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The Vision of Europe in the New Member States

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The Vision of Europe in the New Member States Studies & Research N°50 The Vision of Europe in the New Member States Notre Europe asked different personalities of the New Member States to give their vision of Europe in 2020 Contributions of Carmel Attard (Malta), Jiři Dienstbier (Czech Republic), Jaan Kaplinski (Estonia), Ioannis Kasoulides (Cyprus), Manja Klemenčič (Slovenia), Lena Kolarska-Bobinska (Poland), Lore Listra (Estonia), Petr Pithart (Czech Republic), Pauls Raudseps (Latvia), Gintaras Steponavicius (Lithuania), Elzbieta Skotnicka-Illasiewcz (Poland), Miklós Szabo (Hungary). Summary by Gaëtane Ricard-Nihoul, Paul Damm and Morgan Larhant Authors of the summary Gaëtane Ricard-Nihoul Graduate from Liege University in political science and public administration, Gaëtane Ricard- Nihoul was awarded a Mphil and a Dphil in European politics and society by Oxford University. Her research focused on policy formation in the European Union, and more particularly on education policy. From 1999 to 2002, she was in charge of the team for "European and international affairs", in the cabinet of the Belgian Vice-Prime Minister Isabelle Durant, also Minister for Mobility and Transport. She acted, among other things, as a coordinator during the Belgian presidency of the EU Council. As an adviser for insitutional matters, she represented the Vice-Prime Minister in the Belgian delegation at the WTO ministerial conference in Seattle and also in the Inter- Governemental Conference, taking part in the Biarritz, Nice and Laeken European Councils. She was also a member of the Belgian government working group on the Laeken Declaration. Gaëtane Ricard-Nihoul then joined the European Commission Directorate-General for Education and Culture, in the Audiovisual Policy unit. Employed in the Sector for external relations, she was in charge of the accession negociations with the 13 applicant countries for audiovisual matters as well as the relations with countries from the Western Balkans and South Mediterranea. She also assumed the coordination of an interservice group on intercultural dialogue and followed the work of the Convention on culture. In April 2004, she joined Notre Europe, first as President adviser, then as Secretary General. Morgan Larhant Morgan Larhant graduated of Sciences Po Strasbourg (IEP de Strasbourg), the Diplomatic Academy in Vienna (MAIS) and the University of Political Sciences in Paris (research master). He published a book about the financing of European election campaigns (published by Harmattan). During his internship at Notre Europe he was responsible for the ratification process of the Constitutional Treaty in France and in Europe and then as a research fellow for institutional questions. At the moment he is attending a preparation class for qualifying examinations in the administrative field. Paul Damm Paul Damm is a graduate of Sciences Po in Paris, the Louvre school and the Sorbonne. For his thesis he chose to write about the French Navy in the 18th century. At Sciences Po in the framework of the European Convention of students of political sciences his research focused on educational questions. During his current internship at Notre Europe Paul Damm is in charge of communication and public relations. Authors of the contributions CARMEL ATTARD (MALTA) Carmel Attard is the director of the Malta-EU Information Centre (MIC). He joined MIC as a press attaché in July 2000 after nine years in journalism as the editor-in-chief of a Maltese weekly and information director of a national radio station. He had previously served as a teacher for 10 years.. JIRI DIENSTBIER (CZECH REPUBLIC) Graduate in philosophy from Charles University in Prague, Jiri Dienstbier has served as prime minister and foreign minister of Czechoslovakia, ambassador and representative of President Vaclav Havel to the United Nations. In addition, he has been a rapporteur for the former Yugoslavia at the UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees). He is a member of the International Press Institute and of the Commission on Global Governance. Jiri Dienstbier has written a number of works, including: Donesia: From Sukarno to Suharto (1967); Radio against Tanks (1988); Dreaming of Europe (1990); From Dreams to Reality (1999); and The Blood Tax (2002). JAAN KAPLINSKI (ESTONIA) After studying linguistics at Tartu University, Jaan Kaplinski has been a researcher in linguistics, anthropology and ecology, director of the literary department of a theatre and journalist. From 1992 to 1995, he was a member of parliament in Estonia. As a poet, he translated French, Spanish, English, Polish, Russian and Swedish poetry and prose. He is considered as being one of the greatest living Estonian poets and is a member of the Universal Academy of Cultures, founded in 1992 in Paris by Elie Wiesel. He has been regularly put forward for the Nobel Prize in Literature. IOANNIS KASOULIDES (CYPRUS) Having graduated in medicine in 1974, Ioannis Kasoulides began his political career in 1985 by joining the Democratic Rally party (DISY) of Cyprus, where he served, amongst other posts, as chairman of the party’s youth movement. His high level of activity was rewarded in 1991 when he was elected Member of Parliament for Nicosia and was subsequently appointed government spokesman. From 1997 to 2003 he served as minister for foreign affairs of the Republic of Cyprus. He is now a Member of the European Parliament (EPP-ED) where he sits in the foreign affairs committee. He is also a member of the delegation to the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly and vice-president of the parliament’s delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council. MANJA KLEMENCIC (SLOVÉNIA) Manja Klemenčič is studying for a Phd at the Centre of International Studies, University of Cambridge. In her research, Manja analyses patterns of government coalitions and negotiation strategies within the EU-25, with specific focus on the Convention on the Future of Europe and the 2003/04 InterGovernmental Conference. Her other area of specialty is European higher education policy in the context of the Bologna Process. Manja graduated in economics from the University of Maribor, Slovenia, and in European Studies from the University of Cambridge. LENA KOLARSKA–BOBINSKA (POLAND) Lena Kolarska-Bobinska is professor of sociology, she had worked at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the Polish Academy of Sciences (1970-1991) and she was director of the Public Opinion Research Center, Poland’s biggest public opinion survey institute (1991-1997). She was a member of the Socioeconomic Strategy Committee – advisory board of the Polish Prime Minister (2002-2005) and member of the Advisory Group to the EU Commissioner responsible for “Social Sciences and Humanities in the European Research Area” in the European Commission. Currently, she is director of the Institute of Public Affairs, an independent non-partisan public policy think tank. LORE LISTRA (ESTONIA) She has been the director of the Estonian Institute, where she acted as a consultant for 2 years, since 1995. She studied Romance languages and literature and German languages and literature at Tartu University. She graduated in 2003 with a master’s degree in economics at Tallinn Technical University. From 1990 to 1992 she worked in the department of foreign affairs in the Ministry of Culture. In 2001 she was bestowed with the honour of becoming a ‘Chevalier dans l'Ordre National du Mérite’. She is a member of the national commission of UNESCO and vice president of the national programme ‘Estonian culture and languages in the world’. She works on various magazines such as ‘Estonian Literary Magazine’, ‘Estonian Art’ and ‘Estonian Culture’. PETR PITHART (CZECH REPUBLIC) Czech politician, political scientist and legal historian Petr Pithart was one of the first to sign Charter 77 in 1977. He was one of the founders and top representatives of Občanské Fórum (Civic Forum) after November 1989. After the overthrow of the regime, he served as prime minister of Czech Republic (part of federal Czechoslovakia) from 1990 to 1992. After the split of the country he served the Czech Republic as President of the Senate from 1996 to 1998 and from 2000 to 2004. He is now member of the KDU-ČSL party (Christian and Democratic Union, Czechoslovak People’s Party). He is author of books on the modern history of 1968 and of political essays (The Year 1968, Defence of politics and History and Politics and others). PAULS RAUDSEPS (LATVIA) Pauls Raudseps is editorial page editor of Diena, the largest and most respected daily in Latvia. Mr. Raudseps was one of the newspaper's founders. He was born in the United States to Latvian parents, came to Latvia in 1990 to work for the Latvian independence movement, and has been living there ever since. He holds degrees in Russian history from Harvard College and Indiana University. GINTARAS STEPONAVICIUS (LITHUANIA) Gintaras Steponavicius was one of the founders in 1990 of the Lithuanian Liberal Union, of which he has been the vice president since 2001, currently – the vice president of the Lithuanian Liberal Movement. He worked for the CSCE (Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe), and has lectured at the Institute of International Relations and Political Sciences at the University of Vilnius, where he graduated in law. Member of Parliament in Lithuania since 2000, he is now Deputy Speaker of the Seimas (Lithuanian parliament), a member of the European Affairs and Education, Science and Culture committees (ALDE, centre ground liberal party). ELZBIETA SKOTNICKA-ILLASIEWCZ (POLAND) She is advisor to the Minister Office of the Committee for European Integration, Member of the Polish European Movement and “Poland in Europe” Foundation. She cooperates with the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw University and Collegium Civitas in Warsaw. She has written a number of works, including: Parliamentary elite vis-a-vis Poland’s membership in the European Union, The First Year of Membership in the Social Evaluation, The Election to the European’s Parliament in Social Opinion Pools, The Costs and Benefits of Poland’s European Union Membership in Social Awerness.
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