Salzburg – ESI at TV debate on the "European crisis"

Klaus Hänsch, Gerald Knaus, and Johannes Willms. Photo: ServusTV

Gerald Knaus was invited to participate in a TV debate on current European affairs on Austrian ServusTV. Speaking about the recent EU accesion of Croatia, he pointed out the enourmous progress Croatia has undergone since the late 1990s with leading politicians on trial for corruption, peaceful relations with its neighbours, poltical and economic reforms and a general sense that EU accession is no panacea for all problems. Regarding the recent protests in Turkey, he pointed out that these show how European Turkish society has already become with individual citizens voicing their right to participate in political decisions. Gerald stressed that the best way to support the pro-European forces in Turkey would be visa-free travel for Turkish citizens and to open negotiations on the Justice and Home affairs chapter as soon as possible.

The other guests included Klaus Hänsch, former President of the European Parliament, Joachim Starbatty, professor of economics, Sonja Puntscher-Riekmann, political scientist, and Franz Schellhorn, chairman of the think tank "Agenda Austria". The full show is available on ServusTV's website.