Estonian president: federalism would improve opportunity EU citizens having their say

Photo: Mihkel Maripuu

Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves finds that federalism would be a solution how to improve the opportunity of citizens of the European Union having their say.

"The problem of democratic legitimacy in the European Union rises above all from the fact that the member countries that observe common rules help those that do not stick to agreements. This is often done against the will of the majority of citizens in their own country. Such a situation rather favors growth of populism in Europe", said the president who Tuesday read a report in a series of lectures of the European Policy Center think tank, "Visions of Europe: making the best out of crisis," the president's office told BNS.

Ilves said that federalism would be one solution how to improve the democractic legitimacy in the European Union or the opportunity of the citizens having a say. "A two-chamber European parliament would help fit interests of big and small member countries," he added.

Ilves also spoke in his speech about the Estonian experience of the economic crisis and of the options that helped Estonia emerge from the crisis. "Estonia then abided by the regulations in which there has been an agreement in the European Union, and does it now," he underlined.

Ilves said that to ensure economic  growth of member countries it was necessary to have a functioning  European Union domestic market. He supported  establishment of the transatlantic free trade zone, TAFTA, and underlined that Europe, too, should take its security seriously and to contribute more into defense expenditures.

On Wednesday Ilves will make the opening speech at the Baltic Development Forum and a Microsoft seminar, Empowering the Nordic-Baltic Economy – and inspiring Europe", where he will speak about the Nordic and Baltic countries' IT success story and forthcoming challenges that go along with opportunities of the digital age.

In the afternoon the Estonian president will make the opening speech a conference that focuses on data protection and privacy issues organized by the European Parliament, where he will speak about the privacy of cyberspace, cybercrime and ethical issues of data protection.

In the course of the visit Ilves will also meet with the Norwegian minister for administration, reform and religious affairs, Rigmor Aasrud.