Interview with the Mayors of Malmo, Miedzyzdroje and Liepaja

What are your expectations for your own city in connection with the enlargement?

The bridge between Malmo and Copenhagen has represented the beginning of the creation of a new region. This is not only a matter of a short geographic distance. With the increased knowledge about other cities and contacts between different parts of Europe which will follow the enlargement possibilities that we experience similar affinity between Malmo and cities in the candidate countries.

Do you think the identity of your citizens will be more European?

Malmo is a multi-ethnic and multilingual urban society. Almost one fourth inhabitants are born in another country and all in all 165 nationalities are represented in our city. Malmo's citizens therefore share a global identity rather than a national. The enlargement might strengthen Malmo's identity as a European city as a great number of its inhabitants originate from the candidate countries.

In what direction do you think EU will develop after the enlargement?

The enlargement is a challenge as well as a possibility. It is my firm belief that this reunification of Europe will promote the development of economic and social cohesion across the Union - if the social dimension is placed high on the agenda together with issues concerning sustainable development.

The enlargement also provides an opportunity to reform the European Union, its treaties and institutions. This is of course a complex process, which is clearly shown by the recent course of events. It is my firm belief that this issue must be thoroughly and widely debated. I however hope for increased possibilities for regions to be active in shaping policies in the new European Union.

Ilmar Reepalu
Mayor of Malmo, Sweden

Miedzyzdroje with its partner towns are jointly striving for financial means for education and investment projects. The bilateral cooperation have been started in the fields of youth exchange and joint promotion and planning of joint investments. The city would like to make use of the experience of the partners from the EU and appoint common experts with considerable knowledge of the law of the EU/EC and experience in town and country planning, planning of investments that will help to prolong the season, promote tourist service and in preparation of the whole programme in the field of environmental protection.

Social and economic development is seen in the development of tourism. That is why the tourist identity of the city and particular elements forming it should be noticed and taken into consideration on all levels of the local government. Improving tourist infrastructure and quality of tourist services will give the local community the feeling of greater security, moreover, the economic stability will grow as well. The strong position of the local community will protect it from the influence of foreign culture.
Poland's accession to the European Union brings both a lot of apprehensions and expectations. At the same time we would like to preserve the local character of our identity since there is the apprehension of the domination of German investors and of the take-over of tourist services in favour of their representatives.

After the accession the European Union is going to evolve towards the East with big opposition of the Russian Federation. Furthermore, we will come across such barriers as religion, culture and economic development of the Far-East countries. This will sooner or later bring to the confrontation with the USA, which would like to keep its dominant role in the world. The process of integration and of sociopolitical changes is long and will require wisdom and mutual trust in order to keep sound relations of co-operation on the platform of common membership in the EU. We, as a state, are another nation in the confrontation with the EU and therefore we can make use of the already checked patterns that will help us keep our national identity.

Boguslaw Tomczyk
Vice-mayor of Miedzyzdroje, Poland

What are your expectations for your own city in connection with the enlargement?

The EU is not a wand tool that would change our lives in a second, but we will certainly gain broader opportunities for regional development. With EU funds we have already accomplished several practical matters - drinking water is clean and sewage is not discharged into the sea; a modern sanitary landfill is under construction; the main roads are fixed. Thus it has been possible to allocate a bigger part of the city budget to the other important fields - education, social care, culture. The EU enlargement is certainly the way to future welfare of the city.

Do you think the identity of yours citizens will be more European?

The results of the referendum on Latvia joining the EU ranked Liepaja in the first place among the cities according to the positive vote - so even now we feel ourselves "European". When Latvia was part of the Soviet empire this identity was distorted and defeated. I believe that people living in the EU countries will never loose their own national identity, maintaining respect to the other nations.

In what direction do you think EU will develop after the enlargement?

The increase of national development tempo but also the overall economic development of the EU is in the interests of Latvia. At present the EU is working out new policy for the relations with Ukraine, Russia, Belarus. Latvia has significant experience in cooperation with each of these states. We are able to contribute to the content and further development of this policy. We are and will be a Northern Europe state - it is rooted in our history and the previous extensive cooperation with the Baltic and Nordic states. Our Nordic neighbors provide stability and high welfare standards in their own countries, and they are one of the most active support providers for the countries that need such assistance. The new co-operation policy with the other regions will be shaped more clearly in the nearest future and we will be active partners in it.

Uldis Sesks
Mayor of Liepaja, Latvia