Margaritis Schinás, XVII 'Otto von Habsburg Award 2021'

On Monday 28 November 2021, the Spanish Committee for the Pan-European Union presented the 'Otto of Habsburg Award' to the Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of the portfolio for the protection of the European way of life, Margaritis Schinás.

"The defence of democracy, freedom and Christian humanism that the Greek embodies, as well as his firm commitment to the process of European integration, have been decisive for his election," said the jury, made up of members of the Board of Directors of the Spanish Committee for the Pan-European Union.

The Gala was held at the private social club 'Real Gran Peña' located in Gran Vía and was attended by the former Minister of Education, Culture and Sport and former government spokesman during the second term of Mariano Rajoy, Iñigo Méndez de Vigo, who was in charge of delivering the laudatio. Méndez de Vigo himself, together with Ramón Pérez-Maura, Ignacio Salafranca and Abel Matutes, also attended in their capacity as former presidents of Paneuropa España. The current President, Florentino Portero Rodríguez, and the current Secretary General, Carlos Uriarte Sánchez, also took part in the event.

Numerous ambassadors of European states in Spain, as well as members of the current political scene, also attended. Representing the Habsburg family was Sofia of Habsburg-Lorraine, granddaughter of Otto of Habsburg and daughter of George of Habsburg, the current Hungarian ambassador to France.

Schinás thus joins the list of recipients of this award, which includes former President of the European Parliament José María Gil Robles, former British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and former Vice-President of the Court of Justice of the European Union Rosario Silva.