Grybauskaite: we all are responsible for the future of Europe

VILNIUS - On Tuesday, President Dalia Grybauskaite and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy opened debate What Europe Do We Want?, the presidential press service reported.

In the run-up to Lithuania's Presidency of the Council of the European Union and starting the European Year of Citizens, Dalia Grybauskaite pointed out that it was in the interest of all EU member states to have united, strong and competitive Europe. The President invited everybody to contribute to building a better Europe.

"Europe is going through a period when difficult yet strategically important for all EU countries decisions must be found. We are here because we care about Europe we will live in. Each country is responsible for building a safe, united, economically and politically strong, and competitive Europe," the Lithuanian President said opening the debate.

According to the President, Europe must respond rapidly to the changing situation, seek deeper integration in all spheres, and be able to strike the right balance between financial discipline and economic growth measures.

This is the first public debate held on the future of Europe at such a high level in Lithuania, responding to increasing deliberations about the EU's future. In the discussion participated scientists, politicians, political analysts, experts and students, who exchanged their insights on how the European Union will look like and what is expected from it after several years.