Can we deliver a better Europe? The Challenge of Meeting Expectations
for Economic Growth, Stability and Social Cohesion in the EU
Andreas D. Mavroyiannis
Deputy Minister to the President of the Republic of Cyprus for European Affairs
event details
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Date
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Wednesday, 31 October 2012
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Time
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19:00 - 20:00
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Venue
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Alumni Theatre, New Academing Building, LSE
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Chair
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James Ker-Lindsay, Eurobank EFG Senior Fellow on the Politics of SEE
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On 31 October 2012, the Observatory organised a public lecture by Ambassador Andreas Mavroyiannis, the Deputy Minister to the President of the Republic of Cyprus for European Affairs.
As the lead figure co-ordinating and managing Cyprus's six month presidency of the European Union, Ambassador Mavroyiannis provided an excellent and comprehensive overview of many of the problems confronting the European Union at this crucial juncture. Perhaps more significantly, he offered some interesting and innovative ideas as to how many of these problems could be tackled. As well as some here and now issues, such as the negotiations over the EU's budget, he also explored some of the deeper - existentialist - issues facing the Union, such as the question of a two-speed Europe. In response to this, he called for a process of agreed coordinated differentiation, which would allow states to pursue different paces of integration for the meanwhile, all the while retaining essential European unity. The lecture was followed by a lively question-and-answer session. Members of the audience raising a range of issues about the current European crises, as well as questions relating to Turkey's European perspective.
An open wine reception was held at the end of the lecture, which allowed members of the audience to continue the discussion with the minister. As well as many students, academics and members of the press, the lecture and reception were also attended by a number of officials, including H.E. Mr Alexander Zenon, the High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus, and H.E. Mr Konstantinos Bikas, the newly-arrived Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic in London.
The Lecture was reported by Thanassis Gavos for SKAI.gr and by the London Greek Radio.
EVENT PHOTOS
From left to right:
H.E. the Ambassador of Greece - Mr Konstantinos Bikas; H.E. the Cyprus High Commissioner - Mr Alexandros Zenon; Mrs Aliki Pascali - the High Commissioner’s wife; Mr Andreas D. Mavroyiannis - Deputy Minister to the President of the Republic of Cyprus for European Affairs; Dr James Ker-Lindsay - LSEE Public Events Co-ordinator and Chair of the lecture; Ms Jill Morris - Additional Director Europe, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Dr Spyros Economides - Hellenic Observatory Deputy Director
The Minister delivering his speech
A packed Alumni Theatre