Mid-way through his term, Parliament President Buzek hopes to make the EU a world player, but for this the EU needs funds and the citizens need the EU to spend.

Interview: Jerzy Buzek vows to fight for the EU budget

Mr Buzek, you said in your speech, 'it's  not about me, it's about you, the MEPs'.

The first point you mentioned  were the achievements of the EP

as the President  of the financial and economic crisis?

as the President at the time when we  overcame the crisis with great success.

I hope that in the next 15 months,  because that's what is ahead of me,

we can improve our economy  and our growth and create jobs.

and I reminded our Members  how important all their decisions were,

and also my activity, because I was  very active in this field.

One of your activities was  to focus on solidarity, you said.

Does solidarity still exist in Europe,  with the crisis in Greece, for example?

Of course, solidarity is present.  I'm quite sure of that.

But we also say that solidarity  must go along with responsibility.

It's nothing new, but people have  to be reminded from time to time.

So we have to have  austerity measures, for example,

and also our pension system  for the future.

You are also... This is a very important  story for the European Parliament,

but you are also the first President after  the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty.

Do you think the representation of the EP  is more important than ever?

Are you ready to continue to fight  for this budget, given the crisis?

Yes, a budget must help all of us in the  European Union to overcome the crisis.

on some things which are necessary  for overcoming the crisis.

Among other things, it is our  2020 strategy for spending on research,

spending for changing our jobs  from one to another.

We need additional education.  We need money for infrastructure,

because if we want to be united  in our single market,

we need infrastructure  in telecommunication,

So we need some money and we should  always ask about the cost of non-Europe.

If we don't spend money on the EU level,

how costly could it be for our citizens  and the whole European Union?

External action  was also an important point,

and the representation of the EP outside.

What work was done here?  Could you specify a bit?

Great work has been done  by Members of the European Parliament

it's not a pure institution,  but a part of our institutions -

in the community way. It's very important.

Institutions built by  the community method

will work in the future  by the community method as well.

This is our task. I'm thinking about  our common foreign policy of the EU.

It's not easy.  We must start to think about that.

Every time I'm in the United States,  in China,

in Russia, in Egypt, in...  everywhere, Ukraine,

I say to our ambassadors,  bilateral ambassadors,

that it's necessary to be stronger.  We are stronger if we are united.

For you, what is your main achievement  of this first part

What was something negative,  where you said, 'there I failed'?

I would like to tell you  about achievements.

The Lisbon Treaty -  I did a lot in this direction

in discussions  with the President of the Czech Republic,

I think the Lisbon Treaty  is working very well for the EU.

All the institutional decisions  over the last year were very difficult

because it was  a new institutional situation.

I tried to be involved in everything  on behalf of the EP.

Briefly, is there something negative,  something you didn't achieve?

It's obvious. We must be closer  to our citizens,

because turnout was not satisfactory  one year ago.

We started with national parliaments.  It's our obligation.

On the other hand,  we know that we need more contact

and we try to do that,  but we're still not effective.

EuroparlTV is one way to get closer.  - Yes, of course.

We must use that.  We need your help, of course.