The European Union has most definitely deserved the Nobel Peace Prize as it has succeeded in securing peace on a continent where no generation before was spared from war and losses, Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic said in Oslo on Monday.
"The European Union has most definitely deserved the award... The European Union has learnt to talk and to argue if necessary, but not to fight wars. This is very important and something that people take for granted, when in fact this is a monumental story on a continent where no generation was ever spared from war and losses." said Milanovic, who attended the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony, together with another two dozen leaders of EU member states.
The European Union on Monday received the Nobel Peace Prize, honoured by the Norwegian committee which recognised the EU's contribution to decades of stability and democracy after the two world wars.
After the ceremony, Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg organised a lunch reception for all EU leaders who attended the award ceremony.
Asked if he had an opportunity for any bilateral meetings, Milanovic said that today bilateral meetings and state visits lost the meaning they had in the past.
"I see these people once a month and I will see them again now and they will see me in two days in Brussels," Milanovic said.
On behalf of the European Union, the award was received by the presidents of three EU institutions - the European Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament - Herman Van Rompuy, Jose Manuel Barroso and Martin Schulz.
European Council President Herman Van Rompuy had invited the leaders of all 27 EU members and Croatia, which is expected to join the bloc on 1 July 2013, to attend the award ceremony. Most of the countries were represented at the level of prime ministers or presidents.
