Speech by President Tarja Halonen at a state banquet held in honour of President Vaclav Klaus of the Czech Republic and mrs Klausová, in Helsinki on 2 June 2005

My husband and I take great honour and pleasure in welcoming you and Mrs Klausová to Finland. Your visit is the first State visit to Finland by a President of the Czech Republic. The visit demonstrates the excellent relationship between our two countries.

Your country and people have always had a special place in our hearts. Beautiful and historical Prague is well known to many Finns. Your rich culture has many admirers in Finland. Composers such as Bedrich Smetana and Antonin Dvorak are world famous. Czech authors from Franz Kafka to Milan Kundera are known worldwide. Many Finns love Jaroslav Hasek’s satiric masterpiece “The Good Soldier Svejk”. No need to say that in the area of sport, we share the interest in ice hockey but also in other sports. Emil Zatopek made Olympic history at the Helsinki Games in 1952.

The events that took place in Czechoslovakia in 1968 and the developments that led up to the 'Velvet Revolution' of 1989 were followed closely here in Finland. Since then, the Czech Republic has developed rapidly both economically and in terms of its foreign and security policy. Your country became a member of the Council of Europe, NATO and the European Union, in rapid succession. You have reached the key goals in a very short time. We are interested in hearing from you how you see this development and the future of your country.

Our bilateral relations in the fields of economy, culture, technology and social interaction are generally developing well, as is natural between two EU countries. It is satisfying to see that tourism and student exchanges have also increased over the last few years.

Finnish companies have been investing in the Czech Republic by setting up subsidiaries and making company acquisitions. However, the actual trade in goods between the two countries is still fairly modest. I hope that the Czech businessmen will find plenty of new ideas and make plenty of new contacts as a result of your visit. I am sure that in many sectors there is still room for intensifying the trade relations.

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For Finland, membership of the European Union is important both politically and economically. The overall assessment of our ten years of EU membership is positive. We have benefited in many ways from being part of the Union. Throughout our membership, we have been willing to be fully involved in the Union’s activities and to make our own contribution to the development of the Union.

EU membership has not meant having to give up the Finnish identity, which has actually become clearer and stronger, nor has it meant having to give up the Nordic welfare state model. The aim of the welfare society is to provide fairness for the individual and, at the same time, to be the most efficient society as a whole. One of example of this is the desire to invest as much as possible in educating the population. International surveys have repeatedly ranked Finland at the top in education, competence and competitiveness. Staying at the top calls for a broad-based and efficient education system, and for an encouragement of lifelong learning.

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In addition to action of individual nation-states, the EU and international organizations should work together more, and more closely, to combat security threats and to ensure that the benefits of globalization are distributed more fairly. We need widespread cooperation, shared responsibility and true commitment. This was highlighted also by the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization, which I had the honour of co-chairing. The key forum for promoting the work of the World Commission is the United Nations.

The European Union is one of the key players in an increasingly globalized world. The EU has to demonstrate that it is a strong and responsible player within the UN. This is particularly important in the run-up to the UN summit, the Major Event, which is to be held in September.

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The European Union has to be developed as a community of Member States and of citizens, based on shared values. It is important that the Union acts in a consistent manner and that its institutions work effectively. We have emphasized the importance of equality between the Member States, the balance between the institutions and the use of the Community method. We have supported the independent status of the Commission and the preservation of its key role.

The outcomes in the referendum of France and of the Netherlands were a serious setback for the Constitutional Treaty and might affect the integration process as a whole. We should not make any hasty conclusions at this moment. I am sure that we will discuss and start analysing the current situation in the June European Council meeting. The outcomes of the referenda imply that the support of the citizens is vital for the success of the integration process. It is important that there is no gap between the experts – that is politicians, academia and media – and the citizens. We all have to work together for the future of the EU.

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I am convinced that your visit will bring our countries closer together. Once again, I should like to bid you most warmly welcome and would like to propose a toast in honour of you and your wife, and for the friendship between the countries!