The prime minister warned today, on Europe Day, of the threats posed by populism to democracy on the European continent, stressing the importance of bearing in mind the lessons of 20th century European history.
“Today we celebrate Europe Day and remember the long road we have travelled together. It is important to bear in mind the lessons of 20th century European history, in the face of the threats posed by populism to democracy on our continent,” writes António Costa, in a message posted on the social network twitter.
In his message, the prime minister recalls the “long road we have traveled together,” stressing that Europe “has come a long way” since the Schuman Declaration.
“The challenges and crises change. But the goals remain the same: to ensure peace and prosperity on our continent, leaving no one behind,” he says.
He also recalls that the European project and unity among Europeans “is built every day, in support of Ukraine, in the fight against climate change, in the development of a more resilient, competitive and sustainable economy, and of an EU open to the world.
Today’s Europe Day marks the anniversary of the historic Schuman Declaration, delivered in Paris in 1950 by France’s then Foreign Minister (Robert Schuman), setting out his vision for a new form of political cooperation in Europe.
This vision involved the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) for a common market for coal and steel among the founding countries (France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg), which was established with the signing of the Treaty of Paris on April 18, 1951.
