National sovereignty should be basis of European identity - Babis

National sovereignty should not be degraded by EU membership and should remain the foundation and concept of a European identity, outgoing PM Andrej Babis said at a conference entitled "A Pivotal Europe: National Sovereignty or a European Identity as the European Union Integrates" on Friday. Babis, whose speech was pre-recorded, also said he opposed the EU becoming a "supernational federation." However, the member countries should not be faced with a choice between national sovereignty and European identity, he added.