Central Europe on the Way to Democracy
To me, the definition of Europe should not be, cannot be, geographical. I think discussions of Europe to the Urals or to Vladivostok from San Francisco, or any other geographical formula-- from Brest to Brest has also been mentioned at times, are not really central to the historical issue. It seems to me that the essence of the definition of Europe pertains to its philosophical and spiritual identity, which is long-lasting, which is rich, which has created a European civilization that has been expressed institutionally in the forms of democracy.Therefore, it is institutionalized democracy that, to me, defines Europe, and is the point of the departure for building Europe. If Europe is to be defined in terms of institutional democracy, then it is obviously open to all. Open to all who are prepared to participate in the democratic adventure, who are prepared, in terms of their development, to institutionalize a working democracy. There is no discrimination in the concept, but there is the point of departure for stability and internal integrity in such definition.
