Guest Lecture: Dr. Othmar Karas on the pressure on Europe

On April 1, 2025, a high-level lecture by Dr. Othmar Karas, President of the European Forum Alpbach and former First Vice President of the European Parliament, took place in the “Festsaal” (Festivities Hall) of the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol. At the invitation of Euregio Inntal, Dr. Karas spoke to an audience of around 200 people, including many students, mayors from Bavaria and Tyrol, and high-ranking representatives from politics and business, under the title Europe under pressure.

MANY VOICES, ONE MESSAGE

The event was opened by the President of Euregio Inntal, Barbara Schwaighofer, who gave a warm welcome to the guests, including guests of honor such as the District Commissioner of Kufstein, Kurt Berek, the District Commissioner of Kitzbühel, Dr. Michael Berger, the Mayor of the City of Kufstein, Martin Krumschnabel, the Honorary President of Euregio Inntal, Walter J. Mayr, and Dr. Josef Eder, chairman of Regio 3. 

District Governor Dr. Kurt Berek then spoke, paying tribute to Dr. Karas as a passionate advocate of Europe. Especially in times like these, the European peace project is more important than ever, said District Governor Berek.

Prof. (FH) Dr. Thomas Madritsch, CEO Managing Director of the FH Kufstein Tirol, also welcomed those in attendance and emphasized the international orientation of the higher education institution. 

Euregio President Barbara Schwaighofer then presented the impressive career of Dr. Karas. He was a formative figure in the European Parliament for decades and was most recently intensively committed to European issues as its Vice President. Now he brings his knowledge as President of the European Forum Alpbach.

A passionate plea for Europe

In his lecture, Dr. Karas outlined the challenges facing Europe today. He recalled Austria's accession to the EU 30 years ago and emphasized the immense importance of European integration: “Our opportunities do not end at national borders. Justice, prosperity and security must be thought of across borders.”

He pointed to the achievements of the EU, which many today take for granted – such as the abolition of border controls, toll-free phone calls, and the opportunity to travel and study in other EU countries without currency exchange. But the world is changing rapidly and Europe is facing major challenges: climate change, digitalization, social inequality, geopolitical tensions and Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.

Karas expressed concern about the growing polarization in many countries: “Putin is destroying the European peace order, Trump and Le Pen are putting nationalist interests above cross-border cooperation. But Europe must not just react – we must find our own answers and actively shape them.”

WE NEED THE YOUNG GENERATION

He called on young people in particular to get actively involved in the democratic process: 

Dr. Karas's lecture was met with great interest. Afterwards, the participants had the opportunity to ask questions, which led to a lively exchange.

The words of Dr. Otmar Karas provided valuable food for thought and underlined the relevance of European cooperation – a topic that is more important than ever in view of current global developments, said Euregio-Inntal President Barbara Schwaighofer in her closing remarks at the event.

Links:

• Euregio Inntal | Research project