Aktuelles > Hüttemann | “Intervening in domestic affairs? This must be a European standard”

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EU-Erweiterung, Außen- & Sicherheitspolitik, Europäische Wertegemeinschaft, Justiz & Inneres

Hüttemann | “Intervening in domestic affairs? This must be a European standard”

Bernd Hüttemann

Foto: Kathrin Neuhauser

“Intervening in domestic affairs? This must be a European standard”, said Bernd Hüttemann, Vice President of the European Movement International at the Germia Hill Conference in Prishtina this Wednesday. Taking part in the the panel on “The Future of the Euro-Atlantic Community in Uncertain Times: Where Are We Headed?” Hüttemann made clear, that the Copenhagen EU accession criteria (democratic governance, human rights, functioning market economy) must be a model of conduct for all the existing EU members. Pluralistic and democratic competition on all policy levels is therefore a precondition for a united Europe.

Hüttemann emphasised that the US always advocated for a democratic, integrated Europe and made clear that this course is still being followed. Although Europe does not need to blindly follow the US, there is a mutual interest on the domestic agendas of each to find common solutions to the ongoing European “Polycrisis”.

Furthermore, solutions require vision. Hüttemann illustrated the European Movement International’s vision on a common European Defence policy: such a policy has often been criticised as being unrealistic in the past. However, the presence of multiple crises has drawn into the open the need to formulate a clear internal security dimension in EU policy.

Hüttemann underlined that integration in the right policy fields is the key for Europe’s future: ”Some call it subsidiarity or think big in big things and small in small things. Nation states alone are failing.“

The annual Germia Hill Conference, is the flagship event of the Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was co-organised with the Aspen Institute Germany this year. The Conference aims to attract “global thinkers, decision-makers and journalists who exchange ideas about the politics of South-East Europe, and European and Transatlantic affairs at-large.”

Together with Hüttemann, Jennifer Bachus, Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy in Kosovo; Gunther Hellmann, Professor at Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main and Sonja Licht, President, Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence discussed the Transatlantic developments. The panel was moderated by Rüdiger Lentz, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Germany.

Vice President Hüttemann is also Co-Chair of the European Movement International’s Political Committee on “More Democracy“. He used the opportunity to meet with several stake holders and representatives from the diplomatic community.

The main topic up for discussion was to determine how the European Movement International network can help to solve the current deadlock for the people of Kosovo while they are not a full part of the European community.

As Kosovo is not part of the European Convention on Human Rights and is the only country in the region with Visa-restricted travel, Kosovo’s organised civil society has a more chammenging field in which to operate.

The European Movement International network is present in Kosovo through its supporting member Kosovar Civil Society Foundation.