Where to go with Europe?

Do you, like US economist Jeremy Rifkin, also have a European dream? Do you also describe yourself as a "passionate European", like UK Prime Minister Tony Blair? Or do you tend to sympathize more with Ukrainian pop-icon Ruslana Lyzhichko, who "finds politics boring"? But would you also be willing to go on hunger strike for your democratic ideals? Ruslana Lyzhichko did just this during the Ukrainian "Orange Revolution".
Whatever the case may be, you know just as well as we do that in Europe at the moment not everything in the garden is rosy and that the debate about the future of the European Union is more heated than ever. The direct rejection of the EU constitution in France and the Netherlands, the impasse in the budget negotiations, an unwieldy and impenetrable bureaucracy or the most recent attacks appear to threaten the project of Europe, not least of all on an emotional level, and to release fears at both regional and national levels.
Despite the crisis our faith in the idea of Europe remains firm. The question is: how it should go on?  We have put this question to people from the fields of politics, culture and science and have received a number of astonishing new answers.
 ÖVP politician and keen debater, Erhard Busek, has accompanied Europe's development and sees in the present crisis the ultimate chance. In his interview with writer for Die Presse, Michael Prüller, he even dares to ask the essential question: does Europe actually wants itself or not? 
From the viewpoint of Jeremy Rifkin, whom we met for our readers in Munich on the occasion of the awarding of the international "Corine" book award, Europe is the only political model in the world that can strengthen global responsibility, or something like it. As Rifkin sees it Europe is not founded on the notion of "autonomy" but on the concept of "being integrated". Historian Karl Schlögel is less abstract. In conversation with journalist Bert Rebhandl he explains why one can discover Europe at a gigantic bazaar for used cars. Singer Ruslana Lyzhichko (in an interview with Moscow correspondent Eduard Steiner) also shows no difficulty in making contact with Europe. Quite the contrary: she exploits her widespread recognition to work as a UNICEF ambassador and to support the OSCE struggle against trafficking in human beings.
And: looking ahead to the second focal point in our magazine REPORT, "Romania" , the marvelous travelogue by Sybille Hamann and Bernhard Odehnal from Transylvania. Additional information about the Romanian gallery and film scene, statements on the Ceauşescu Palace and a great deal more – in REPORT, which you can order simply (and free of charge) under the email address kontakt@kontakt.erstebankgroup.net.

With best regards from Manuela Hötzl and Antje Mayer
www.redaktionsbuero.at

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