President Eddie Fenech Adami and his Hungarian counterpart, Lászlo Sólyom, yesterday showed like-minded views about how they wished to see Europe evolve.

At a state dinner at the Palace in Valletta last night, Dr Fenech Adami said the challenges Europe was facing today may not be smaller but were certainly different from those prevailing 50 years ago when the foundation stones of the European Union were being laid.

“While preserving our national culture, identity and values in the field of human rights and democracy, we as member states of the European Union should be able to respond successfully to European and global challenges with the active support of our citizens. Assuming our responsibilities on the world stage and taking the lead with regard to global challenges such as globalisation, energy security, climate change, sustainable development and managing irregular immigration are enabled by the existence of a strong and effectively functioning European Union,” he said.

Then he referred to the aspirations of European leaders, saying the Constitutional Treaty ratified both by Malta and Hungary fortified their common values – freedom, democracy and the rule of law – and was a commitment to the Fundamental Rights Charter contained therein.

“The support of the citizens of Europe is essential for the success of the integration process. We have to strive to bridge the gap between the experts, that is the politicians and academia, and the citizens. It is my firm belief that further progress towards the vision of a united Europe can be made if it enjoys significant popular support,” Dr Fenech Adami said.

Mr Sólyom, giving his reply, said that in May they had celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the European Communities.

“According to the Berlin Declaration signed by the 27 Member States, our common objective is to place European construction on renewed foundations, and before the 2009 European Parliamentary elections be able to adopt the new Treaty.”

This was impossible without the member states having a firm vision for Europe and deciding to create the long term political union. After 50 years it was time to recall the original ideas of the Founding Fathers of the European Union and to carry them on,” Mr Sólyom added.

“For example: the idea that Europe is not only about daily political cooperation. It is not only free trade and a single economy. It must not be reduced to more trans-passable borders, to more safety and security and to developed legal harmonisation. The Union is more than just that: it is a community of values, it is a guarantor of human rights. Besides historical-cultural belonging, Europe is also characterised by linguistic and cultural diversity and by lots of different national identities whose preservation and support is one of our primary tasks.

“The Constitutional Treaty ratified by both Malta and Hungary gives us good foundations for this.”

The Hungarian President was welcomed at the airport by Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech. The formal ceremony of welcome was held in St George’s Square, after which Mr Sólyom called on President Fenech Adami. The Hungarian President later laid a wreath at the foot of the Cenotaph in Floriana.