals and acts responsibly with the economic, human and cultural resources entrusted to it, as well as with the languages and cultures of minorities in the diverse Europe.
Csaba Sógor explained that the fault lines in Europe are 2000 years old. The latest patch in these fault lines was the falling of the Iron Curtain, but today northern countries with developed and thrifty economies are faced with southern states with economic difficulties and social problems. Over 4000 Christian churches have been closed in the recent past in the West. Nevertheless, over 4000 have just recently been built in Romania only. Csaba Sógor said that the East and the South needs less of the spirituality that is visible only in church-building and more of the work ethics, the principles and responsibilities of the northern states.
“I see federalization as Europe of the regions, where there is solidarity and the wealthier regions make responsible decisions about budgets and cohesion funds. If Europe wants to regain its credibility in the field of minority rights and show a good example to the world, we need to erase all laws, actions and mentalities that infringe upon and discriminate against minorities. China will only take Tibet’s cry for autonomy seriously and uphold human rights when all language laws and Bene¹ Decrees are eradicated from the EU and all traditional national minorities have been granted their autonomy”, concluded Csaba Sógor.
DAHR’s MEP Csaba Sógor spoke on behalf of the EP’s delegation to ASEAN and reflected on Thomas Spiller’s opinion maintaining that Asia expects Europe to come up with solutions to the world’s problems.
Csaba Sógor considers that “the EU needs to maintain a value-based approach in its relations with third countries – among them with the BRIC countries - because, regardless of the level of economic competition in the world, Europe cannot be indifferent to the internal situation of a country and cannot subordinate democratic principles and human rights to temporary economic interests. The current crisis is not only a financial and economic one, it has moral aspects as well, thus solidarity between countries and societies is crucial. Regarding Europe’s leading role in the world: Europe will lose status of leading power if it loses its credibility; Europe cannot expect anyone to look up to it and believe in it if it does not believe in itself. The economic crisis is also a moral crisis, so economic austerity measures will not suffice, we need a social union”, said the MEP.
“Former Burmese generals who are now members of the Parliament have asked me which European model to follow. I told them to look to the better performing member states, just like the good students in a class. The example is Germany, a federal state, where the focus is not on centralization. Or the Scandinavian states where they invest into education, not the military or the secret service, where there are strong labor unions that cannot be bought with seats in Parliament. I told them to follow those states that do not spend money on the assimilation of minorities, but rather gain economic benefits from the minorities’ cultural and territorial autonomy, because not only the given region, but the entire country benefits from it” – the Hungarian MEP from Transylvania explained.
He continued saying that the key to success is a mentality that is based on subsidiarity, solidarity and responsibility. He emphasized the importance of Christian-democratic values since the EPP does not think in 4-5 year terms, but rather plans for the long term. Sógor stated that the EPP deals and acts responsibly with the economic, human and cultural resources entrusted to it, as well as with the languages and cultures of minorities in the diverse Europe.
Csaba Sógor explained that the fault lines in Europe are 2000 years old. The latest patch in these fault lines was the falling of the Iron Curtain, but today northern countries with developed and thrifty economies are faced with southern states with economic difficulties and social problems. Over 4000 Christian churches have been closed in the recent past in the West. Nevertheless, over 4000 have just recently been built in Romania only. Csaba Sógor said that the East and the South needs less of the spirituality that is visible only in church-building and more of the work ethics, the principles and responsibilities of the northern states.
“I see federalization as Europe of the regions, where there is solidarity and the wealthier regions make responsible decisions about budgets and cohesion funds. If Europe wants to regain its credibility in the field of minority rights and show a good example to the world, we need to erase all laws, actions and mentalities that infringe upon and discriminate against minorities. China will only take Tibet’s cry for autonomy seriously and uphold human rights when all language laws and Bene¹ Decrees are eradicated from the EU and all traditional national minorities have been granted their autonomy”, concluded Csaba Sógor.
