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Victoria Mindova

The citizens of Greece but also of other European countries are not very well aware of the importance and the role played by the European Union in the integration of the countries of the continent and their stability. This is the opinion of Rodi Kratsa, MEP and Vice-President of the European Parliament, who talked about the challenges to the European integration on the Day of Europe.

"There are serious gaps in public awareness, especially in Greece, as regards the opportunities of realization within the European Union that we have. In Greece in particular, the rate of awareness is significantly lower than the average rate in other countries in the union."

The poor awareness of the people is at the core of Euroscepticism that has been increasingly spreading in various countries in the union. This is the opinion of local politicians as well as of MEPs who are preparing for another European Parliament election race in 2014. The last European Parliament elections in 2009 ended with a record low participation of voters. Over 47% of voters in Greece did not take part in the democratic process, although the country had not yet entered into the deep crisis, which it is experiencing today.

GRReporter has asked the MEPs what measures they intend to take in order to motivate the Greeks, the majority of whom have been seized with Euroscepticism, to vote in the next European Parliament elections. The responses we received were largely evasive and vague.

According to Rodi Kratsa, Euroscepticism is not typical only for the Greek voters but also for the Bulgarians. It is most strongly felt on the eve of the national elections in Bulgaria. In general, she insists that the European authorities must communicate and cooperate with local authorities in a more effective manner in order for the quality of the information supplied by Brussels to improve.

"The issue is complex and requires complex activities that cannot fit within the year preceding the European Parliament elections," said Kratsa. According to her, the upbringing and culture of the European citizen must become part of the educational system of each country. The system and the functions of the bodies of the European Union should be presented to the citizens at an early age and a vast communication network between the steering system of Europe, the national governments and the citizens should be created.

Nikos Chrisogelos, MEP from the Green environmentalists of Greece, believes that an extensive election campaign should be undertaken right now in order for the citizens to be well informed after a year about the importance of the European authorities and to take more active part in the European Parliament elections.

"The existing problem is the wrong tactics of citizens as regards the idea of ​​European integration," says Chrisogelos. Voters believe that by not taking part in the election they will punish the local politicians for the mistakes in the local policy. According to him, the voluntary refusal of the majority of voters to take part in the election process will pave the way for the European parliament of populist and extreme forces that will create even greater problems during the integration process.

Panos Karbounes, head of the European Commission Representation in Athens, gave a more specific response as regards the cause for the anti-European sentiment in Greece.

"The political system in Greece is directly responsible for the Euroscepticism over the last few years years," was adamant Karbounes. "The politicians blamed the European Union for the country's woes at a time when Europe was asked to help Greece to remain part of the European Union, to reform its economy and social system."

Karbounes believes that if the political system assumes its responsibility and openly presents the benefits from the support programme and the further integration of Europe, blind Euroscepticism will yield to reason.

According to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dimitris Kourkoulias, the anti-European and anti-German ideas that have developed in recent years and that have been gaining ground will fade into the background when the people begin to understand the importance of the reforms in the bailout programme.

"The changes coordinated by Europe must be introduced in Greece as quickly as possible in order for them to respond to citizens' concerns as these reforms are associated with the reduction of bureaucracy and with the improvement of employment."

Kourkoulias insists that the more rapid restructuring of the local system and economy will help reveal the demagogy behind the idea that Greece can remain in the European Union without meeting its obligations to the international lenders. "It is understandable that everyone has a different opinion on how to carry out these reforms but I cannot accept anyone leaving the impression on the citizens that we can remain part of the monetary union without observing the rules of the euro zone."