We can consider that countries are always in formation; just ask a Catalan what their definition of Spain is, or a Basque, or perhaps analyze in depth how united the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is.
We shouldn't hesitate to say that Europe is just a project; we only need to look at the reactions to the events of September 11th. European citizens acted in unison in the face of American grief, and our politicians expressed the same sorrow, albeit with different words and in different tones. Although the British leader has since acted as if he were the American ambassador to Europe, the German and French leaders have been more restrained.
Once again, it is important to emphasize that Europeans (politicians and citizens) acted together. This was not the case in Venezuela, where its leaders took much longer to react than the citizens, who immediately condemned the terror.
In the Russian Federation, things were different; the politicians acted more quickly, aligning themselves with American positions before the citizens themselves, who were still in a slow recovery after the times of "two major opposing blocs."
Some are asking whether we should include Turkey in the European Union. Not yet, says former French President Valéry Giscar d'Estany in his new role as drafter of the new European Constitution. He is searching for a definition of what we are, and having to include a Muslim country doesn't fit the terms used.
During the Roman Empire, Europe was a territorial union, eager to add new gods to its pantheon so it could offer them sacrifices and request more specific favors on demand. In this respect, the Egyptians had much to offer, and since the Romans were already polytheistic, it was a difficult decision. But today Europe is monotheistic; speaking of more than one god does represent a challenge to the "human condition." Let's hope we have evolved enough since then.
The Romans' success is a source of continuous interpretation. One of these is that they were able to establish a framework of common laws to protect citizens from one another, not so much to limit freedoms, but to eliminate potential excesses by some. Some believe the fall of the Empire occurred when they decided to seek a definition: who they were, what their reach was—precisely what Giscard is attempting to do these days.
Europe is a collective project, a shared vision with a series of objectives and challenges for those who wish to be part of it. It is not a ship that can sink when new passengers board, nor a castle that can become overcrowded once it opens its doors. Rather, it is a candle that lights other candles so that more people can achieve greater dignity, and so that there is more light.
On a journey like this, what matters isn't being European, Spanish, Corsican, or Catalan. It's not the mountaintop you're aiming for, but rather walking the path well. Neither the kilometers traveled nor the hours spent in discussions are of great importance; the goal is to navigate the journey positively—in other words, without terrorism, without war, without hunger. The reward is the journey itself: development instead of poverty, peace instead of terrorism, well-being instead of anguish.
The Catalans lost a battle in 1714 against the Spanish, since then a long road began towards perhaps independence or who knows where, but my family doesn't care much about the final destination if they enjoy a comfortable house and a peaceful society.
As the Danes say, "we must approach those who seek, not those who have found."
We must leave the foot of the mountain where exclusive nationalisms reside as soon as possible and begin the ascent, says Imre Kertész (Nobel Prize in Literature 2002). "Auschwitz is the name of the end of the road, and humanity has been there recently."
Being European is an inner journey to the conviction that ideas, art, currency, services, and products are better when they are genuinely European, not just when they are German, Austrian, or Finnish. We have countless examples that confirm this in all areas of our lives: cars, computers with parts made in multiple countries. Things are done better when more talent is involved. In this sense, we need the talent of the Turks.
Being European is a personal decision that involves focusing our searches on the commonalities between people, the values we share, the emotions we experience at any given moment in our lives, rather than always focusing on the obvious differences between countries: they drink tea, they arrive late, they eat at five. Going through life looking for similarities between countries is a much healthier path than the one of seeking differences, which is so prevalent.
The sooner the journey begins, the better. There is much to be done. The Germans need Europeans to help them overcome their guilt complex regarding past events; it is time they began to forgive themselves. We Spaniards need Europe's help to overcome our inferiority complex, the British their class complexes, and the French their self-sufficiency.
Europe is a society that will have to be built à la carte "check one of the following boxes": euro, Schengen, NATO, length of membership, human rights, close to the center; far from it…
During the waiting period, the candidate country must make some adjustments and prepare, but from that moment on, the country will begin to feel the real advantages, which are: democratization, respect for human rights, and above all, a dynamic collective idea.
The European Union has an obligation to announce Türkiye's nomination.
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