ABSTRACT: On June 17, 1990 in Prague, a demonstration was held in front of the Romanian Embassy by the participants in the International Seminar of the PR entitled "The Trans-national Radical Party and the New Europe". The demonstration was in favour of civil and human rights in Romania. In the interview made by the agricultural newspaper of Prague during the demonstration, Marco Pannella speaks of the Radical seminar and the Trans-national Radical Party's proposal for a European federation.

("ZEMEDELSKE NOVINY", June 18, 1990)

"Democracy for Romania", "Enough of violence, enough of Communism" are the cries that resounded Saturday afternoon in front of the Romanian Embassy in Nerudova. The participants in the international seminar on the "Trans-national Radical Party and the New Europe" briefly interrupted their three-day debate and went to demonstrate against the suppression of civil and human rights in Romania.

Among the demonstrators it was impossible not to note the majestic personality of an important Italian statesman and member of the European Parliament, the President of the Federal Council of the Trans-national Radical Party, Marco Pannella. We took advantage of the occasion to ask him some questions regarding the seminar.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRAGUE SEMINAR?

The purpose is the same one for which we had ourselves arrested in the Soviet Union, Romania and Czechoslovakia - in all the countries where there was no freedom: the fight for a constitutional state, for non-violence, for democratic internationalism. As true pacifists we want to attack violence at its root.

WHAT ARE THE RADICAL PARTY'S IDEAS ON THE FUTURE OF EUROPE AND HOW DO THEY DIFFER FROM OTHER IDEAS?

We have always been European federalists. Not only do we not believe in Socialism in a single country, but we also do not believe in democracy in a single country. We believe that in all the world there should be no more than four or five large federal states that will prepare the new development for democracy everywhere on the planet. I think it is a dangerous illusion to imagine that it is possible to return to the kind of democracies we saw in 1918-1919 or later in 1945-46. The democrats who wanted democracy together with independence for their own countries were overturned first by the Fascists and then by the Communists.

A PROCESS OF DEMOCRATISATION IS IN PROGRESS IN EUROPE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THERE IS A STRENGTHENING OF NATIONALISTIC AND SEPARATIST TENDENCIES. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS?

It is a consequence of the existence of national states. In 150 years England has not resolved the question of Ireland and Spain has not resolved the problem of the Basques. It is not possible to guarantee freedom and the rights of all citizens, of all countries and all minorities either in a national or a Communist democracy. In a United States of Europe these problems would no longer have any reason to exist. We need a European federal state rather than small states in Europe.

Immediately after Pannella thanked Laura Cesaretti of Rome's Radical Radio, he put the microphone to my mouth and I myself became a journalist's victim...