海角大神

This year鈥檚 Nobel Peace Prize laureates defended the contested decision to give the prize to the European Union and promised it would emerge stronger from the ongoing social unrest and protests in its member states.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the EU the prize for its work representing 鈥渇raternity between nations鈥� and acting as a 鈥減eace congress,鈥� among the criteria for the prize in Alfred Nobel鈥檚 will. Critics, however, including members of Norway鈥檚 ruling government, have called the EU an unworthy winner because of member states鈥� weapon exports and the ill timing of the prize, given Europe's current fiscal crisis.

鈥淧arents struggling to make ends meet, workers recently laid off, students who fear that, however hard they try, they won鈥檛 get their first job: When they think about Europe, peace is not the first thing that comes to mind,鈥� said Herman Van Rompuy, European Council president, in his Nobel lecture before more than 20 top EU leaders and hundreds of dignitaries at the Oslo City Hall award ceremony.

鈥淭he presence of so many European leaders here today underlines our common conviction: that we will come out of this together. Together and stronger,鈥� he added.聽 The top leaders of Sweden, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Czech Republic, and the UK were among the few not to attend.

Jos茅 Manuel Barroso, the European Commission president, continued the shared Nobel lecture by highlighting the EU鈥檚 efforts outside the 27 member states in helping to bring about a 鈥済lobal order in the making.鈥� In his speech, he cited in particular the EU鈥檚 principles of 鈥済lobal solidarity and global responsibility,鈥� which had driven its leadership in the fight against climate change and food and energy security, and underpinned its policies on disarmament and against nuclear proliferation.

鈥淎s a community of nations that has overcome war and fought totalitarianism, we will always stand by those who are in pursuit of peace and human dignity,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd let me say it from here today: The current situation in Syria is a stain on the world鈥檚 conscience and the international community has a moral duty to address it.鈥�

The laureates鈥� address follows yesterday鈥檚 protest demonstration in Oslo led by the Norwegian Peace Council, during which about 700 people marched by torchlight in the cold winter night聽against the worthiness of the EU as a peace prize recipient. The peaceful protest represented 50 Norwegian and international organizations, including members of Norway鈥檚 coalition government of Center and Socialist Left parties 鈥� who are against Norway joining the EU 鈥� and Dimitris Kodelas, parliamentary member of the Greek leftist party Syriza.

鈥淲hen we heard that the Nobel Prize for Peace would be given to the European Union, we first thought it was joke,鈥� said Mr. Kodelas. 鈥淓specially because this comes in days when many of the peoples of south Europe are living with the results of the financial war, and these countries are turning into colonies of debt with deprived citizens and looted national wealth.鈥�

鈥淥ne-third of the society in Greece is below or at the edge of poverty. Is it possible that the initiators of this situation are given awards?鈥� he asked.

The staunchly pro-EU Thorbj酶rn Jagland, Norwegian Nobel Committee chairman and former Labour party prime minister, countered questions over the timing of the prize. 鈥淚n light of the financial crisis that is affecting so many innocent people, we can see that the political framework in which the union is rooted is more important than ever,鈥� he said in his presentation speech, prior to handing over the peace prize diploma and medal.

鈥淒emonstrations are a part of our democracy,鈥� he added. 鈥淭he task of politics is to transform the protesters and protests into concrete political actions.鈥�

鈥淲e are not gathered here today in the belief that the EU is perfect," he stated. "We are gathered in the belief that here in Europe we must solve our problems together.鈥�