ABSTRACT: At the conclusion of the radical seminar on "The transnational radical party and the new Europe" held in Prague, Czechoslovakia's top-selling newspaper published an interview with the president of the Radical Party, where Emma Bonino explains the reasons underlying the Radical Party's transnational and federal choice in Europe.

("Mlada Fronta", June 18th, 1990)

The most advanced position in the struggle for the unification of Europe is the one held by the transnational radical party. The latter has organized an international seminar in Prague on the new Europe, which closed yesterday.

Below is the interview with the Italian Emma Bonino, president of the Party.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE PRAGUE AS THE SITE OF A SEMINAR ON THE FUTURE OF EUROPE?

Prague is one of the centres of our continent. Also, there were important technical reasons and, above all, a political interest: it was important to support your democratic revolution.

DO YOU THINK YOUR IDEA OF A UNITED STATES OF EUROPE CAN COME TRUE?

It is my firm belief, perhaps as early as in Year 2000. At that stage, it will no longer be possible to solve environmental, economic and political problems at the national level. The very concept of national state is obsolete and inadequate. Also, I think the problems existing among the various nationalities are a major obstacle to unification.

The future of Europe must be univocal: transnational and federal. For Czechoslovakia, for instance, this means integrating in the European Community. I think your country will soon become a member of this family: economically speaking there is no other solution.

THE EUROPEAN RADICALS HAVE ALWAYS SUPPORTED THE STRUGGLE AGAINST TOTALITARIANISM IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA, AS PROVEN NOT ONLY BY YOUR ACTIONS IN AUGUST 1988 IN PRAGUE, BUT ALSO BY YOUR PARTICIPATION IN LAST YEAR'S DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST THE SOVIET INVASION.

At the time the government of Czechoslovakia denied access to the country to some Italian journalists, and this is why I had to work for our television and our radio myself. The job was far from pleasant.

November 1989 has been a moment of great satisfaction and joy.

Translator's notes

(*) BONINO EMMA. (Bra 1948). President of the Radical Party, former member of the European Parliament, as of 1976 member of the Italian Parliament. Among the promoters of the CISA (Information Centre on Sterilization and Abortion) and active militant in the campaign against clandestine abortion. She was tried and acquitted in Florence. Participated in the conduction, on a national and international scale, of the campaign on World Hunger. Among the founding members of "Food and Disarmament International", promoted the circulation of the Manifesto of Nobel Laureates.