The European Commission President Romano Prodi expressed, in an interview to the Stockholm daily Dagens Nyheter, his concerns and hopes over the Swedish Presidency of the Council. Below is the crux of his answers to journalist Clas Barkman:
"The European Commission visit in Sweden this week is characterised by a mixture of expectations and concerns. The expectations are that the Swedish Presidency will be tangible, pragmatic and result orientated, in contrast to earlier Presidencies. The concerns consist of the lack of confidence when it comes to dealing with the most eurosceptic population of the Union (…) The Swedish support for the eastward enlargement is positive (…) but it would be sad if the support were of the negative kind that can be found in Great Britain, where the admission of the new Member States is regarded as a way of diluting and weakening the Union as much as possible (…) The next six months represent a unique opportunity for the members of the European government, that is the Commission, to show that we have the same basic values as those prevailing in Sweden. I believe that a great deal of the Swedish euroscepticism stems from a lack of knowledge about the Union. I regard the Union as a house where there is room for all Member Countries irrespective of background and differences. And my task is to show to the Swedish people that this house is in pretty good condition."