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On the other hand, the political analyst supports to some extent the arguments of human rights organizations like Amnesty International. "Far-right parties are rising in Europe today and racist and xenophobic rhetoric is reinforcing apparently as a result of the increasing immigration. Greece itself with its Golden Dawn is a sad example of this. However, immigration is a natural and normal process caused by economical inequality around the world. While there is inequality, there will be migration. I think that Europe simply has to accept this idea and obtain a meaningful and coherent strategy. In this sense, I accept the arguments of those who criticize the European Union for violating the human rights and the rights of immigrants, and of Roma and other minorities.

Democracy can be seriously criticized in many European countries in general. Greece and Italy are the examples of this. Corruption is also a serious problem in a number of European countries and this affects the quality of democracy in Europe."

This prize is symbolic. This is a political initiative, which by no means can provide Europe with a solution to its internal structural and political problems. This is an encouragement, a warning and recognition, but Europe simply has to do the job with or without the peace prize.

The problems caused by the lack of a common foreign policy in the European Union have repeatedly become apparent: "I also accept the argument that the wars in former Yugoslavia have shown how Europe is not prepared to deal with a purely European conflict. The Arab Spring last year is also an example that should be considered. The curious thing is that it started from Tunisia, where the French, who are supposed to know the specific country very well, were the most surprised Europeans. It turns out that the European Union does not know how to react to the Arab Spring and to the request for a more developed democracy in the Arab world.

Another criticism that I accept is that this crisis has brought to the surface problems that European integration could not and cannot probably resolve completely. The lack of solidarity in the centrifugal forces of the European Union, which have recently become more pronounced, shows that the economic cooperation in itself is simply not enough. A deeper political integration is needed too - for example, a single foreign policy, a common policy on immigration and others. I do not know whether this is possible in today's European Union.

Why is it happening now?

"The prize may have been awarded to the European Union on other occasions: after the establishment of the EEC in the 1950s, after the reunification of East and West Germany in 1990 for example. Obviously, it aims to encourage the European Union in a historical moment that is difficult for Europe. The economic crisis is causing serious differences related to a number of issues and puts to the test the entire European Union as a formation. More than a few predict the collapse of the eurozone and the European Union itself.

I see three possible interpretations of the decision of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. The first option is that the Nobel Prize comes in recognition of the overall contribution of the European Union. It is something like awarding Oscars to adult actors at the end of their careers, because they did not win the prize on specific occasions. The second option is that it comes as an incentive and a message especially to Euro sceptics who challenge many of the important achievements of the European Union. The third option is that the prize is a kind of a warning to the European Union, I would say to the European political elite, which demonstrates short-sightedness. It puts narrow political interests first and ignores the long-term prospects of Europe as a whole."

The political scientist said in conclusion, "This prize is symbolic. This is a political initiative, which by no means can provide Europe with a solution to its internal structural and political problems. This is an encouragement, a warning and recognition, but Europe simply has to do the job with or without the peace prize."