The Republic is open and tolerant but also knows how and when to be firm and make its values respected.

Europe started out with six countries; three small countries and three large countries.

When I see the cultural diversity that exists today, I feel that we must defend it, and we need Europe, because otherwise we are going to live in a society with a single model, the Anglo-American model.

It's a different outlook, and one that I understand. When you are a former member of the Warsaw Pact, when you have lived behind the Berlin Wall, when you have experienced the communist systems that existed in these countries, for them, the West represents hope.

Obviously, there is diversity, but Europe is a union of diversity.

We believe that the European Union is facing a truly historic choice.

There have been major disagreements within the European Union.