ABSTRACT: Emma Bonino (1) answers questions in an interview to present the Assembly of parliamentarians and the General Council of the Radical Party in Sofia (Bulgaria). She summarizes the history of the party from its foundation to the recent transformation into a transnational force, gives her opinion on the situation in central and eastern Europe, outlines the position of the party on the Bosnian conflict and on the crisis affecting Europe after the Maastricht summit, says that Sofia is the ideal capital for the assembly because Sofia is "the centre of the Balkans", and not just geographically speaking.

("DUMA" 5 July 1993 - organ of the Bulgarian socialist party)

The president of the transnational radical party Emma BONINO interviewed by "DUMA".

The assembly of parliamentarians and the General Council of the Transnational Radical Party will be held in Sofia. The president of the party is a member of the Italian Parliament and one of the promoters of the manifesto of Nobel laureates against starvation and for development. She is a former member of the European Parliament and actively fights against starvation and for disarmament. Emma Bonino was kind enough to answer the questions asked by our correspondent.

1. Could you tell us something about the party you are secretary general of? When was it founded, what are its main objectives?

The radical Party was founded in 1955 to oppose the Christian democratic party which was the hegemonic party in Italy (also as a consequence of the Cold War), a party with close links with the clerical power and the Vatican. Since then, however, much has changed. Initially a "bourgeois" party, the radical party then evolved, through concrete battles, into a party preoccupied with upholding civil rights and defending the categories of people which the party system which was becoming increasingly arrogant, was oppressing. For instance, the "outlaws of marriage", i.e. those who could not afford to divorce and start a new life because of the laws in force. The communist party (headed first by Togliatti and then by Berlinguer) which advocated an agreement with the Christian democratic party, boycotted as much as it could the introduction of our bill on divorce. It wanted to avoid a conflict with the Catholic Church.

After that we concentrated on obtaining a more humane and dignified treatment for low-income pensioners - a category neglected by all political parties because they did not bring votes. Also, among our initiatives I could list the lowering of the voting age to 18, the improvement of the conditions of convicts in prisons, the struggle against anti-liberal and repressive laws. One thing I absolutely want to recall is that in Italy we introduced those "referendums" that allowed to abolish the public financing of parties, as well as a series of other unfair laws.

At the international level, the struggle to improve the conditions of the underprivileged of the Third and Fourth World, which has brought the Italian Parliament to pass a bill to increase the allocations to developing countries, projected us towards the creation of a transnational party, capable of addressing the issues of our time, from the environmental ones to those of ethnic coexistence or the enhancement of the role of the United Nations so that it may finally become a truly democratic forum of justice which all countries of the world may look at confidently. In the transnational party Italians represent a minority: the majority is formed by citizens of east European countries!

2. How would you assess the situation in central and eastern Europe in the current post-totalitarian transition? Do you agree with the opinion that this region of Europe is experiencing a return to communism?

The situation of eastern Europe, which we are particularly interested in, seems open to all possible outcomes: terribly negative (a re-emergence, perhaps only temporary and fragile, of communist elements) but also extraordinarily positive. If they want to, these countries, from Czechoslovakia to Bulgaria and Rumania, could become models of the transition from totalitarian regimes and condition of retarded development into model-countries in the achievement of new forms of economic, social as well as cultural coexistence and growth. If they know how to embark in this enterprise, your countries will be able to become an example also for Western Europe, where, amid an overly consumerist wealth and a lack of responsibility that comes short of downright irresponsibility, many values of democracy have been seriously degraded. The counties of eastern Europe are rich in a complex, splendid tradition made of diversity and difference in values, and can attract the West at many levels; your economic potential is still

largely unexplored, like the peculiarity of your geographic and ecological situation: think, for example, of the wonderful reality of the Danube, which, if exploited intelligently and sensibly, in connection with the river network of the Rhine and the European continental waterways system, could become a huge laboratory for the development of trade and culture. If the countries touched by the Danube wanted to, they could be a model and a challenge to the overly rich and selfish Europe.

3. What is your position on the ongoing conflict in Bosnia?

Bosnia--or rather, Ex-Yugoslavia in its complexity and totality--represents the dramatic example of what should never have happened and which could instead be a mine that could cause the entire Balkans area to explode. I believe your most modern and advanced leading classes will need to be very careful in deciding on these problems. If the voices of the past are heeded, the voices of hatred and violence, then the Balkans will be at risk: the example of Ceaucescu is still too recent and painful.

Even Hitler and his deeds, Alsatia, the Sudetes, the Austrian Anschluss and even the Jewish Holocaust (which was but the application of the principle of ethnic purity) pale compared to the violent (there is no other word to define it) solution of "ethnic cleansing". Today the problems of cultural and linguistic diversity can be tackled also with the use of modern linguistic technologies and should cease creating situations impossible to be solved. But above all, as far as I'm concerned, I address an appeal to the peoples of the Balkans, to urge them not to waste the rich multi-cultural tradition which makes it so unique in Europe and even the preview of that Europe of Regions which is among the objectives of the EEC and which the latter is incapable of developing.

4. How would you comment the current crisis of the European Community? How would you assess the Maastricht agreements?

The Maastricht agreements were a monument to the hypocrisy of the European chanceries. Such agreements offered little positive elements and many negative ones to the European peoples that need to confront possibly the most difficult problems of their history: how to manage the economic as well as cultural, civil and democratic development, avoiding the shortcuts of wars and civil wars that would reduce them to under-development and to a condition to inferiority with respect to the superpowers United States and Japan, that aim to dominate the rest of the world. I realize that for people who have constantly lived in a situation of forced poverty as you have under the totalitarian regimes, the arrival of Japanese gadgets, Coca-Cola and private cars can appear to be a major progress. But I think there is much more to be had in terms of common, harmonious and integrated strengthening of the European societies, which are potentially far more advanced than its rivals. In this prospect, we need to immediately "storm

" the ivory tower of the EEC with peaceful and non-violent means, to make it adequate to these prospects. But this is possible only of your countries accept: at this stage they have become indispensable partners.

5. Why did you choose Bulgaria of all countries to call the Assembly of parliamentarians members of the Transnational Radical Party and the General Council?

The answer is simple: Sofia is the centre of the Balkans. A geographic centre, but also a political one, with respect to the crisis of Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, etc. Also, isn't Sofia one of the great historical capitals of the Slav and Orthodox civilization? It will be most important for both you and us to witness a confrontation between waves of many seas, but this time with a peaceful, positive and constructive approach.

Translator's notes

(1) 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.