(ANSA) - UDINE - ''The EU's 'state of health' today is absolutely tragic: the Union has no need for partial measures, but has to make a radical change, like the one we made in the former communist countries 25 years ago''. This is what said today in Udine President Emeritus of the Czech Republic Vaclav Klaus, speaking to Ansa New Europe on the sidelines of the 10th International Forum of Aquileia Euroregion, organized in the capital city of Friuli by the cultural association ''Mitteleuropa'', in the presence of institutional and diplomatic delegations from many countries of the New Europe.

Klaus, introduced by the president of Mitteleuropa Paolo Petiziol, and welcomed by the Deputy Mayor of Udine Carlo Giacomello, said ''In Europe today there is a need for systemic change; it's necessary to change the concept of our social, political and economic thought''. According to Klaus, ''we must first overcome an economy which is regulated and burdened by a thousand ties, by social, welfare and ecological issues''. Klaus then recalled his motto at the beginning of his political career, 25 years ago, which was ''market economy without adjectives''. In addition, the president emeritus of the Czech Republic suggested that Europe should ''go back to the days before the Maastricht Treaty, leaving the idea of unification and adopting the idea of integration, that must occur through collaboration between governments''.

Commenting on Ukraine crisis, Klaus said he is ''disgusted by the lies that are being told about that issue''. ''First of all, it is hypocritical and childish to distinguish in a strict manner between good guys and bad guys, just like we used to do during the communist regime - he continued -, with the Ukrainians playing the role of good guys and the Russians playing the role of bad guys - he explained - and then being someone who lived under communism two-thirds of his life, I would be the least suitable person to defend Russia, but I can not accept lies: I have no interest in defending Putin, but I'm interested in defending the truth''.(ANSA).