Plenary session

18th Economic Forum in Krynica

Participants are taking part in plenary sessions of Economic Forum in Krynica, whrere the question „ The Waiting for a Big Crisis .... From a Potential Failure to a Sure Successs” appears. After noon, together with politicians and scientist, they will be looking for an answear on the questions wheather EU is ready to face chllenges of the XXI st century , those concerning the future of Russia and European Union. Participantion in this panels announced i.a. : Yurii Afanasiev, Vytautas Landsbergis, Sir David Alton, Mart Laar.

Petro Poroshenko – Chairman of the Nationl Bank of Ukraine says about potential association agreement propsed by European Union and about Euro 2012.

Petro Poroshenko

The Waiting for a Big Crisis... From a Potential Failure to a Sure Success

Plenary session of the 18th Economic Forum in Krynica

According to Roland Dumas, Former French Minister of Foreign Affairs, the future of Europe is a big federation with a strong government, currency and economy. Only then will Europe be able to deal with the challenges of the XXI century, because it will speak in the voice of 490 mln citizens. In such strong Europe, countries preparing to enter the European Union, like e.g. Turkey, will also find their place.

The Director of the Center for EU Enlargement Studies, Professor Péter Balázs, paid attention the constitutional crisis within Europe and the problems involving the ageing of the Old Continent.

The former Foreign Minister of Turkey Yaşar Yakış pointed out the necessity for the EU to continue its evolution. He also emphasized that Europe (not as the European Union but as a continent) has an important culture of compromise and dialogue – a good indicator for the future.

The Chairman of the European Affairs Commission from Portugal, Vitalino Canas, acknowledged the greatest danger for the XXI European Union in the fact that the citizens do not recognize the common problems, and that debates and discussions are held only on a local level. He also stated that the most considerable challenge for the EU politicians is to convince their citizens to treat problems as a global, European matter. Canas emphasized - “Europe as a whole must speak in one voice about the situation in Georgia or in Kosovo.”

After looking at the audience gathered at the panel discussion, the Member of European Parliament from Estonia, Marianne Mikko, draw attention to the fact that 60% of the Forum’s participants were women. She pointed out that these proportions of female and male decision makers will be similar when it comes to politics.

A Polish Dominican and chaplain of “Solidarity”, Fr. Ludwik Wiśniewski, called upon the organizers of the Forum to create a venue in 5 years, in which also young leaders from around the world could take part. Fr. Wiśniewski sees the future in the dialogue of all nations and appeals to get rid of national egoism.

The Member of EP from Estonia, Marianne Mikko

Katarzyna Grydniewska / Polish Radio Lublin

Russia and European Union at the beginning of XXI century: competition or cooperation?

Discussion panel

During the discussion panel “Russia and European Union at the beginning of XXI century: competition or cooperation?", at one table sat Yurii Afanasiev, a Russian pro-democracy politician, and the President of the Caucasus University, Professor Kakha Shengelia from Georgia.