CERNOBBIO, Italy, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- The only possible future for the European Union (EU) is a strengthened economical and political governance, Italy's President Giorgio Napolitano said on Saturday.
In his video address to the Ambrosetti economic forum in northern Italy, Napolitano ruled out the possibility of an EU break-up, which would condemn the region to "insignificance" in the globalized world.
He noted the size of the region, which counts over 450 million people, is an obstacle for its cohesion, but building a stronger economic and political union is "the only possible direction of travel."
Pursuing collaboration-oriented policies at the national level will help strengthen "the architecture and governance" of the union, he said, calling on national leaders to "make of European policies a vividly-debated topic among common citizens."
He added no rifts should be created between stronger and weaker member states, but "every country must play its part."
Speaking of crisis-hit Italy, Napolitano said problems to be solved are still "complex."
The emergency government of technocrats led by Prime Minister Mario Monti over the past 10 months has strengthened the country's financial sustainability and credibility on the international level.
But the record-high public debt standing at over 120 percent of gross domestic product is "persistently weighing," he said, warning Italians "must not delude themselves" that what has been done until now was enough.
"I will make sure that Italy follows up its commitment made with the EU," the president said, calling himself confident in the democratic processes and peaceful conduct of the political elections scheduled "no later than April 2013."
The Ambrosetti forum, which kicked off Friday and will end Sunday, is an annual international economic conference held at a prestigious location in the Italian town of Cernobbio on the shores of Como lake.
The conference, which brings together distinguished leaders, professors and businessmen to discuss forecasts of the global economic and geo-political outlooks, takes place behind closed doors.
Forum participants, typically business leaders from major international corporations, are privately invited.
Speakers in this year's edition include European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and CEO of the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) Klaus Regling, as well as Monti along with several ministers of his cabinet.
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