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Remarks at the European Parliament in Strassbourg

English Pages, 21. 11. 2002

1.      As one of the leaders of opposition in the Czech Republic, I would like to say here very clearly that we are ready and willing to participate in the European integration process. We have always been a part of Europe and we do not intend to stay aside just now.

2.      In the communist era, we had been dreaming about being a normal European country again and about enjoying the life in a free and open European society. We are happy to have this chance now.

3.      Nevertheless, I have to say that we have – in some fields – different view as compared to what we see to be a prevailing concept here in this room, in EU, in Europe both as regards EU institutional arrangements and as regards the dominant EU political philosophy (or ideology) which is currently based on socialdemocratism and/or on christiandemocratism.

4.      We hope the undergoing debate in the Convention will be a constructive process which will bring about important changes aiming at better, more free and more prosperous Europe.

5.      We are ready to be part of it already now, before formally entering EU, because we feel obliged to the citizens of our country to guarantee them membership which will be beneficial to them. I am sorry to say this is something we do not take a priori for granted.

We hope the existing member countries will cooperate in creating conditions which will make it possible and we will not get a status of a second-rate membership which would bring us higher costs than benefits.

6.      We are optimistic, we believe that positive solutions will be found and because of it we are looking forward to our future.

Václav Klaus, 19.11.2002