EU Chair, Hungarian President Pal Schmitt to EuroFora: Manifold potentials from Danube Energy..

    The huge potential of Danube River Strategy's contribution to bring Energy strengthening Europe is manifold, from Natural/Economic up to Cultural/Moral aspects, said in substance EU Chairman, President of Hungary, Pal Schmid, to "EuroFora", at the Conclusion of his Press Conference at EU Parliament with his President Buzek, (that he knows well as former MEP), where he addressed MEPs at a crucial juncture, in the middle of the current Hungaran EU Chairmanship (Jan. - June 2011 : See also Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Urban and Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi, to "EuroFora", on 12/2010 and 1/2011).

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Energy can be partly produced by Danube itself, but it can also be transported through it, not only among its own Riverside Countries, but even in many others thanks to its links to Rhine, which bring also European People and Culture closer together, observed in substance the EU chair, speaking with "EuroFora", to whom he pointed also towards his Speech at EU Parliament's Plenary in Strasbourg, facing the PanEuropean Court of Human Rights, where Pal Schmitt was inspired to evoke also EU's Cultural and Religious, Christian roots, as parts of its Historic and Modern Identity, a notoriously much needed "Moral Fuel" in order to re-launch the motor of Popular Support to EU's development and role in the World.

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- "EuroFora" asked EU President in office Pal Schmidt whether the 2011 Hungarian EU Chairmanship really aimed to "link Danube Strategy with Energy" issues for the benefit of the European General Interest, particularly "on Transport" matters  :

- "Yes, in certain parts, yes", calmly but clearly replied the 2011 EU Chairman to "EuroFora"s question. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         + "There are even some Parts" of Danube River, "which can be utilized (also) as a Source of Energy", (f.ex. Hydro-Electric Dams, etc), Pal Schmitt added.  

When "EuroFora" pointed, in particular, also to the Strategic issue of "Danube - Rhine Ship Transport links with the Black Sea", Pal Schmitt acknowledged ;- " Yes", that's also "for Oil, etc. shipping", "I mentioned it", he noted.

+  But, enlarging the issue, President Pal Schmitt insisted to indicate also that Danube's EU input could even  have "Cultural", a.o. GeoPolitical dimensions

- "Danube Strategy,n it's also Culture, Environment, Energy, and Water,  Religion, etc. which are all very close to its particular(regional PanEuropean) Dimension", the 2011 EU Chairman stressed in conclusion to "EuroFora"..

    + Pal Schmitt also pointed "EuroFora" towards what he had just "mentioned in my Speech", as he said, to EU Parliament's Plenary, mainly about "Danube Region Strategy" as "Geopolitical asset", "Egine of common projects", and "a Cltural link", recently "taking shape in about 40 different Programs, with the participation of 14 countries", "that is to be approved in June" 2011. 

    > Pal Schmitt's hint indeed, looks pertinent : GeoPolitically, Historically and Culturally, Danube brings closer together Eastern with Western Europe, including undeniably European Countries such from Ukraine up to Croatia (EU Candidate due to join in 2013), Serbia (another Western Balkans probable next EU step, and the only "Missing Link" for a full EU appropriation of Danube River 100%), as well as Russia, etc., i.e. contributing also to the reunification of all Christians, from Catholics and Protestants up to Orthodox, as well as of Latin, German, and Slavic, together with Jewish a.o. traditional cultures.

    - While also giving Direct Access for Central/Western EU (i.e. France, Germany, BENELUX, even the UK, Denmark, Sweden/Norway via North Sea/Rhine river) right to the Black Sea, Caucasus and Caspian sea Area, of obvious interest for more Independent, Safer and probably Cheaper Energy supplies.

    At this particular moment of Europe's History, when almost all Big EU Countries' leaders have just denounced "MultiCulturalism" and re-started to praise "Integration", including of immigrants, as well as Cultural Identity and Historic "Roots", (f.ex. German President Angie Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Brittish Prime Minister David Cameron, etc.), including mainly Europe's well known Greco-Roman and Christian roots, (notoriously revendicated also by Italy, Poland, Spain, etc. and many other EU Countries, i.e. by representatives of the Largest Majority ever, quasi-totality of EU Citizens,

    - Because what we should have "here", in "the EU Parliament",  "is not a simple laboratory of legislation, but much more: the Soul of Europe : ..... Indeed, Europe has its own market, its own currency, its own policies and laws – but it also has a Soul and a Spirit.... The Crisis situations of the Recent past have also shown what happens if we consider the fate of People with a mere ..Technocratic approach", EU Chair Pal Schmitt pointed out in his Plenary speech.

    Therefore, EU Parliament's main mission is, now more than ever, to develop the role that  "the Culture of Open Debate plays in European Thinking", as "a guarantee for Democratic Decision-Making".  Restraint and attentive Openness to others is what fits best "From the outset, this alliance was more than a community of coal and steel. Its founding fathers brought it to life to guarantee peace with a view to establishing a strong Europe. It has changed a lot since: today, more than 500 million citizens of 27 countries live in the EUée²t is not easy to establish consensus among half a billion people.I consider it a special grace that Hungary assumed the rotating presidency now, in the midst of Grave Dilemmas, struggles, and fateful issues...."

 - "We (Hungarians) live in a country which, thanks to King Saint Stephen, was established as a tolerant, accommodating, multiethnic, Christian community which looks back on one Thousand years of statehood, and which testified to its deep rooted love of freedom with revolutions", he reminded, speaking of the Historic Central European Country which had succeeded, as early as since 1600-1700, to attract Solidarity from many Countries all over Europe (England, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Poland, etc), to the point to send Soldiers to Fight hard (in a kind of .. Spontaneous Precursor of what could become in the Future a European Defence/Army, 500 Years before today !) for the Liberation of Budapest from a Past Military Invasion and Occupation by the former Ottoman Turc empire.

    And , concluding, he "quoted ..from a popular Hungarian writer, ..Márai: - “We need to Build this way of life further. We have to fill it with everything that is Modern; we have to preserve everything in it that is Timeless. (...) We have everything we need, all we need is Faith and stubborn Will : Faith in our role and the Will to fight against the Tyranny of stupidity ... Where can Europeans start this work? ...I think they have already begun.”