David SASSOLI, EP President and by Maroš ŠEFČOVIČ, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Energy Union and, temporarily, for the Digital Single Market, visit the exhibition on the 30th Anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, in the European Parliament in Brussels. Opening remark by David SASSOLI.

Brussels

statement

ŠEFČOVIČ, Maroš (SK, EC)

exhibition

SASSOLI, David Maria (S&D, IT, S&D, IT)

EU - Slovakia (T)

EU - Czechia (T)

Exhibition on the 30th Anniversary of the Velvet Revolution: opening remark by David SASSOLI, EP President and by Maroš ŠEFČOVIČ, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Energy Union and, temporarily, for the Digital Single Market

Arrival of Maro&scaron; &Scaron;efčovič, Commissioner for Energy (3 shots)

SOUNDBITE (French), David SASSOLI, EP President, The Velvet Revolution can be considered as the founding moment in the European Union, the contemporary EU, as we know it today. This event opened the the path to the political unification of Europe. A reunification based on the values ​​of common inspiration. After the fall of the Berlin wall, the Velvet Revolution was the turning point of the year 1989. As a young journalist, I participated in this historic moment with great enthusiasm.

SOUNDBITE (French), David SASSOLI, EP President, I am proud to chair today a Parliament that brings together Eastern, Western, Southern and Northern European countries. Europe was built beyond the trauma of Nazism and Communism. The work of memory that we must do everything is more important than ever. I congratulate you on this wonderful initiative.

SOUNDBITE (French), David SASSOLI, EP President, The values that led the Union even stronger. We need a stronger Union. This is the reason for this great initiative for all the European Parliament. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Commissioner for Energy , The Berlin wall did not fall and the Iron Curtain was not lifted just by itself. They have been removed by the strong desire of the people, in our case Czechoslovakians, who wanted to live in a free society. They wanted to rejoin our partners in Western Europe, wanted to leave in a united, free, prosperous Europe on the free continent. That was the decisive factor why the Velvet Revolution was so successful.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Commissioner for Energy, If you look at our countries now, I am really happy to see that in the Czech Republic and Slovakia there are really vibrant cities, vibrant villages. You see young, motivated people who speak all the languages, who travel the world and know that Europe rightfully is their own place. And that is an unbelievable accomplishment of which we would not be able to accomplish ourselves. And we did it because we joined the European Union and its examples of modernization and legal order. We could be part of this because the economy on this planet really helped us to accelerate this positive change.