France’s Minister of State for European Affairs looks back on Europe since ‘89












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            * France’s Minister of State for European Affairs looks back on Europe since ‘89
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            * The future of the EU as well as Brexit and Ukraine sovereignty among issues discussed
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            France’s Minister of State for European Affairs, Amélie de Montchalin, gave a lecture at t

            Thursday entitled “30 years after 1989 - Can Europe keep its promise of peace, prosperity 
            Rector Tomáš Zima, the Vice-Rector for Research Jan Konvalinka, and the Vice-Rector for th

            Education Radka Wildová, were the top university representatives present.
            During her lecture, Minister de Montchalin emphasized the importance of preserving Europea
            pointed out that over the last 30 years, Europe had taken great steps forward; in her opin

            needed to remember who they were and what they needed. She stated that not only diplomats 
            needed to hold discussions but that the broader public needed to take part. Additionally, 
            mobility of European citizens needed support, stressing the importance of opportunities fo

            citizen.
            The lecture at the Carolinum was accompanied by questions from students. Topics included c
            French-German cooperation, Brexit (which in her view will introduce enormous changes in th

            ties between the EU countries), and the sovereignty of Ukraine (with one of the major goal
            demilitarization of the country). The future of EU enlargement was also discussed. The min
            that countries that wanted to be members of the EU should be in convergence with Europe. K

            include development in the economic, social, educational (with access to top universities)
            as a good example, was the Little Schengen project in the western Balkan area. The importa
            minister stressed, was for potential candidate countries not to “lag behind”.

            One of the students who helped with the organization of the lecture, Lenka Stoláriková, sh
            impressions afterwards, saying it was beneficial for students to attend such events to get
            understanding” of key issues and some of the decisions being made. “They can ask questions

            find interesting… and could shape their own opinions and identities, building on the ideas
            discussion,” she said.