Mayor Jürgen Linden on the laureate:

‘On May 1st of this year the European Union is coming to its completion through a comprehensive extension of member states. […] In this earnest moment the Awarding Committee of the International Charlemagne Prize is very happy, for the first time in its history, to be awarding an Extraordinary International Charlemagne Prize as thanks for extraordinary dedication to a remarkable personality who would also strengthen the strong visions of great visionaries. […] The completion of the European Union, which became possible only after the fall of the Iron Curtain, has been relevantly influenced by you.’