Prof. Mario Monti at the UNWE: Balance between the National and Common European Politics Is Necessary in the EU

Prof. Mario Monti, President of Bocconi University in Milan, Italy, delivered a public lecture at the UNWE. The topic of his lecture was Can National Politics Still Support International Integration? The Case of the EU. At the meeting with the famous Italian politician attended Prof. D.Sc.(Econ.) Statty Stattev, Rector of UNWE, Ivaylo Kalfin, graduate of UNWE (special advisor of the European Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources Günther Oettinger, Vice Prime Minister in two governments, former minister and member of the European Parliament) as well as lecturers and students.

The Rector Prof. Stattev presented the guest and its rich political and academic biography.

The Rector Prof. Stattev is opening the meeting. On the right next to him: Prof. Mario Monti and Ivaylo Kalfin

Thank you for the invitation to deliver a lecture at such a prestigious and famous university as the UNWE at that in the eve of the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU Council, began his speech in the Ceremonial Hall of UNWE Prof. Mario Monti (in the picture below).

Basing on his longstanding professional experience as a Prime Minister of Italy and European Commissioner the guest featured the main problems of European integration. He pointed out that they had been originated by the bad functioning of political processes in the EU member-states. Making decisions of common European importance more politicians have in mind their national interests affected by the party, governmental and sometimes by their own benefits, pointed out Prof. Monti. According to his words the root of the issue is not the trust in the EU but the fact that politicians think more about their national interests than the common European ones. 

In the Ceremonial Hall

The peak of the international consolidation was achieved several years ago and it has already finished, outlined the lecturer. The decreased number of trade agreements in the recent years means an essential change in the dynamics of international integration, said explicitly Prof. Monti. He analyzed the reasons for that: the short-terms of political interests usually related to the election or reelection of certain politician and national interests with short horizon which do not allow investing in the future or thinking forward-looking for the long-term integration development.  

During the public lecture

There is a tendency to disintegration in the EU especially after the Brexit although the fears of its consequences are not well-grounded, pointed out Prof. Monti. He commented that a tendency of “closing the countries” had occurred because the EU itself had also been subordinated to globally acting forces. In all European countries except Italy the effect of Brexit leads to strengthening of the approval of EU and European integration, outlined the guest-lecturer. He formulated the key solution of the issue: the creation of new politics which can make a balance between the national and common European interests. 

Prof. Monti commented also the fact that Bulgaria had been exclusively advanced and would not set problems to other countries in the Eurozone so its adoption in the Eurozone would be of mutual interest.

Prof. Stattev expressed his thankfulness to Prof. Monti for his warm words and reminded that Ivaylo Kalfin had also graduated from the UNWE – the university preparing the political elite of the country – most Ministers in the current government have graduated from the UNWE.

The Rector awarded a Certificate of Appreciation to the guest in recognition of his lecture as well as the Commemorative Medal of Stephan Bobchev – Founder and First Rector of UNWE (in the picture below). 

The students asked Prof. Monty lots of questions and he answered them thoroughly. 

Prof. Mario Monti has been European Commissioner for Internal Market, Financial Services and Tax Policy (1994 -1999) and European Commissioner for Competition Policy (1999 –2004). Since 2011 to 2013 he has been Prime Minister of Italy as well as Minister of Economy and Finance (2011 -2012. He is a Senator for life.  

Prof. Monti has been Rector of Bocconi University since 1989 to 1994 and President of Bocconi University in the period 1994 – 1999 and since 2004 up to the present. He is an author of publications in the field of monetary and financial economics, public finance, competition policy and the economic and political dimensions of European integration, etc.