Address by the President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen at the Bulgarian Parliament, Sofia, 26.2.2003

OUR CHANGING EUROPE IN THE GLOBALISING WORLD Check against delivery

"Although the world changes, we have our historical experience and our geographical position, which do not change". So wrote my predecessor's predecessor, Finnish President Mauno Koivisto, ten years ago during a time when everything seemed to be changing irreversibly for the better in Europe. The cold war ended and the European Union prepared for enlargement, through which Finland also became a member of the EU in 1995. Nothing seemed to stay the same, the removal of the military threat appeared to offer us unlimited opportunities for peaceful cooperation. However, as a political testament of a certain kind, Mauno Koivisto wanted to emphasise the importance of history and geography, so that when looking towards a bright future we do not become blinded and lose perspective.

Finland's geographical environment, which we can do nothing about, is Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea. During the course of history, the endeavours of great powers have often collided with each other, often with fatal consequences for the small nations in this area. Now, in the post cold war situation, the position of these small nations in the area is better and safer than at any other time in history. The countries bordering the Baltic Sea will, with the exception of Russia, soon all be members of the European Union. This has a fundamental influence on increasing stability and prosperity for the whole area. There are of course problems and many of these are related to the search for a new kind of mutual partnership between the EU and Russia. Both sides are learning to solve the problems better than before. The most important aspect, however, is that there is no longer the danger of any of these culminating in military confrontations.

For Bulgaria, geography has historically meant the Balkans and the Black Sea area. This area too has for centuries been torn by internal disputes and the conflicts of great powers. This has long been known in Finland, because during the time of the war between Russia and Turkey in 1877-78, Finnish Guards took part in those battles that in time led to Bulgaria's independence.

After the cold war ended, the situation for the Balkans did not develop as favourably as in Northern Europe, but, particularly in the former Yugoslavian area, military conflicts broke out and they shook the entire stability of Europe. After many tragic phases the fires have been extinguished, but many disputes are still smouldering. Some of the crises were resolved by military means. Some were brought to a negotiated solution, as with the Kosovo situation under the leadership of my predecessor, President Martti Ahtisaari. These crises caused tremendous suffering, losses and great costs, of which we too are paying our share by participating in the crisis management operations in Bosnia and Kosovo.

In summer 1999, when Finland held presidency of the EU, a historic summit meeting was held in Sarajevo, where the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe was concluded. The aim was to set in motion, through broad international cooperation, not just the relief of human suffering and reconstruction in the devastated areas, but also the sustainable building of civil societies and regional cooperation. The task was enormous and a lot has been accomplished. The results, however, so far achieved certainly do not meet those great expectations that we in Sarajevo had. The work must be continued.

The purpose of the Stability Pact was to achieve regional cooperation for solving the problems created by the crises. This is, indeed, essential in the short term. In the long term, however, lasting solutions can best be found through European integration. The commitment to this goal encourages us all to build the kind of civil societies that are based on common European values: democracy, a respect for human rights and rule of law. You already know of several of those organisations such as the OSCE and the Council of Europe. You have also been invited to join NATO.

The European Union made a far-reaching decision on enlargement at its Copenhagen Summit last December. The current enlargement process is, in many respects, different from the earlier ones - historic in fact.

Firstly, the number of new member countries was larger than ever before, a growth of two thirds. Secondly, the economic differences are greater than in the earlier enlargements, yet the entire process has now been much quicker. Thirdly, eight of these new members are what are known as countries with transitional economies. As recently as just over ten years ago they had a communist political and economic system. Almost all of them had been in the Warsaw Pact.

New members always have to jump onto a moving train. This time the jump demands more. Most of the long-standing members have already adopted the common currency, euro, and are part of the Schengen system. Moreover, the EU convention is doing its work at a fast pace.

The fact that the EU is prepared to open its door to these countries is an important signal not only to all Europeans, but also to the rest of the world. The Union has demonstrated in a very concrete way that it is an open community. All European countries that wish to join and that meet the criteria can become members. This concerns Bulgaria next.

This is made clear in the conclusions of the Copenhagen Council last December:

["The successful conclusion of accession negotiations with ten candidates lends new dynamism to the accession of Bulgaria and Romania as part of the same inclusive and irreversible enlargement process. The Union welcomes the important progress achieved by these countries, which is duly reflected in the advanced state of their accession negotiations. The Union looks forward to consolidating the results achieved so far. Following the conclusions of the European Council in Brussels and depending on further progress in complying with the membership criteria, the objective is to welcome Bulgaria and Romania as members of the European Union in 2007. The Union confirms that accession negotiations with these countries will continue on the basis of the same principles that have guided the accession negotiations so far, and that each candidate country will be judged on its own merits."]

Finland supports Bulgaria in its endeavours. Further development depends on the pace at which Bulgaria itself is able to take the accession process to a conclusion. Twenty-three negotiation chapters have already been conditionally closed. Eight difficult chapters, however, still remain the subject of negotiation. At the same time Bulgaria must be able to carry out extensive legislative work. It also has to change the structures of its judicial system, administration, environmental policy and economy in such a way that the adoption and implementation of the acquis is also possible in practice.

The task is demanding, but I believe that you Bulgarians want and are able to accomplish it. The EU also gives economic and technical assistance in many ways. Finland has also offered Bulgaria the use of its own experiences of its accession negotiations of ten years ago, and also practical support in different sectors, such as in the development of regional governance and in making border security more effective, for example. In terms of improving the position of minorities, Finland has a long tradition, especially from the sphere of the Council of Europe. The position of the Roma minority is an example of a question which is common to all European countries and to which we must be able to find common solutions. In 1999, the Helsinki Summit of the EU emphasised the importance of equal rights for all individuals. Special attention was to be drawn to improving the position those groups, which are not in majority in any country, including the Roma.

Thus far, Europe and its countries have always been, in good and in bad, a very important part of the global world. Colonialism came to the end of its road after the Second World War. Europe turned inwards. It started to look to integration for a solution to its economic problems and to its problems of identity. In this respect the last five decades have indeed been a success story.

Today, the pressure for integration comes also from outside, and it is not confined to Europe. Cultural, economic and security problems are genuinely global, and regional solutions are not sufficient. European integration can, however, be of help to us as well as to others. The wealth of the EU countries and their share of the world's investments, trade and development aid make the EU influential all over the world. Influence, however, brings responsibility.

To regrettably many people globalisation does not, however, represent unlimited opportunities for interaction and prosperity, free from the shackles of geography. This is especially true in developing countries. Rather to them it only represents a new, even more unjust international system of exploitation. As there is no longer any return to the past, the only possibility is to try to make globalisation more human. To build a new world with national states and civil society, international organizations and progressive enterprisers. Globalisation will then be able to promote development, well-being, and employment, and decrease poverty all over the world. Our European experience may be a part of the new world.

The International Labour Organisation, ILO, established a commission to study the social dimensions of globalisation and to come up with recommendations for making globalisation humane and equitable. The President of Tanzania and myself serve as co-Chairs of the Commission, which has as members 24 eminent persons from different parts of the world. These women and men represent, extremely well in my opinion, the various political, economic and cultural starting points and perspectives of globalisation. Our work is due to be complete next autumn. Although we are not miracle workers, we firmly believe that a person can influence development.

Finland itself is an example of a country whose isolated agricultural society in a very short time, in less than fifty years, successfully adapted to the globalisation development. The Nordic welfare society is the foundation of our work. In three cross-country assessments recently carried out by the World Economic Forum, Finland was ranked first: in competitiveness, in information technology development and in sustainable development with respect to the environment. In another international comparison Finland was ranked as the least corrupt country of all. This demonstrates that also these matters can be connected, as too can competitiveness and a welfare society. And so has happened in a country where the climate is at times severe, the natural resources few and which is particularly far from the major centres of the world. This should give hope to all who believe in better globalisation.

During the cold war, international security was based in the last instance on the worldwide balance of terror. Entering the new millennium we come to discover that the end of the cold war was a good thing, but still it did not automatically lead to peace and disarmament. We are faced by new kinds of global threats to security that are even more difficult to identify than before. This too should teach us a new form of global management. Although the United Nations was established by the victors of the Second World War it has grown into a genuinely universal organisation. The United Nations, its Secretary-General and the Security Council, and other organs are the only genuinely global institutions that have the prerequisites to achieve the unreserved trust of all peoples in their endeavours to ensure peace, security and development in a changing world.

Bulgaria is facing a year of great challenges. As a member of the UN Security Council it has a special responsibility for international peace. In the accession negotiations with the EU there is a decisive stage ahead, which demands the cooperation and commitment of the Members of Parliament, too. I believe that Bulgarians have a lot to win and a lot to contribute in this work.