‘Great Powers must solve problems in Libya’

Interview with Romano Prodi on BBC Radio 5 Live of may 14th, 2015

Romano Prodi, former Italian prime minister and president of the European Commission, tells BBC Radio 5 Live: “The current migration problem cannot be regulated without regulating Libya.

It will require an international effort from the West and Russia.” He suggests the various sides need to be “obliged to negotiate” by “a specific effort of the Great Powers”.

Prodi: Europe must unite or dissolve

Mr Prodi says the EU hasn’t become too big following expansion and says that he believes Europe will have a unified armed forces and single foreign policy in 20 years’ time.

He says that has to be the direction in which Europe is headed.

He warns Europe is losing influence in the world partly as a result of the financial crisis but also because of the failure to move ahead with ever closer union.

“We are physically losing day by day weight in the world,” Mr Prodi says. “Either we dissolve Europe or we press ahead.”

Prodi: Europe under a German umbrella

Britain has already lost a lot of power in Brussels, Romano Prodi says, and claims all European countries now operate under a Germany umbrella.

Mr Prodi says the announcement of an in/out referendum so early was also a bad idea. He says that because of the delay by the time the referendum is carried out, Britain will have lost further policy levers in Brussels.

He  warns that Europe is very divided at the moment and says the result is that the UK may struggle to reach agreement with the other EU members.

Mr Prodi says Europe is paralysed, making treaty changes almost impossible. He adds that member states have long memories and feel the UK already has achieved much in the way of concessions, such as the rebate.