INTERVIEW
FRANZ SCHAUSBERGER PH.D., FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE OF THE REGIONS OF EUROPE (IRE)
The European Union is a Loyal Partner
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PHOTOCREDIT_IRE
The Institute of the Regions of Europe (IRE) recently organised a conference entitled “Europe and Corona: Dangers and chances”. We asked Franz Schausberger Ph.D., Founder and Director of the IRE, which conclusions from that event he would consider as the most important when it comes to our part of the world. We specifically addressed the issue of candidate countries that might be afraid both of the coronavirus and the economic and political disintegration of the EU, caused partly by the pandemic. 16
November
t is of high importance, not just for the Western Balkan Region but for all of Europe, to increase cooperation and solidarity between states and regions. The European Union showed quick and massive solidarity by helping the Western Balkan region with an aid package of 3.3 billion euros. There was no dispute on that within the European Institutions and member states - says the IRE founder and director. “Furthermore,” adds our interlocutor, “not just the region but many European countries have to improve their healthcare system. In general, a conclusion we drew at the Summit is that research and healthcare systems should be much more at the centre of political attention.” “No one needs to be worried that the EU will disintegrate because of pandemics. It is the other way round: after the initial shock, many regions and states showed solidarity and received intensive care patients from other countries, while the European Commission has been distributing medical and protective equipment to European states. Even the point where the states showed some kind of disagreement – on recovery funds – was not a general disagreement, rather a discussion on the technical details of financial aid,” says our interlocutor, before adding that there is certainly always the danger that some political groups will try to demolish Europe when an economic situation renders it vulnerable. • On the positive side, what are the opportunities presented by this situation and
