Ian Burama calls for more commitment to European dream

The idea of a united Europe can't simply be given up in these times of crisis, writes Ian Burama, professor of democracy and human rights in an article published in the daily Público: "Since the EU is neither a nation-state nor a democracy, there is no 'European people' to see the EU through hard times. Rich Germans and Dutch do not want to pay for the economic mess in which the Greeks, Portuguese, or Spanish now find themselves. Instead of showing solidarity, they moralize, as though all of the problems in Mediterranean Europe were the result of native laziness or its citizens' corrupt nature. ... For starters, affluent northern Europeans have to be convinced that it is in their interest to strengthen the EU, as it certainly is. After all, they have benefited most from the euro, which has enabled them to export cheaply to southern Europeans. ... Democracy may seem like a mad dream in a community of 27 nation-states, and perhaps it is. But unless one is prepared to give up on building a more united Europe, it is surely worth considering."

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