Sebastian Schäffer for Cross-border Talks: The EU reform is a collective necessity

Sebastian Schäffer gave a broad interview on EU affairs, international politics and reform to Vladimir Mitev from Cross-Border Talks. Schäffer spoke in support of EU integration and further expansion. He shared his proposals for reform of the EU institutions. He also discussed about the geopolitical dynamics regarding Ukraine and its path to the EU accession, about the EU future of the Western Balkans, in support of weakening of borders inside EU, etc. Schäffer had critical comments, but also discussed about positive sides of the new EU migrant pact. He didn’t exclude that in the future the European People’s Party makes a coalition with a part of the growing conservitive and populist forces in the EU. And shared what in his view might the rise of the so-called sovereignists change for Europe. Schäffer was also critical towards the understanding that border controls inside the EU should be strengthened, when asked specifically about the agreement between Austria, Romania and Bulgaria that allowed the two Southeastern European countries to join the Schengen area.

You can listen to the whole interview here: