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Iohannis: I explained to EU leaders multi-speed Europe is not a good solution, could end in split-up
President Klaus Iohannis, speaking on Friday after the European Council's meeting, said that he explained to EU leaders that a multi-speed Europe is not a good solution and that in extremis it might end in splitting the Union.
He added that informal talks were held on Friday on the Declaration to be adopted in Rome, and which has been prepared in a first version.
"All of us — the 27 — have referred to this submitted paper. Contrary to the expectations of many analysts, we didn't address the future of the EU, but the text that will certainly be lodged in Rome, a paper that underlines the Union's achievements so far, showing the level of ambition for the future. Overall, we wish a positive paper that gives us the courage to carry on within the European Union. The future ambitions could not be talked about without tiny mentions in relation to the way we all see the future of the European Union, and in this respect I explained to my colleagues why a multi-speed Europe is not a good solution, but on the contrary, it is a solution which in extremis could end in splitting the European Union," said Iohannis.
According to the Romanian head of state, the European leaders will further focus on the text that is to be signed in Rome, after which talks on the White Paper presented by the European Commission's President, Jean-Claude Juncker, will follow.
"We'll try, within one or two years at the most, to outline our common vision of the future of the European Union," added Iohannis.
În his opinion, the Western Balkans are vital to Europe, President Klaus Iohannis said on Friday, stressing that the ways of diplomacy and aid for development are the approaches to pursue in this region.
"Western Balkans are vital to us in Europe, because they are in Europe. The fact that a host of problems reemerged there is worrisome and we have all talked about the way we could get involved to contribute to solving the problems in the region, and there are a lot of problems. The diplomatic way is obviously the most handy, but the way of the aids for development must also be better explored," said Iohannis after the European Council in Brussels.
He said that as regards the Western Balkans a EU and NATO coordination exists, since "in any matters, the NATO and the EU do correlate and complete each other. It would be useless and counterproductive to compete with one another. Nobody wants that. In all the matters concerning us all, the stances are harmonised, interventions or approaches are correlated," said Iohannis.