SOFIA, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) needed a new big goal that would engage all citizens and catalyze their thinking in one direction, Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev said here on Monday.
In the last decade or even the last 15 years, the EU has become an effective instrument for crisis management -- tackling the financial crisis, tackling the migration crisis, -- which was a defensive approach, Donchev said at a discussion on the future of Europe.
However, Doncheve believed that the EU lacked a big goal that would engage everyone and catalyze thinking in one direction. "Instead, we effectively manage all types of crises," Donchev said.
There was at least one generation of European politicians who have missed the opportunity to supply European citizens with a big goal, with a great challenge, such as the euro and Schengen, he said.
The new big idea for Europe had to be daring and with the necessary civil resonance, and had to stand slightly apart from the political conjuncture. Otherwise, it would depend on all political turbulences, Donchev said.
"I am not 100 sure which is the great theme that could unify Europe and give it new energy and direction," he said.
The social sphere was a possible option, though there were other far easier and simpler ones, Donchev said.
