leave the EU? – Van der Bellen: “The idea alone is already dangerous”

“A shock is going through Europe,” said the Federal President, referring to increasing isolation, xenophobia and nationalism. Time and again there is serious talk about building walls and building fortresses, and Brussels is increasingly portrayed as an enemy. “This jerk has it all. Are we going to fall for it?” A solid foundation of basic European values ​​such as freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human dignity gives the most strength.

Brexit: British pay high price
“There is so much we can do when we think about union within the European Union,” the Federal President warned that we had more things in common. It is hopeless “to face the global tasks as a lone wolf”. He used the British situation as a cautionary tale. These would pay a high price for Brexit.

Indirect criticism of the Schengen veto
The Federal President also warned politicians not to aim for short-term gains in votes and better opinion polls and not to give domestic political answers to foreign policy questions, for example by using the veto for their own purposes. Van der Bellen did not explicitly mention Austria’s veto against the Schengen accession of Bulgaria and Romania.

Europe Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) admitted: “In recent years we have accumulated more problems than we have solved.” Therefore, now is the time to promote European solutions. Edtstadler called for the “pioneers’ vision” to continue and to ensure that peace and freedom continue to reign on the continent.