Interview with Jerzy Buzek, the President of the European Parliament (EU)
Mr. Buzek has visited Moscow for the first time as the President of the European Parliament. During his stay he has met with President of Russia Dmitri Medvedev, Speaker of the State Duma Boris Gryzlov, Deputy Chair of the Committee on International Affairs Andrei Klimov.
What were the main issues that you discussed with Mr. Medvedev?
- We have discussed the new program of modernization, the innovative approach of the new thinking and the employment of high technology. Mr. Medvedev wants to lift the oil and gas drag, so the economy would be diversified.
Although this can’t be done only be economic means. It’s very important to have a judicial system and courts in which law is the main rule. Independent mass media and freedom of information should also be considered as the one of the main factors of new Russia. We still don’t know what happened with Mrs. Politkovskaya and the trial of Mr. Khodorkovsky is very closely watched in the EU.
How do you perceive the Russia-EU cooperation?
- Russia is a very important partner for the EU. One of the essential instruments of that co-operation is the Partnership Cooperation Committee (PCC) that is constituted from the EU and Russian parliamentarians and helps us enhance and further develop our relations.
During my visit to the State Duma I have met not only with the Speaker Mr Boris Gryzlov, but also with the leaders of the main parties that have been elected by the Russian people to represent their interests.
In the XXI century world faces global challenges that countries can’t overcome by themselves. Climate, security, piracy, corruption, money laundering – all of these should be dealt with on a global level. Only joint efforts can help us eliminate these issues from our everyday life.
Russia as a permanent member of the Security Council of the UN, the member of the OSCE, as a country with a democratic constitution, should be one of the main actors in the global problem solving policy.
What is your impression of Moscow?
- Previously I had visited Moscow, but it’s my first visit to Russia as president of the European parliament. I would like to note the hospitality. It’s a prominent Russian feature and I’m very pleased by the friendly and amiable atmosphere that I have enjoyed here.
The second round of the presidential elections in Poland will take place on July 4th, 2010. What are you predictions about the final results?
- Being more open and reasonable, Bronislaw Komarovsky has more chances of winning. And I believe that his rule would be more beneficial to Poland and also to the EU. Because the EU is stronger if each country-member is strong and developed in all the spheres, so it’s a mutually beneficial process.
But I don’t want to effect in any way the outcome of the elections, because the most important thing is that they should be held democratically, so that people can themselves elect the candidate that they consider to be the right one for them.