Created on 2019-12-19 12:39
Published on 2019-12-19 20:32
Dear President Dr Ursula von der Leyen,
I am very much concerned and worried about the World's - and therefore Europe's - Future. A sustainable Europe (assuming this would be possible) in a bubble (which it is not) would be artificial and therefore not sustainable. Besides, a sustainable Europe in a non sustainable World, would not be sustainable. This goes for any other continent or country...
The EU - and I mean Europe and not the European Institutions - has an enormous potential. Since the Third Millennium's Top Priority is achieving and sustaining the citizens' well being and quality of life at personal, neighbourhood, local, regional, national, continental (e.g. Europe) and world levels, it is the EU System's (Institutions and Member States) responsibility to harness this potential in order to make this possible. Europe has made some notable achievements but the hard reality is also that Brexit shall be a historical and terrible blow to the European Union Dream and that Europe is more divided and fragmented than ever in 2019. This means that the EU System has - continentally - failed.
There is a serious existential and trust crisis worldwide (including therefore Europe) that is deep, underestimated and dangerous. Citizens don't believe in institutions and politicians anymore: suspicion prevails and trust is lost. And without trust, any policy shall fail whatever the political programme, anywhere in the world. So top priority - before doing anything else - must be given to overcome this prevailing suspicion and recover the citizens' lost trust (in the EU Institutions).
The EU Institutions' 'coup d'Etat' validated by the European Parliament thereby giving false legitimacy to your post as European Commission President imposed (not elect) and your New European Commission Team imposed (not elect) has placed the EU System in an inextricable situation. To obtain trust, you need a programme...but if the programme comes from institutions that citizens don't believe in anymore...
This is exactly what is about to happen now. Europe is going to be 'governed' by EU Institutions that citizens don't believe in anymore. In other words, you shall have enormous difficulty getting through, simply because they won't be interested in what you shall be saying (excepting the converted).
I respectfully urge you to pause, take a step back, and recover the citizens' lost trust in the EU Institutions before proceeding any further. Unfortunately you and your team cannot do that because it is too late for you. But the New Capacity Building Programme (NCBP) can. Please do not remain in your ivory tower, for the European citizens' and Europe's sake. "The higher you climb, the harder will be the fall." (Plus haut vous montez, plus dure sera la chute.)
Best regards,
Viv
Professor Vivian R. F. Linssen D.I.
Founding Director & CEO
International Multidisciplinary Neuroscience Research Center a.s.b.l./v.z.w.
Principal Coordinator
NewPOL Network
Jesus-Eiklaan 120
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BELGIUM
Tel/Fax: +3227681730
Twitter: @VivianLinssen
e-mail 1: vivian.linssen@imnrc.org
e-mail 2: viv@infodiagnosis.com
url 1: www.imnrc.org (Draft)
url 2: www.infodiagnosis.com
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