Investing in less developed parts of Europe represents a win-win situation for everyone. Austria has gained a lot from the EU's expansion to the east and German and Scandinavian companies are making profits based on cohesion projects in the new EU members, Lewandowski said in Tuesday's issue of Ljubljana's Delo newspaper.
On Monday, he discussed the upcoming adoption of a common European budget for the 2014-20 term with Slovenian government officials.
Defending as balanced the proposal to keep the budget at EUR 1,033 billion, Lewandowski said it ensured the implementation of the cohesion policy, economic growth and investments in many EU countries which financed public institutions.
Slovenia will remain a net recipient of funds from the European budget, he said, adding that he expected of Slovenia good projects and examples that would be convincing for taxpayers in Germany or Scandinavia as well as useful arguments.
Lewandowski said a discussion on the 2014-20 budget amount should be completed soon so that the countries' leaders could adopt a final decision in November.
It is hard to expect solidarity in a pessimistic Europe that is dominated by the crisis and that has changed from the Europe of the fall of the Berlin Wall and euphoria of the big expansion eastwards, but the EU is nonetheless a fantastic project because it ensures stability and peace, he said.
Lewandowski said the biggest attention in times of crisis should be paid to young people, of whom many are jobless.
The young generations live in a crisis of hope. We must offer them chances, or they will be seduced by populist movements and wrong recipes from the past. That is a serious issue for Europe. We must closely listen to those who tell us, Give us back our future, he added.