newsitems

 

*Strasbourg/- A last-minute decision by MEPs to discuss Mass Surveillance Whistleblower, Edward Snowden's, replies to EU Parliament's Questions, before a Debate and Vote in Plenary, Tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday in Strasbourg, timely revealed NSA a.o. attempts to "Destroy the Reputation and Discredit" Political Dissidents  and other Persons "targetted because of their Political Beliefs and Activism", "on the basis of (their) Private Communications", shortly after an astonishing wave of Press Leaks with various Tape Recordings of unknown origin hardly hit and targetted former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his entourage, even Wife and private, Family Life, almost at the same time that his Lawyer's office was searched and even his Professional Phone confiscated, shortly after it was revealed that Sarkozy and several former Elysée Top Officials or Ministers have been submitted to Surveillance soon after  a New Socialist Government got in office,  provoking a Row at the eve of crucial Municipal and European Elections from March to May 2014.

    The unprecedented move closely followed an important and topical Political Speech by Sarkozy in Berlin, at the Adenauer Foundation, on an invitation by its Head, former EU Parliament's President Hans Gert Poettering, long-time Chair of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group of MEPs, where he launched, on February 28th, a vibrant call Warning against current attempts to push the EU to engage in a "Confrontation" and "Conflict" with Russia, on the occasion of the recent events at Ukraine and Crimea, which would have "Catastrophic" consequences for both, and would dangerously undermine Peace and Stability in a European area which had just recovered from 1 Century of "Hot" and "Cold" Wars' Divisions and Destructions.

    The still very Popular French Politician, - who has notoriously played, already, a crucial role in the Past, in preventing further escalation and War which risked to spread widely, between Russia and Georgia, back on August 2008, when he rushed immediately to visit Moscow and Tbilisi, succeeding to Stop Deadly Military Clashes at the last minute, as EU Chairman in office then, while Brussels was empty from all EU Officials, absent on Summer Holidays - was exceptionaly speaking in Public, in front of several Media and transmitted by a TV station, for the 1st Time in 3 Years since his voluntary retreat from Politics after the controversial 2012 National Elections in France.  Comming just a few Days before Crucial, Strategic choices at an exceptional ChristianDemocrat/EPP Summit in Dublin, and an EU Heads of State/Government Summit in Brussels focused precisely on the Ukraine and Russia issue, Sarkozy's unexpected, last-minute move, (which was significantly preceded also by an exceptional, 1 Hour long, meeting with German Chancellor Angie Merkel at her Prime Ministerial Office), apparently contributed into inciting the EU to initially keep a rather reserved attitude, at least for the moment, vis a vis USA President Obama's rush for Sanctions against Russia.

    In the meantime, at the eve of the above mentioned Summits, (at about 5  and 6 March) i.e. only a few Days after Sarkozy's call (largely disseminated among the Medias), suddenly, an unprecedented Series of Compromising Leakages of various Tape Recordings reportedly containing many Private Discussions of Sarkozy with several among his close collaborators, even inside the Presidential Elysée Palace, during his term of office (2007 - 2012), but including even his own Wife and Private Life, etc., broke out in many Media, often with full Transcripts and even Audio Copies of the Recordings, choosing particularly a variety of points obviously intended to be abused in attempts to Discredit the former French President, provoking a row in France and elsewhere,  affecting or even shocking a lot of People. Even if they had reportedly copied some Note-taking Recordings routinely done Years ago by a close Sarkozy's political counsellor, Buisson, (targetted by Critics who accuse him to be Ideologicaly too "Rightist" for their taste), nevertheless, it still remains Unknown who and how their Contents were Capted by Other Persons, who obviously copied them, selected what they found to be more compromising, and leaked them to the Press : Some claimed that this might have been done by abusing of copies already taken by some French Judges in the course of certain proceedings targetting Buisson and/or even Sarkozy himself, (who has often complained against Harassment from State Agents since the entry into office of his successor, Socialist President Hollande). But most of the concerned Media denied that, leaving the Question of the real Origin of such Tapes, of their Copying, and of their  illegal Transmissions, wide open...

    + Moreover, by an astonishing "Coincidence", Sarkozy's main Lawyer, Me Herzog,  was targetted by a controversial Judicial Search at his Office, as it was anounced almost the Same Day that the former President was Speaking on topical European Politics in Berlin for the 1st Time in Public after 3 Years. This including even a Confiscation of the Lawyer's Mobile Phone, reportedly "Unprecedented in the History of violations of Defence's Rights and of Professional Secret", while, in Addition, Revelations that, a year after the Socialist Party got the Government, Tapping and systematic, constant Phone and other Communications' Surveilance had been imposed against Sarkozy and his closest former collaborators at the Presidential Elysee Palace, including several former Ministers !

    => -  Some "500 Lawyers were associated" to a written "Appeal" to the Government, launched by a Group of Famous Lawyers against "Risks for Democracy" provoked "by such Drifts"s and for the "imperial Necessity to protect the Professional Secret" which is "at the Foundations of Lawyers' profession", according to the "Association for the Defence of Penal Lawyers (ADAP)", while the Head of Paris' Bar, Pierre-Olivier Sur, reportedly Warned that "Our professional activities are put in Danger".  Earlier Today, France's "National Council" of Lawyers' Bars (CNB) slamed the State Authorities' behavior : - "If Rule of Law still exists here, such  Surveillance must be Cancelled", the collective body representing Lawyers' professional interests stressed, accusing the prosecuting Judges to have committed "an Abuse of procedure".

 

        Sur anounced that he's going to lodge a formal complaint to the current French President, "as guarantor of Civil Liberties", while, on the contrary, other Critics reportedly wondered if Hollande knew, or not, about Sarkozy's surveillance, (almost at the same time that Snowden was notoriously concerned about US attempts to push EU States to refuse anti-surveillance whistleblower's demands for "safe passage" and/or asylum [See Infra], while Obama's and Hollande's Phone calls multiplied these days on the occasion of the differend with Russia over Ukraine events, after having discussed ICT Surveillance much earlier)...  

 

 (Valls and Taubira according to a "JDD" Photo published Today on this issue).

   But, nevertheless, all such Lawyers' and MPs' protests were reportedly dissmissed by the controvercial Socialist Minister of JHA, Mrs Taubira, (who had provoked a series of Giant-Demonstrations with more than 1 Million People, last year in Paris, protesting against a Legislation which imposed unpopular Homosexual Mariages with a power to Adopt Children and Threatened Mayors who refused to celebrate such events personaly, with Heavy Prison and/or Fines, recently submitted to ECHR's control in Strasbourg by a group of dissident elected Mayors who complaint mainly for Violations of their Freedom of Conscience). Taubira and the Minister of Interior, Manuel Valls, reportedly claimed that noone among them didn't even know that a former President of the Republic, several Ministers and even his Lawyer had been put under constant "Surveillance" for many Months now, since "nobody informed" them...
 
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     - "We learned only Days ago", that, f.ex., "Conservatives were ... Targetted on the basis of their Political Beliefs and Activism", when "NSA had made efforts to use .... material of the sort GCHQ was Collecting as a grounds for Destroying their Reputations and Discrediting them", denounced, shortly afterwards, Edward Snowden's Replies to various Questions raised by MEPs through EU Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, that it decided to start Discussing ToNight, at the eve of EU Parliament's Plenary Debate on Internet, Phones and Tapes' electronic Mass Surveillance, scheduled for Tomorrow (Tuesday) Afternoon, before Final Decisions in Votes on many Amendments tabled on a Resolution due to be adopted by the Plenary on Wednesday Noon in Strasbourg.

    + Such abuses can go even much further, as f.ex. when "GCHO compromised a Popular Yahoo service to Collect Images from Web Cameras inside Citizens' Homes", while "around 10% of these Images that they take from within People's Homes involve Nudity or Intimate activities", "this sort of Webcam Data (being) Searchable via the NSA's XKEYSCORE system, which means the GCHQ's ... regime was used not only to Capture bulk Data that ..most probably Violates EU Laws, but to then Trade that Data with Foreign Services, without the Knowledge or Consent of any Country's voting Public", he went on to add, referring to recent, documented Press Reports. ( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/27/gchq-nsa-webcam-images-internet-yahoo )

    ++ Moreover, a "Report dated 2012, reveals that the UK Governent was Aware of ... NSA's attempt to use Sexually explicit material" against "Religious Conbservatives", "as part of a class that the NSA refers to as "Radicalizers", "indicating a Deepening and increasingly Aggressive Partnership", the World Famous Whistle-Blower's replies to MEP's questions also revealed.

    +++ "A few Weeks ago, we learned the GCHQ has Hired Scientists to study how to Create Divisions", f.ex. "among Activists and Disfavored Political Groups", "how they attempt to Discredit and Destroy Private Business, and how they knowingly plant False Information to MisDirect Civil Discourse", Snowden's list of various, recently published, concrete examples pointed out, ( https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2014/02/24/jtrig-manipulation/ )

    ++++ "Global surveillance capabilities are (also) being used on a Daily basis for the purpose of Economic Espionage.That a Major goal of the US Intelligence Community is to produce economic intelligence is the worst kept secret in Washington"; he added in response to EU Parliament's Shadow Rapporteur, MEP Cornelia Ernst's Question. F.ex., In September, we learned the NSA had successfully targeted and compromised the world's major financial transaction facilitators, such as Visa and SWIFT, which released documents describe as providing "rich personal information," even data that "is not about our targets" (http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/spiegel-exclusive-nsa-spies-on-international-banktransactions-a-922276.html). .... In August, we learned the NSA had targeted Petrobras, an energy company (http://g1.globo.com/fantastico/noticia/2013/09/nsa-documents-show-united-states-spiedbrazilian-oil-giant.html). ... Australia's DSD targeted Sri Mulyani Indrawati, a finance minister and Managing Director of the World Bank (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/18/australia-tried-to-monitor-indonesianpresidents-phone).

    => Thus, "recently, Governments have Shifted their talking points from claiming they only use mass Surveillance for "National Security" purposes, to the more nebulous "valid Foreign Intelligence purposes", Snowden concludes.  

   
    So that "Report after report has revealed Targeting of "G-8" and "G-20" -(Heads of State/Government) Summits. Mass Surveillance capabilities have even been used against a  (UNO's) Climate Change Summit" ! , he denounced, while "the alleged operations against Belgacom, SWIFT, the EU as an Institution, the United Nations, UNICEF, and others, based on documents I provided,  have actually occurred", he confirmed.

    >>> - "If You were Targeted, on the basis of your Political Beliefs, would you Know?  If they sought to Discredit you, on the Basis of your Private Communications, could you Discover the Culprit, and Prove it was them?", wondered Snowden, Topicaly raising Questions,

 that certainly f. President Sarkozy and others would legitimately medidate now after the recent incidents (Comp. Supra), after which, both his Wife, former France's 1st Lady and famous Singer Carla Bruni-Sarkozy was obliged to Urgently lodge a Complaint in the Courts against the Publication of her Private Life-related personal Data by a scandal-mongering Media, while one of hs Counsellors complained against a controversial move over his own personal notes by the Minister of Justice of the current Socialist Government, and several Lawyers started to denounce alleged "Violations of many (Legal) Principles", etc...

     - "And you are Parliamentarians. Try to imagine the Impact of such activities against ordinary (EU) Citizens, without power, privilege, or resources" : ". I don't want to outpace the efforts of Journalists, here", but "I expect similar operations Will be Revealed in the Future that affect many more ordinary Citizens", Snowden Warned MEPs in this regard.

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    - However, "the Good news is that there are Solutions !", positively finds the World's most famous whistle-blower :

    (A) "The international community must agree to Common Standards of Behavior", from a Legal and Political point of view, since, f.ex. "the French will not be Safe from mass surveillance until mericans, Argentines, and Chinese are as well", he observed. In addition, "better Oversight could (is) always performed by Opposition Parties, as under the Democratic model", "Additionally, we need better Whistleblower Protections, and a new commitment to the importance of International (political) Asylum. These are important Safeguards that protect our collective Human Rights, when the laws of National governments have Failed".

    
    (B) "And jointly Invest in the development of New Technical standards to Defend against mass surveillance" : F.ex., "the Weakness of mass Surveillance is that it can very easily be made much more Expensive, through Changes in Technical standards: Pervasive, end-to-end Encryption can quickly make indiscriminate surveillance impossible on a CostEffective basis", Snowden suggests.     
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      >>> At any case, "European governments, which have traditionally been Champions of Human Rights, should Not be Intimidated", the World-Famous Internet Spying Whistle-Blower incited.

    - Meanwhile, replying to another Question by EU Parliament's co-Shadow Repporteur Jan Philip Albrecht, he acknowledged that he does "Seek EU (Politcal) Asylum". - "But I have yet to receive a positive response to the requests I sent to various EU member States. Parliamentarians in the national governments have told me that the US, and I quote, "will Not Allow" (sic !) EU partners to offer political asylum to me, which is why the previous (EU Parliament's) Resolution on Asylum ran into such Mysterious Opposition", he denounced.     

    - At least now, "I would Welcome any offer of Safe Passage or permanent asylum, but I recognize that would require an act of extraordinary Political Courage" by a European Government, he observed, spêaking from Russia...
    
    - However, "in the face of the extraordinary campaign of Persecution brought against me by my the United States Government on account of my Political Beliefs, which I remind you included the grounding of the President of Bolivia's Plane by EU Member States, an increasing number of national Governments have Agreed that a grant of political Asylum is Lawful and appropriate", at the same time that "Polling of Public Opinion in Europe indicates I am Not Alone in Hoping to see EU Governments agree that blowing the Whistle on Serious Wrongdoing should be a Protected Act", Snowden concluded, in reply to another Question by EUParliament's Shadow co-Rapporteur Timothy Kirkhope

,
    after denouncing the fact that current US "President Obama", when he "reformed a key executive Whistleblower regulation" back on "2012",  "it Exempted Intelligence ommunity contractors such as Myself. The result was that individuals like me were left with No proper Channels" of protection as Whistle-blowers, replying also to Dutch Liberal MEP EUParliament's Shadow co-Rapporteur Sophie Int'Veld, whether there "are ...adequate procedures in the NSA for Staff to Signal Wrongdoing", or not.

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CoE's Committee on Media swifts from Moscow ... to Paris on Snowden-related move ?!
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    Meanwhile, CoE officially revealed in Strasbourg last Friday afternoon, that an important Meeting of its PanEuropean Assembly's Committee on Media's Freedom, initially Scheduled at Moscow for this Monday to Tuesday, March 10 -11, in order to Discuss and Vote also to adopt a crucial Report drafted by the New Head of Germany's Delegation to the CoE, MEP Axel Fischer, of the main Governing ChristianDemocrat Party CDU/CSU, on the "Protection of Internet Users", (Comp. Axel Fischer's relevant Statements to "EuroFora", part of which was earlier published at : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/euparliamentpresidentonsnowdenhearing.html ), was suddenly ... transferred from Russia to Paris !
    
    Was it, in fact, because (Ukraine events' Pretext perhaps added), as the new Head of the German Delegation to the COE's PanEuropean Assembly had warned "EuroFora" since January, there was an initial intention to try to find some practical ways to have, at last, a Direct Contact with Edward Snowden himself at Moscow, (that some would like to Hinder) ?    

    No CoE Officer from its Cultural and Media Committee was available this Afternoon in Strasbourg for any Comment on this Strange, last-minute Change, (contrary to the custom to always leave a Contact present at CoEs Headquarters whenever a Committee meets elsewhere)...

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*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- Most French People feel "fustrated" and want to send a "Message", starting with the Municipal Elections of March and April 2014, as "a 1st Step", and evolving further with the European Parliament's Elections, later on May 2014,  as a stronger Lever of Change against the persisting Economic inefficiency of the current "Socialist" Government's controversial policies, which have just been strongly criticized by EU Commission Today, announcing its decision to put the Country under intensified "Monitoring", the Head of France's Main Opposition Party "UMP", Jean-François Copé, basically agreed with "EuroFora", while, at the same time, he Warned against Risks to "Divert" Citizens' attention far away from the main topical Issuess which affect People's lives.

 Significantly, Copé, accompagnied by a big number of Journalists (including some very Experienced and Keen Reporters well known personaly to "EuroFora" for having covered the Presidential Palace "Elysée" for many Years in the recent Past),  had just adressed an exceptional and large Public Meeting to support Strasbourg's Candidate Mayor, Senator Fabienne Keller, and was Heading, as he told "EuroFora", "towards Dublin", in Ireland, where the biggest European Party, that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP, is holding a Crucial Congress and Heads of State/Government Summit, Tomorrow and the Day After, 6 and 7 March 2014, in order to adopt officially its "Manifesto" for the forthcoming, May 2014 EU Elections, and, mainly, to choose, for the 1st Time in History, his EU-wide Leader for that Vote, (whose Winner is due to become the New EU Commission's President for the period of 2014-2019, according to EU Lisbon Treaty and relevant Inter-Institutional arrangements between MEPs and States), among 3 Candidates : Two former Prime Miisters of Luxembourg and Latvia, Juncker and Dobrovskis, a long-time f. President of €uroGroup, and the man who succeede to bring the 1st Baltic State inside €uroZone after a  remarkable Recovery from a prevous Economic Krach, respectively, as well as EU Commissioner for the Common Market and several times Minister (of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Environment, etc), Barnier of France.

But, expressing a clear Will to try to get back the so-called "European Capital" of Strasbourg's City, (Host of the CoE and ECHR, EU Parliament's plenaries and EU Ombudsman, EUROCORPS and Shenghen, etc), from the Out-going "Socialist" Mayor Ries, a 67 years old Senator (who had Vainly Promissed in the Past Not to seek a 2nd Mandate, but later changed his mind, appointed a Turkish Director for his Electoral Campaign, and vowed in Public  to built a Mosque in every District of the City, supported by Subsidies traditionaly reserved to the over-Millenary Christian Religion of the large Majority of Alsace Region's Population), ChristianDemocrat/EPP Senator Fabienne Keller (UMP), was exceptionaly flanked, Today, not only by the Head of her UMP Party, Copé, but also by 2 former Prime Ministers : Jean-Pierre Raffarin, from the era of Historic former President Jacques Chirac, and François Fillon, from the more recent era of former President Nicolas Sarkozy, who attracted Thousands of People.

 

The move practically coincided with the anouncement by EU Commissioner for Financial and Monetary affairs, Oli Rehn in Brussels, that EU has just decided to put France, and some other EU Member Countries, under an "Enhanced Monitoring" procedure, because the current, Socialist Paris' Government had reportedly failed to redress the situation about a growing State's Debt, and revealed some Worrying Current Accounts, while Growth remained still at the Waiting list, in addition to a hard moment also on Unemployment, etc., among a set of various Economic and social benchmarks, most of which remained still at the Red.

 + Added to unacceptable State "Interferences" in the Private Life of Families, (f.ex. by the recent controversial and unpopular Bill on Same Sex Mariage and even Adoption of Children by Homosexuals without any relation to their Natural Family, as well as alleged attempts to impose the so-called "Gender" Theory inside Schools for pupils too young for that, etc), the whole picture was going Grim, together with a persisting Failure to "Integrate" new Immigrants, contrary to what France had succeeded to do in the Past, when Foreigners were Glad to learn the Host Country's Language, History and Culture, while EU's External Borders remained too "Floue", Copé added to the list of complaints, applauded.

This was extended further to a "Failure" on Law and Order keeping, particularly visible at a Local level, where also a controversial Socialists' deal with "Greens" was blamed for having practically condemned an important European Transport Infrastructure project, such as the "Rhine-Rhone" High Speed Train link, (which would have united the Mediterranean area with Mittel Europa, Italy with Germany), as Fillon also denounced earlier, together with a Dangerous Mess around Ukraine, where the EU should have played a better role of Mediation vis a vis Russia, earlier, according to Sarkozy's former Prime Minister, (etc).

In fact, the current situation is such in France, that the Socialist Party, afraid to loose the forthcoming Local and EU Elections, "is Ready to do Anything" in order to disrupt a normal and free Democratic Debate on the main issues, warned the Secretary General of UMP. This is a Dangerous context, which explains why, suddenly, so many Personal Attacks started to be launched against the Leaders of the Opposition; by abusing of any method, even of the most Scandalous, he denounced.  => "No Deviation far away from main Issues" which affect People's Lives !, warned Copé.

    - An obvious reference to a series of an impressive series of various recent incidents targetting Top Politicians of the Opposition in France, such as f.ex. a controversial Judicial Search at the office of the Lawyer of former President Sarkozy, Me Herzog, (including even a seizure of the Lawyer's Mobile Phone, reportedly Unprecedented in the History of violations of Defence's Rights and of Professional Secret) ; revelations that, a year after the Socialist Party got the Government, Tapping and systematic, constant Surveilance had been imposed against Sarkozy and his closest former collaborators at the Presidential Elysee Palace, including former Ministers ; as well as the spread of other rumours to discredit the main Opposition Party's current Secretary General, Copé himself;  several Leakages at the Press of the content of Tapes and other Notes taken by a former Presidential Counsellor on various meetings and conversations which had been held in the f. President's Office at Elysée, etc.  Meawhile, Lawyers denounce "the Abuses committed by some Judges", (particularly after recent Scandals seriously Questioned many French Judges' political Independence and Objectivity)...

    => So that, in reply to "EuroFora"s Question whether COE's Assembly should urgently check the way that the Opposition and, in general, any politically Dissident voices, risk to be currently treated by those currently in power in France, f.ex. on the occasion of a forthcoming Visit of CoE Assembly's "Monitoring" Committee, the main Opposition Party, UMP's Secretary General, after giving to the matter a careful thought, and after reiterating that we must all avoid any  Deviation away from the Issues which affect People's Lives, finaly, he replied Positively, noding ostensibly, and with a crystal-clear  - "Yes !".

 + Indeed, CoE Assembly's Committee on Monitoring Member States' Commitments on Democracy, Human Rights and Rule of Law, has already decided to start examining a Motion tabled by various MEPs from several CoE Member Countries and differend Political Groups about "Serious Setbacks in the Fields of Human Rights and Rule of Law in France", (according to its Officialy adopted Heading by the CoE), which had been initially triggered mainly after the 2013 Police violences against Citizens (even many Peaceful Young Girls and Boys) massively participating in Giant Demonstrations in Paris and elsewhere to protest for a controversial and unpopular Bill imposing Homosexuals' Mariage and even Adoption of Children by Homosexuals without any relation to their Natural Family, and threatening recalcitrant Mayors with Heavy Fines and/or Prison sentences if they don't accept to celebrate Personaly such events in Public, withouit any consideration to their Freedom of Conscience, nor to the commitments vis a vis the Majority of EU Citizens who elected them democratically, (a particular issue which has just started, recently, to arrive even at the ECHR, after a 1st, preliminary Complaint lodged last Month in Strasbourg by a Group of Dissident Mayors).

    However, as competent COE's sources said earlier to "EuroFora", this Monitoring Mission could also examine the way that the Opposition's Political Parties, as well as any individual Dissidents (f.ex. MPs, other Politicians, Officials, Experts, Journalists, Businessmen, Artists, etc) are currently Treated in France by the new, Socialist Authorities, particularly after various recent Incidents, (such as, f.ex. an unprecedented Refusal to Reimburse the Electoral Expenses of the main Opposition "UMP" Party for the 2012 Presidential Election, a Harassment denounced by several Dissidents, from the Famous Film-Actor Gerard Depardieu - led to become Russian Citizen, as well as to Migrate to Belgium !  - up to certain Journalists, MPs, and particularly the former President Sarkozy, allegedly targetted by an ever growing series of various accusations, and  placed on Surveillance shortly after the installation of the current, Socialist Government, including even his Lawyer, Me Herzog, who has just faced a Search in his Office and a Confiscation of his Professional Mobiile Phone, starting these Days a growing circle of Collective protests by Lawyers against Threats to seriously Violate the Rights of the Defence, etc). Indeed, this obviously concerns also the way that Democratic Institutions function in real Practice, and the degree of Fairness, Objectivity and Independence of Courts' proceedings, according to the Principles of Rule of Law, protective of basic Human Rights, i.e. CoE's main Tasks, since the 2005 PanEuropean Warsaw Summit of Heads of State/Government, which are at the Core of every CoE Assembly's "Monitorng" operation, including this one..

    As PACE's Co-Rapporteurs for France were appointed, since last December 2013, two important MEPs : Stefan Schennach, a Socialist from Austria who Chairs himself the Monitopring Committee, and Valeriu Ghiletchi, a ChristianDemocrat/EPP from Moldova, President of CoE Assembly's Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development, while a 1st "Fact-Finding Visit" has reportedly just been authorized at a February 27-28 meeting of the Committee in Malta, and is currently expected to take place during the following weeks, and, at any case, before a forthcoming Meeting of the Monitoring Committee in Paris, later on May. The terms of Reference for this unprecedented Report on France are wide enough, since the Rapporteurs have been given Time until September 2015, (a Deadline which could, if necessary, be even prolonged).

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    But, in the meantime, more Optimist, Chirac's former Prime Minister, Senator Raffarin, speaking to "EuroFora" on his well-known interest for China - EU relations, (where he had recently co-chaired some Important Economic Conferences with Top Chinese and European Businesses' Managers, included at the Elysée Presidential Palace in Paris during Sarkozy's term), promissed that, "if Fabienne (Keller) wins the (Local) Election, I will help her to develop Strasbourg's relations with Beijing, Shanghai and/or Hong Kong, as he said, smiling, (but apparently really meaning it !)...

*Strasbourg/Press Club/Angelo Marcopolo/- "We (EU) must Speak with Putin !", stressed at a Crucial juncture over Ukraine, the President of the Biggest EU Political Party, that of Christian-Democrats/EPP, Joseph Daul from France, in reply to an "EuroFora"s Question, during a Press Club meeting, on EU Parliament's  Resolution, adopted Today Noon, about the Political developments at Kiev and Crimea, but also on the need to urgently address a heavy Debt of the current Ukranian State ; Topical issues which will all certainly occupy, next week, also a 14 EPP EU Heads of State/Government Summit, including with German Chancellor Merkel, that he's currently preparing, (See Infra).

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EPP President Daul replied to "EuroFora"s question during an exceptional event organized by Strasbourg's Press Club, at the  "Strisjel", a location often used in the Past both by former EU Parliament and CoE Assembly's President, f. Prime Minister of France, Pierre Pflimlin, and former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, (at the eve of the latter's exceptional visit to Berlin, to meet German Chancellor Angie Merkel, and for a Speech to CDU's "Adenauer" Foundation, on the Franco-German "motor" of the EU and Europe's Future, which is due to be, for the 1st time since 2012, retrasmitted by TV in public. I.e., what to make think that he should, probably, have at least one exceptionaly important Message to pass on to the People, shortly before a crucial EPP Heads of State/Government Summit, next week in Dublin (Ireland), due  to officialy finalize the Biggest European Political Party's "Manifesto"/Program for the forthcoming, May 2014, EU Elections, as well as to choose its Candidates to EU Leaders' top jobs for the period of 2014 - 2019).

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 - "Today, EU Parliament voted a Resolution on Ukraine, after "Hot" Discussions Yesterday between MEPs, mainly on the Formula to use for the current Perspectives of the European Integraton of the Country. Some had suggested to leave things as they were back on October 2013 (i.e. when Yanoukovich decided sign a Trade Deal with the EurAsian Union, sponsored by Russia, etc).  Others proposed to speak about a "Long Term" possibility to enter the EU, etc. Finaly, an Oral Amendment simply mentioned Kiev's Right, as an European Country, to lodge a formal Demand for EU Accession. Don't you think that, as things stand until Today, a more Positive Formula should have been found, in order not to decieve Ukranian People, given, also the fact that, at the same time, it would be Difficult to explain to EU Citizens why Ukraine might be left out of the EU for a long time, while other Countries, even f.ex.  Turkey, would, on the contrary, pursue further their own EU Negotiations ?", "EuroFora" asked in substance President Daul.

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 - "We (EU) ignored, for too long, the Russia of Putin", Daul stressed from the outset in his Reply to "EuroFora"s Question.

- "F.ex., when  I had recently to Negotiate something with Putin", "we arrived, together with 2 Vice-Presidents -(of the EPP party) at Moscow, for an appointment scheduled around 117 o'clock and due to durate just 10 minutes. After waiting for a much longer time than expected, my friends had to leave, but I decided to stay. Finaly, at 17 o'clock, I was received by Putin, and the scheduled "10 Minutes", in fact, durated almost .. 2 Hours !", (while "in a long corridor many other People were still waiting"), Daul described.

 - "I debated with a Man who is who he is, and speaks a perfect German, (as Joseph Daul himself), and, therefore, we were able to have Direct exchanges (i.e. without needing to pass through a Translator). There, I saw that he was a Man who had been Frustrated by the Behavior of the current EU's Heads of State/Government in his regard", President Daul observed.

- "He might have been a Communist, (while I never was), and be whatever you like, but, nevertheless, We (EU) have many things to Share in Common" with the current Russian President, he stressed.

- "We (EU) neglected him (Putin) for too long, and now, when we are not on a position of force in discussions (about Ukraine), he's going to make us pay dear  for that !", Daul warned.

- Particularly since Vladimir Putin "will never excuse his predecessors for having Partinioned the ex-URSS"'s territories, (back during the 1990ies).

 

- However, the Russian President appeared ready to accept that we (EU) "could have .. Half of Ukraine". But "you should not touch upon the other Half" of Ukraine (i.e. its Eastern Regions, mostly populated by Russian-speaking People), "nor Moldavia", as he told me in substance, President Daul revealed.

- "I said that this was impossible, and that we (EU)'d never accept that", but  "we discussed also about Energy, and other issues". Thus, "when he came more recently in Brussels (for the EU - Russia Summit), "he (Putin) asked to see me, and told me that "things go a little-bit Better"", Daul found.

- Nevertheless, "when I say that inside EU Parliament, I'm very Bad seen by some ", he acknowledged.

- But, it's true that "we (EU) have ignored him (Putin) for too long, and now, we can't work on certain Countries without Speaking with him" (the Russian President), Daul noted critically.

 - "I don't mean to accept everything what he tells us, but if we (EU) don't speak with him, then, we are going to suffer" from some problems, he warned.

- "And, frankly, we are not going to make him afraid by telling him that we'll send the so-called European Army....", (almost inexistant until Today, with a few Exceptions, f. ex. as that of Strasbourg-based EUROCORPS and Franco-German Brigade, etc). "He has already bypassed  that stage",  Daul joked, referring, indirectly but surely, to a Critcicm that he had made earlier on EU's Delays to build a real European Security and Defence policy, while also declaring his Intention to focus personaly on that endeavour later-on in his life.  

- "That was a 1st Error, on Diplomacy, because we (EU) haven't kept Contacts with Putin", Daul concluded on this 1st point. "We have certain things to manage together, and for that, we must speak. I think that our Heads of State/Goverment should be well aware.
-----------------

+ "2nd point : - Ukraine is a real Problem, (also in itself), as you know", he went on to add.

- "There are 60% of Russian-speaking Populations, which are rather quite pro-Russia, and another part which is rather pro-EU :"

(FrontPage Headline News at mainstream German Newspaper "Die Welt" just after the Feb. 22 Riots which torpedoed the EU-sponsored Feb.21 Compromise Agreement)

-----

=> - How to settle that problem in one Generation, if it (the Political Division and Conflict) continues as it's going on Today ?", Daul wondered.

---------------------------

++ "The 3rd Problem in Ukraine is that the State is close to Bankruptcy", he observed. - "And Who would Help Ukraine ? What  can we (EU) bring, right Now, to the Ukranians, so that they can continue to eat and live ?" "That's the real Question; and not if, in 5, 10, or 15  Years they would Start (Accession) Negotiations with the EU !", President Daul pointed out.

- "That's what I explained last Night at the (EPP) Group meeting" (in EU Parliament), where "some wanted even to put in the Resolution the precise Years that it might take to conclude....  I said No, in order to enter inside the EU, its Rules must be respected. If you can meet EU's requirements, then you have a full Right to present your Candidacy in order to become an EU Member".

   - "We (the EU) cannot tell Lies to the Ukranian People ! That's the Worse thing that one could do", denounced President Daul.

  - "But, Today, when I have (former Opposition's Political Leadars) Klitsko or Timoshenko on the Phone this week, the 1st thing is :  - "We (the State) are in Bankrupty !".. "And, naturally, Putin would not send them the Billions that he  had promissed" to Yanukovich : "He didn't yet gave a Dime, until now, and it's not at this moment that he shall give Money" to Ukraine.. , he noted.

- So "that's a big Problem now for Ukraine, i.e. how we (EU) are going to Help them, so that they can continue to survive, in this situation of Bankruptcy of the State, in which they are ":

- "It's 35 Billions ! That's how the situation is. With 15 Billions we (EU) could do something, but the EU doesn't have Today 15 Billions to spare in order to Help the Ukranians", he acknowledged realistically...

- "So that Problem remains open", and that's one reason more for us (EU) to Discuss with Putin. That's for the Ukranian file", President Daul concluded.

-------------------------

Comparatively, the problem seems quite Smaller on (neighbouring) Moldova", he went on to add, extending his Reply to "EuroFora"s Quesion further :

- "We (EU) have there an important file : Their Production is, a you know, Wine, and there we managed to Help them : F.ex., when the Imports of Wine  to Russia had been blocked, I took care, together with the EU Commissioner in charge of Agriculture, (French speaking Dacian Ciolos from Romania),  and we (EU) bought all the wine that they were due to export to Russia". Indeed, the Wine can be stocked, and, as they have some Good Products, All is Sold".

- "But now, they also sell 80% of their Fruit and Vegetables' production to Russia. However, this can't be Stocked. So that, if there is a Blockade at the Moldavian Border, around  May - June - July, when these products will arrive there",  ...  it's not obvious what we could do.. By the way, I'm currently investigating what kind of Fruits and Vegetables are concerned : F.ex., if it's about Apples, I can better manage, than if it's about Salades and/or Strawberries (more fragile), etc.",Daul (an experienced former Farmer Businessman himself) added pragmatically, pointing there too, at some urgent, short-term priorities on concrete issues. 

 - "That's Real Politics : It's about EveryDay Life maters : That's where Political Pressures usually come. That's the kind of situations at a practical, grassroots, down to Earth, level, that one must try to Solve, before engaging in purely Geo-Political considerations", Daul  underlined, criticizing some who smiled on hearing that unexpected, but realistic "Strauberries' statement"...

----------------------

    + Moreover, Gas is a very important issue, and that's why the EU's Energy Policy is even more important", and "that's one of the Files, too, that we have to deal with, Tomorrow", in EU - Russia relations, obviously including Ukraine...

    As for Shale-Gas, I'd say not yet, at least until it's proved Safe. Meanwhile, it's not so bad if we Waited longer : It's as if you had a sort of spare Economies set aside for the Future. It can't be stolen from us. And we shall see Later", what to do with that", he speculated.
---------------------------------------

+ Nevertheless, President Daul accepted to conclude his far-reaching and wide Reply to "EuroFora"s Question also by some of those "Geo-Political Considerations" (Comp. Supra), where he pointed towards a <<Gradual Transformation>> view on Russia's foreseable Future :

 - "As (former Solidarnosc Leader and Polish President) Lech Walesa used to tell me, on the occasion of his latest Film (directed by Andreij Wajda) : - "As far as it concerns Russia, we must Wait :"

- "It's a Rich Country, but its Wealth is not well shared. Several Regions become more and more Poor. It won't be possible to continue to manage the Country as they did until now". Moreover, they have some structural Population imbalances, while the Chinese are too close at their Eastern areas. (etc).

=> "So, he concludes that Russia is not going to become the Master of the World : It will have so many Problems to solve, ... that one day, it wil be obliged to manage things Differently. It might be in 10 or 15 Years, may be 20 if it's well organised, when probably Putin will no more be there" as President, (etc). "That's about Geo-Political Strategies, etc.

 - "But, for the Time being, we (EU) have to make a Deal with Putin", Daul reminded in conclusion. "I didn't say that we should sell out" our beliefs, "but we (EU) Need to Speak with him", President Daul reiterated in Conclusion.

 

 

 
*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- An unexpectedly strong and politically original Opposition by many and various MEPs to EU Parliament's Vote Today to establish a controversial Tax on Private Copies, highlights even further some curious Lacunas in the argumentation of its supporters, as they had already appeared during a Press Conference Yesterday, in the Replies by EU Rapporteur Françoise Castex, a French Socialist MEP, to 2 Questions raised by "EuroFora".

Such Facts indicate that it cannot be excluded for EU Parliament's Majority to Change its stance on this controversial and topical issue, particularly after the forthcoming, May 2014 EU Elections, according to their results...

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'EuroFora"s Questions :
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    - "In some other Countries, also out of the EU, including at the USA, there isn't any Financial levy on private Copies. Don't you think that this difference risks to become a Handicap for the EU vis a vis the Global Competition ?", "EuroFora" asked at first, (obviously pointing f.ex. to the choice of residence or establishment for Students, Experts, Businessmen, Enterprises, and even other various simple Citizens, including Tourism visits, etc)..

 

    + Moreover, "as you know, there are various Movements, of Young and less young People, who are, on the contrary, in favor of a Freedom of Access to Culture, in general.. Naturally, Authors need to be remunerated, and Creations should be protected, but, isn't it really possible to find some other, Alternative ways for that purpose, without Taxing only the User (particulalry when an Original Copy has already been Paid, as in this case) ?; added "EuroFora"

---------------------------------------
EU Parliament Rapporteur's Replies :
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    - "Thank you. I think that, before examining the situation of Non-EIU Countries, if we arrive at an Harmonized system inside the EU, this would already be a big step...", EU Rappprteur Françoise Castex, (Soc. Fra) observed at the outset, from another point of view.

    - "A fortiori, since this Tax is a System which doesn't affect so much Competition, out of the USA, because it's about Copies for Private use, Not Commercial, so that it all remains a Practice which can't be outsourced without difficulties", as she said, (apparently Missing the Point about Establishment, Residence and/or Tourism destination Choices of Citizens, Businesses, etc, among various Countries accross a Globalized World : Comp. Supra, as well as that of the Greatest possible Influence of a National Culture in the World, f.ex. Scope of European or American Works, etc

    + "Then, it's true that it's a rather "European" System, which had been initiated by Germany, and was extended into 23 (EU) Member States out of 28, but it's also a System which Interests also Out of the European Union, as I've learned from various Associations of Collective Management, mainly in Emerging Economies, f.ex. in Africa, or Asia, etc. Because it's a Good Solution in order to Use and Authorize a Copy, which, as you've said earlier, is practically Unavoidable : F.ex. one makes a CD and he copies it, or lends it to a Friend who copies it, or takes at a Media Library a Disc that he copies, etc., so that it's Difficult to Hinder that. But this allows to be done in a Legal and Transparent way, since there is a (Financial) Compensation for that Copy", she claimed, (paradoxically supporting, in substance, the original view that .. Taxes would make Taxpayers' life easier !)...

    ++ Now, you tell me, also, that there are People who stand for the Freedom of Access to Culture, particularly after having already Bought f.ex. a CD with Music etc", MEP Castex added, on "EuroFora"s 2nd Question. .

    - "I am among those who believe, indeed, that Access to Culture must be as "Fluid";, and as Easy as possible, etc", she acknowledged.

    - "Nevertheless, I'm very much in favour, also, of Authors' Rights, and to the Remuneration of Artists, because I don't see how we could have a European Cultural Creation, full of Vitality and Rich, without establishing a System of Remuneration for Artists, who are the First to live an experience of European Culture"; as she said, (apparently considering EU Citizens as, a comparatively, "Secondary" matter, +and Astonishingly ..skipping "EuroFora"s last Question about the Possibiity to find "Alternatives" for Artists' Remuneration systems, which wouldn't Tax the Users of Private Copies (at least not when the Original has already been paid)..

--------------
EU Parliament's "Alternative" Resolution and Votes :
------------------------------

This last point, but not least, which, is, in fact, of Primordial Importance, and becomes even more crystal-clear when one sees the Alternative Resolution, tabled by Liberal Swedish MEP Cecilia Wikstrom, on behalf of her Group, and supported by the "Greens", to EU Parliament's Plenary, in the form of an Amendment to Castex's Draft Report :

    - The Alternative Resolution observes from the outset the fact that "as a result of new technologies and digitalisation, content can be copied (better : "ReProduced") without losing quality, and at virtually  no additional cost".

     -This can "lead to the development of new business models and (mainly) to great Potential Public Benefits, for example as regards Access to ....Cultural content, Information and Education" of all the People.

    => "Therefore",, that crucial Amendment tabled at EU Parliament's Plenary session; "invites the (EU) Member States and the Commission .. to Explore Alternatives", to the levies payment system.   

 
    They should "fulfil the objectives of a Balanced Copyright regime, while reflecting Modern Consumer expectations", it points out.

    In particular, "private copying of legally acquired content, constitutes a Normal Use of the products or services acquired by consumers, which should Not Harm the legitimate interests of right-holders; and thus should  Not warrant any Compensation", the Aternative Motion clarifies in conclusion.

---------------------------------------------------------------

>>> But the most important "News" Today is, probably, the quite Astonishing Results of the Votes casted in EU Parliament's Plenary, Today Noon in Strasbourg, and what reveals an Analysis of the Votes both for the above-mentioned Alternative Resolution, - tabled as "Amendment No 1" - and for the Final Adoption of Castex's Draft Report, as such :

- First of all, it's interesting to note the Fact that many MEPs'  Resistance to the Traditional Majority View presented by Castex's Draft, (in principle supported by the official line, still dominating inside the 2 Biggest Parties : SPD and EPP), succeeded to reach; initially, almost 30% on the Votes, the 1st Time, (i.e. on the "Amendment No 1", through which had tabled the Alternative Resolution : Comp. Supra), and, afterwards, it even grew as far as to reach as High as some ...40% of the Votes casted on the Finaly adopted Resolution (that of Castex) at the End of the Voting Hour ("No" and "White" Votes included) !

----------------------

+ This spectacular and unexpected Augmentation of + 10 % more, during the Same Day, inside this same EU Parliament, as it stands at the eve of the forthcoming, May 2014 EU Elections, also reveals that the Opposition to Levies on Private Copies appears much more Motivated to Act for what it believes Just and Right, than many among those who merely Follow still a Traditionaly Dominant Position (to impose that supplementary Tax on Users), since several among them ... Left Running fast the EU Parliament's Plenary Room towards the End of the Voting Time, obviously more Eager to catch up an Airplane or Train for their Week-End leisure, than to stay inside and do what they believed to be their Duty as Representatives of the People, (as relevant Photos, Video footage, and even the desperate calls by the Chair for many MEPs not top Run Away so Fast, clearly reveal) !...

 

-------------------------

+ Another noticeable Fact is that this Same Day, 499 MEPs voted on Other Reports, f.ex. that of Nuno Melo, i.e. +106 MEPs more than on Castex's Report (only 393) !

  => Should we conclude from such Facts, that some 106 more MEPs either "Voted with their Feet", i.e. Fleed the Castex Report imposing Taxes to Private Copies even of already bought assets, or, at least, Abstained/were Indifferent and/or Hesitated to accept that ? If Yes, then, by Adding some 106 more MEPs to those already clearly and explicitly Opposed or Abstaining to the Final Vote for the imposition of Levies to all Private Copies (141 MEPs), then, the real Result would be almost a ... Draw, i.e. astonishingly Close to 50 - 50% !

At any case, such Big Factual Differences between Votes casted during one and Same Day, by one and Same Collective Body, at one and Same Location, obviously Raise Questions if not about  lack of sufficient Legitimacy, at least of a dangerous Fragility, particularly in view of probable Changes in EU Parliament's composition after the forthcoming, May 2014 EU Elections, (comp; Supra).
-------------------------------------

+++ Even more Interesting, politically, is also the Additional Fact that this 40% strong Opposition, in fact, cannot be classified neither to the Traditional "Left", nor to the Traditional "Right" of EU Parliament's Political Spectrum :

- Indeed, among those Opposed are, paradoxicaly, included both most "Leftists" AND most "Rightists", as the Results of 2 Row Call Votes attest !

++++ Was it then,, just a result purely due to the so-called "Extremes", be it of the "Right" and/or of the "Left", often even accused to be, more or less, "EuroSceptics", and classified at the "Margins" of the Traditional Politcal Spectrum, as usually Distinguished from the Traditional "MainStream" Parties ?

- No ! Even that is Not True at all, in this case : Simply because those who Led this Strange Opposition Movement, f.ex. by officially Tabling the above-mentioned Alternative Resolution, as "Amendment No 1", etc, (Comp. Supra), are not others than the .... MainStream "Liberals", supported by the "Greens", both among the More "Pro-Europeans" of all (including even many so-called "Federalists" !), and currently chaired by the former Prime Minister of Belgium, and now Candidate to the Top Job of New EU Commission's President, Guy Verhofstadt !
------------------------------

=> How to explain, then, all this Strange Groupîng of 40 % of MEPs, who are Both from the Right and the Left, as well as the "Centre" ; Both from so-called, more or less "EuroSceptics" and from the so-called "ProEuropeans" ; Both from the "Margins" and from the "Mainstream" Parties, having just 1 thing in Common : To be the most Committted of all to their Cause in this issue (Comp. Facts cited Supra) ?

 

 

- Two things are for sure :

(A) All this doesn't look at all like the usual, Traditional "Right/Left" Politics, but radicaly cuts accross them, revealing not an "Old", but a  kind of "New" Contradiction of Interests and Values.

(B) According to all factual Indications currently available, such Movements are due to be not only Repeated, but even Augmented, in Intensity and mainly Number, Size and Force, in the foreseable Future, (possibly taking also Various Other Formats, f.ex. including More ChistianFDemocrat/EPP MEPs when it comes to BioEthical Issues, etc); and, particularly just After the forthcoming, May 2014 EU Parliament's Elections,

since all Polls notoriously expect a Rise of the "Rightists" across Europe, but also of some "Leftists", in addition to that of Various kinds of so-called,  more or less "EuroSceptics",  as well as the Emergence of Many "New", Atypical Parties, ranging from BioEthics (f.ex. in France, etc) up to the famous "Pirates", in Germany and elsewhere, who have recently prepared a .. "EU Pirates' Party (EUPP)", for the 1st time with their own Candidate MEPs, instead of remaining "hidden" behind only a few "Green" or "Liberal" MEPs, as they were obliged to do in the Past, until now, obviously augmenting the Number and Activism of MEPs' strongly committed to Fight for a Free and Safe Access to the Information Society, (naturally Boosted after the recent Revelations of massive Internet Spying by Snowden, etc)....

Something that the May 2014 EU Elections could infirm or confirm, in one way or another, opening, maybe, some New Possibilities for Original European Politcal Groupings, (particularly on "New" Issues of the Modern Society, as the present one, examined in this paper), more or less unthinkable in the Past...