European elections: Mário Soares calls for EU project to be strengthened

Portugal's former head of state Màrio Soares writes in the daily Diário de Notícias that the upcoming European elections provide a chance to strengthen the EU project und thus overcome the economic crisis. EU politicians, he notes however, have failed to recognise this: "Last weekend the end of the Second World War was discretely celebrated. … The international press wrote - quite rightly - that the EU had no reason to celebrate because at present it is peppered with nationalist movements (which we believed had long been relegated to the past). The current EU politicians are not up to the challenge, … have no plans for the future and are incapable of further developing the European project. The elections to the EU Parliament, which in future will hopefully have more powers, are imminent. It is therefore strange that so far the most important issue has not been discussed: an integrated vision of the EU that … confers it a global political dimension in keeping with its history. The European elections are failing to provide the incentive or reasons to vote. This disinterest leads to abstention and this in turn to decadence. Only a strong and united Europe can combat the current crisis. It would be a shame if this opportunity was missed. … Can't European politicians see this? History won't forgive them!"

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