Ladies and gentlemen,
today we commemorate the Schuman Declaration – a moment that was not merely a technical proposal for the management of coal and steel, but a fundamental turning point in European thinking.
After centuries of conflicts, the idea emerged that peace cannot be secured by a balance of fear, but by sharing power according to common rules. A necessary prerequisite for integration is the elimination of hostility, the rejection of collective guilt. Former enemies are to become allies.
When we look at its authors, it is worth seeing more than just statesmen. We must see honest men.
Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer, and Alcide De Gasperi were not amateur actors exploiting the momentary favor of the audience. They played a serious role. They were people who personally experienced Nazi totalitarianism and were persecuted by it. They demonstrated their courage not only during the war, but also after it. They knew what the failure of politics means. And it was precisely for this reason that they were able to create something that was not a short-term compromise, but a long-term commitment.
There was one more thing that united them, which is spoken of less today, but which is essential. They were all formed by the Christian tradition. They were Catholics. They were faithful to the simple rule of the Ten Commandments, which is based on the individual's commitment to others, universally and without distinction. According to it, a person has an obligation toward others and has no entitlement regarding how others should treat him. A person should behave in a way that makes them reliable.
And it was precisely this principle that they transferred into politics.
European integration did not arise from mere calculation. It arose from the awareness that political ethics depends on decision-making that should not be guided by the question "what do I want to gain in the next election," but "what do I bring to society for the next decade."
That is the moment that is missing today.
Current politics is under the pressure of the moment. Quick reactions, short cycles, pressure of public opinion. Everything is in hectic motion.
Allow me to recall the advice of a Native Canadian. He was traveling by train, looking melancholy. When asked about the cause of his sadness, he replied that the train was traveling too fast, because the human soul moves at the speed of a horse. That is why he was not sure where his soul was.
The Schuman Declaration reminds us that a true political decision must be made after mature deliberation, must stand the test of time. It must be responsible, and not necessarily popular.
This does not mean a return to the past. It means returning to the principle.
Europe today faces new challenges – security, economic, and values-based. But the fundamental question remains the same. How to address them?
Schuman, Adenauer, and De Gasperi gave a clear answer. Politics is a commitment. A commitment to others, to society, to the future.
And it is precisely for this reason that their legacy is not historical. It is current.
If we want Europe to prevail today as well, it is not enough to manage institutions. It is necessary to once again accept the responsibility upon which they were built. A responsibility that is not comfortable, but is indispensable.
That is the true message of the Schuman Declaration.
Thank you for your attention.
Cyril Svoboda
