The recently established local Brussels branch of ELDR’s Finnish member Keskusta are not resting on their laurels. In view of the highly anticipated EU summit last week (see separate article from the Liberal Lunch Summit ), they organised a very well-attended open exchange of views with Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Olli Rehn.
True to his normal open and frank fashion, Commissioner Rehn layed out the current state of play in the EU as well as the on-going correspondence with the troubled countries which either have requested EU assistance or may be about to do so, and offered his thoughts on the Summit, which he had hopes for would provide a step forward in solving the most pressing of challenges.
Following the gathering and the subsequent EU Summit, local Keskusta leader Anna Ranki commented: “ "We were really happy that the Commissioner had time to come discuss and debate with us just prior the summit. The decisions made during the summit touches upon the lives of every European citizen and it is important to offer possibilities for people to express their views and possible critique towards the European leaders. It is our role as political organisation to offer these possibilities. In order for Europe to overcome the crises we need long term solutions, reforms and maybe even treaty changes and for those to be accepted among the citizens we need open debate."