Angela Merkel, Volodymyr Zelenski and Giannis Antetokounmpo were honoured today (Tuesday) at the European Parliament.
The former chancellor and the Ukrainian president were awarded the European Order of Merit, while Antetokounmpo, who was nominated for the awards by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, was also honoured, among 20 celebrities including U2’s Bono, World Central Kitchen chef Jose Andre and others.
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It should be noted that the Greek Freak was unable to attend, as were other honored individuals.
Merkel’s warnings
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In her speech, Merkel warned MEPs in Strasbourg that democracy is under pressure. She called for democracy, peace and prosperity to be upheld and maintained as a promise to the citizens of the European Union.
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Merkel stressed the threat to democracy posed by social media, “where suddenly facts are no longer facts”. This, she said, endangers the foundations of the Enlightenment.
“Europe has not been given away to us,” Parliament President Roberta Metsola said at the ceremony. “It was built from treaty to treaty, from crisis to crisis, by people who chose solidarity over division and cooperation over self-interest,” she added.
