newsitems

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- If you lost sight of it while rushing to catch up your Airflights between New York, Shanghai, Geneva, Strasbourg,  or Saint Petersbourg, etc, and/or walking through some City Suburbs, don't worry : EU Identity looks quite "'visible" among Al-Quaida Hostage-takers in embattled Syria :

Indeed, some strange "All-Qaida"-related Hostage takers at Syria's borders with Turkey, who, curiously, don't seem eager at all to reveal in public their demands, nor eventual negotiations, seem spot Journalists from various EU Member Countries and treate them differently, because they are more interested at their EU Identity, as former Hostage Magnus Falcehed from Sweden and famous Top Press Chief Serge July (co-Founder, together with Philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, and long-time Director, of Newspaper "Liberation" 1973-2006, as well as mainstream Radio-TV contributor, recently also Film maker), told "EuroFora", during and after a Press Conference with long-time Journalist and currently MEP Jean-Marie Cavada, in EU Parliament, followed by a public event with its President, Martin Schulz, and several other MEPs from various Political Groups/Countries, etc., during which a Multi-Lingual Giant Poster calling to Free all Journalists still held Hostages in and/or around Syria, was hung at the European Buildings' central court's inner walls.

 

 - In fact, "it's Public Opinion (that used to serve those Journalists), which is taken Hostage" in such kind of cases, denounced to "EuroFora" Top  MEP Cavada, who is also President of the European Movement, just after launching a Call to extend International Criminal Court's competence toward such Hostage-takers, with the Help of EU Parliament's President Martin Schulz, who decided to hang 4 Giant Posters for the Liberation of the Journalsts taken Hostages, for whom he read also an Official Statement in front of all MEPs at the Plenary just before the Voting-time of Thursday Noon, officially asking "the immediate Release of all imprisoned Journalists" (See Infra).

 

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Just..from France, there are currently 4 Victims still in captivity in Syria : Radio "Europe 1"s Reporter Didier Francois and his cameraman Edouard Elias, as well as Independent Journalists Nicolas Henin et Pierre Torres, among reportedly about 25 Western Press workers in all.

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- "During other, well known, Hostage-takings in the Past, f.ex. back on 2004 - 2005, (with Malbrunot, etc ), it had proved sometimes Difficul to really find out who was exactly behind the Hostage-takers. Now, on the present cases, and given the somewhat particular situation in Syria, is it possible to know, or not, who are really behind most among the cases of Journalists' Hostage-takers ?", asked "EuroFora" during the Press Conference organized by Strasbourg's Press Club in EU Parliament Wednesday afternoon.

- "Briefly : There are many kinds of Hostage-takers in Syria : Purely Criminal (* loathsome, sordid, - "crapuleux"), some only for Money, but who re-sell their Hostages...

+ There are 2 Al-Quaida, as you know : One is called "al-Nosra", and the other "Islamic State in Iraq and in the Levant". (known as "ISIL", or "ISIS"  for "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria").

 - "Currently, concerning the 4 French Journalists, for which we can speak, it's the "Islamic State at Iraq and in the Levant" (ISIS), who reportedly kidnaped them.

 - F.ex., "in the case of (Swedish Journalist) Magnus, he had the chance to be liberated before being re-sold, I think", observed July.

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From its "origins", ISIS reportedly "Differed from the Other early Iraqi Insurgent groups, considerably in its tactics : Rather than just using conventional Weapons and Guerrilla tactics in ambushes ...., it has relied heavily on Suicide Bombings, often using Car Bombs, and Targeting a Wide Variety of groups .. (including) Shia and Kurdish political and Religious figures, ....foreign Civilian contractors, and the United Nations and (even) Humanitarian workers", including f.ex. "the Chief of the United Nations' mission to Iraq, Sérgio ...de Mello", a well known supporter of Refugees' return to their Family Homes and Ancestral Land from which they had been chassed away by many Conflicts Worldwide, who worked for many Years at the UNHCR, before becoming UNO's High Commissioner for Human Rights, at nearby Geneva, and who was brutaly Killed, together with 22 other Civilians, at a Car Bombing against UNO's Headquarters in Bagdad, shortly after planning a massive Return of many Thousands of Kurdish Refugees at the Northern Iraqi Oil/Gas producing Region, facing Turkey's Borders. Moreover, ISIS' founders "have been also known to use ... targeted Kidnappings, the planting of improvised Explosive devices, and Mortar attacks....rocket-propelled grenades" (etc), but "also gained a worldwide Notoriety for BeHeading ... Hostages and distributing video recordings of these acts on the Internet", according mainly to "Wikipedia", which notes also special links to several "very Cruel ... militants. ...almost all Foreigners, (mostly immigrants from Russia’s North Caucasus), ....headed by an ethnic Chechen", (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant ) - "Since its appearance in ("Northern") Syria on April 2013", ISIS was accused of "Torture, summary Killings" taking place in "Secret Detention Centres", according to Amnesty International, and "they  have also reportedly Detained dozens of Foreign Journalists and (Humanitarian) Aid workers as of December 2013", when "the group reportedly controlled ...4 Border towns ...., allowing it to monitor Entrance and Exit from Syria into Turkey", while also being "described as Foreign "Occupiers" by many Syrian Refugees", (ibid), to the point that even Al Quaida reportedly split with ISIS (more and more at Conflict also vis a vis the Syrian-led Dissidents), at the beginning of 2014.

 

+ Reactions to Foreign Fighters' interference inside Syria are reportedly shared by most political fractions of the country, from the Governing coalition up to the majority of Dissidents, while, on the contrary, the definition and the limits of acts of "Terrorism" by the various opponents of the regime still remain controversial among the Geneva 2 Peace-Talks' participants.                                               
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 - "No, they (ISIS' Hostage takers) haven't yet ... formulated any concrete Revendication", Serge July confirmed afterwards to "EuroFora", when we asked him what they really wanted, even on February 2014, i.e. some 6 Months after the Victims were kidnaped.

I. e.  a strange Fact inevitably reminding, mutatis-mutandis), what had happened in the Past around the Kidnapping of French Free-lance Journalists as Malbrunot, etc., near Turkmen-revendicated and Terror-striken N/W. areas of Irak where many interesed parties were, indirectly but surely, revendicating a part on its Oil/Gas resources, (such as Kirkouk ???, etc), when the strange Kidnapers didn't eve reveal in public their real demands, while 2 main Hostages, both French Free-lance Journalists, were suddenly let free, by a coincidence, just a few Days after EU Council's Member States finaly accepted in Brussels to start Accession Negotiations with Turkey (early 2005). Some Months earlier, rumours for a possible solution on that Hostage drama through a controversial intermediary (MP Didier Julia) had floated almost at the same time that former French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder had exceptionaly met in Strasbourg to anounce in a joint Franco-German Press Conference, that such a decision might be taken for Turkey's unpopular EU-bid, while also promising to hold a Referendum on that "hot" issue in France, but it was all postponed for unclear reasons, later-on. In addition, shortly after the Liberation of Malbrunot etc., it was the turn of Florence Aubenas to be kidnaped at Irak, from where she reportedly called anew for Didier Julia's help. She was liberated on June 2005, i.e., by another coincidence, when the EU Council (first on Foreign Ministers' level, and afterwards also on Heads of State/Government level) declared that the conditions for the opening of EU - Turkey Accession Negotiations were met, and fixed its Date for October, asking also from EU Commission to finalise a Draft Framework, (as it did before the end of June 2005).

Today, most of those kindapped Journalists were kidnaped in 2013 at the North of Syria, close to Turkey's selectively "porous" Borders, (f.ex. at Raqqah or Aleppo, etc), almost at the same time that several Youngsters from certain French popular Suburbs had reportedly been endoctrinated locally and incited to leave their Families for Turkey in order to be enrolled into Extreme Islamistic Groups currently penetrating Syria and engaged in Armed Attacks and Conflicts. CNN Journalist Nick Paton Walsh had already documented what he named as "the secret Jihadi Smuggling Route through Turkey" to Syria,  ( See f.ex. : http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/04/world/europe/isis-gaining-strength-on-syria-turkey-border/index.html )  - "Travelling through Turkey has become so straightforward and comfortable that it is the route of choice for ... jihadist(s)" as f.ex. "Hamza", an Iraqi recruit, who "said" CNN that "there are people coming from Holland, Germany, even Peru," ...claiming that the number of recruits from Europe to the jihad is exceeding the Arab complement" (sic !). Indeed, "it is extraordinary to watch this volume of International Traffic from countries where al Qaeda has a confirmed and consistent presence, into a NATO member state" as Turkey, CNN's Journalist observed. F.ex. "a Smuggler, working to facilitate recruits joining the Syrian al Qaeda-linked Radical group, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)", told Paton Walsh that "in the past few Months, ...he's moved about 400 People across the Border, and that the rate of people making the crossing has almost Tripled" recently : "That's just him", while there are Many other Smugglers operating in the area" of Turkish borders, (unlike the Lebanese, Jordanian, etc., where the situation is curiously Differend).

(A recent CNN Map for ISIS' presence : Focus on Turko-Syrian Borders' triangle .... http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/05/world/europe/syria-turkey-al-qaeda/ )
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+ "ISIS ... are said to have considerable Cash at their disposal", "exploit(ing) superior levels of Financing and Resources",  "often offering Generous Cash incentives" in order to gain "influence", but also "increasingly Brutal in dealing with their Critics" : F.ex. a victim denounced that he "was Tortured, Beaten,. ..Hung ...from the ceiling, and used Electricity on" him, while held in  (a) factory (with) 20 other Prisoners, ... also used by ISIS to make Bombs", according to an article published by 3 CNN Journalists, ( http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/05/world/europe/syria-turkey-al-qaeda/ ) .
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Today's move came only 1 week after Socialist French President François Hollande's official visit to Turkey, where he was obviously pressed to push for Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, resulting, inter alia, in an unprecedented assimilation, during his public statements in Strasbourg's University, (comp. "EuroFora"s NewsReports from that and other spots : ..),  between the notoriously European Culture, History and Geography-located as well as Technologically developed (Comp. f.ex. the World famous "Antonov" airplanes, etc) Ukraine, and +95% Asia-located and 99% Islamic today, and rather underdeveloped Turkey, with notoriously much more Heavy Problems on Human Rights' Violations, as far as their respective EU - entry chances are concerned in his current view, (which seems quite differend from what Hollande had initially declared in his Reply to an "EuroFora"s Question during a key pre-electoral Visit in Strasbourg, to which was added also an element whose initial lack we had criticized in our earlier Publication, later-on in Paris, replying to a similar question  by our confrere Pujadas, (but where it almost went "lost" an partly unnoticed, inside a much wider TV spot, overshadowed by  various other issues).

Experienced former Irak Hostage, Florence Aubenas, among the participants in EU Parliament'ss events, had already warned earlier (in an INTW at  our Press Club of Strasbourg), about the facts that, "since the Summer of 2012", many Journalists were entering Syria "from Turkey, where the Borders had fallen down", while, later-on, "since last Spring" (2013), many Armed Groups among Rebels had become "Non-Transparent", to the point that (contrary to the initial uprising) now it became often impossible to know "who is exactlly who", and several times "nobody knows who was paid by whom"... - "There are Mafia groups acting for their own interests, Village Groups which still remain (from the Past), but also some groups for which one wonders whether they are manipulated", f.ex. "by the government", etc. So that, recently, "there is a kind of "Foggy Clouds" about who does what, who is who, and what are the risks" : "In this ("unique") context there are more and more Journalists kidnapped".

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Freed Swedish Journalist Magnus to "EuroFora":  Special treatment for Europeans ?..
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    Currently there are reportedly Spanish, Italian, Swedish, French and other kidnaped Journalists from various EU Countries, taken Hostages in Syria

    - But, Swedish Journalist Magnus Falkehed observed earlier that his kidnappers didn't mind at all if he was Swedish, Finnish, French or other, but focused on the fact that he was European, and had a much more net pîcture of what has Europe as a whole, than most average EU Citizens themselves use to do, clearly distinguising European Hostages from American, Asian, and others 

                                                                                                                                                                       - "They treated me Differently, I think, once they saw that I was a European", Falkehed told afterwards "EuroFora".

     - "F.ex., I think that Life for me there would have been more Complicated being an American", while, "if I was Russian, I would be Dead !", he guessed.

    + "For them, being European is something common, much more Common than (it is) for us", (average EU Citizens), Magnus concluded.

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EUParliament's President Schulz :
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=> Therefore, it was only Natural that Efforts to LIberate the Victims started to be "Europanized" now in Strasbourg, particularly with the help of EU Parliament's President Martin Schulz from Germany, (SocialDemocrat), as well as MEPs' "InterGroup for Media", as Cavada explained later-on (See Infra) :

 - "MEPs stand Together with the kindapped Journalists and their Families, to whom EU Parliament pays its homages, as well as to all those who suffer now for Freedom, Human Rights, Peace and for Civilisation in Syria. It's also a moment of Emotion, with which we think about the Victms of these last years in this country", said EU Parliamments' President, German SocialDemocrat MEP Martin Schulz, on Wednesday afternoon, while inaugurating 3 Giant Posters in 3 Languages : French, English and German, at the main Tower's inner court, (known as "Agora").

- "We (EU Parliament) are a MultiNational Institution which works for the Security, the Development and the Guarantee of Fundamental Human Rights : That's at the core of EU Parliament's role, to defend the respect of Human Rights beyond Borders, States and throughout various Peoples", Schulz stressed.  

+ Nevertheless, "Politicians and Journalists don't represent the same Sides of Public Life : We, politcians, members of Governments, etc, must acknowledge that we rarely fall in love with Journalists, and vice versa (this is reciprocal)", he joked, provoking smiles to the Audience, mainly Press Workers used to be often Critical vis a vis Public Authorities.... And, as a matter of general principle, "we must Separate what Politicans are doing, from what Journalists do. We need a certain professional Distance, between Politicians and Journalists, he explained.

 - "But we stand Together in order to defend Democracy's values", he stressed. Because, "let's be clear : Without Press Freedom, there is No Democracy, since Democracy is based on Transparency", he stressed. And it's "Journalists (who) make Politics comperhensible, visible, and Criticize them", Schulz observed.

=> Thus, "we (EU Parliament) have a Duty to be committed into guaranteing the Independence and the protection of those who guarantee themselves the Freedom of the Press, and that's mainly Journalists themselves".

 - It's for that purpose that "we think Today to those Journalists who are Hostages in Syria : Let's Hope that they who are holding them will Liberate them as fast as possible", President Schulz concluded in his 1st out of 2 relevant Statements.

+ Advancing further in his official, public Statement in the name of all the Parliament, at Today's Plenary, Schulz observed, in particular that, until now, "16 Journalists are still held Hostages in captivity" in Syria. "Some were kidnaped, orthers disappeared, missing without ay news for many Months. Among them, there are many EU Citizaens, from France, Spain, Poland" etc.

=>- "We all Admire the Courage of those Men and Women who Risk their Lives for an Independent Reporting and for the Right to Information. ... Without the work of such Journalists we wouldn't know about the Horrors of this War, the Torture, the Massacres of Innocent People, even Children, the drama that People are living everyday. While still remembering Today also all those Journalists who lost their Lives in this War, whether they came from Europe, Syria or from elsewhere, now, we (EU Parliament) ask for the Immediate Release of all Imprisoned Journalists"; Schulz concluded, widely applauded by numerous present MEPs. 

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- "EU Parliament stands for all Europeans, and is decided to join its efforts with us to free the Hostages, because it's defending Democracy, and Democracy cannot exist without the possibility for Free Journalists to Investigate things on the spot. ... That's why those Journalists taken Hostages were at Syria in order to inestigate what is Today the most Deadly Conflict in the Globe", pointed out the new Head of "Reporters without Borders" NGO for Press Freedom, Christophe Deloire.

 => Paying homage also to the Fathers and Mothers of 2 of the Victims, who were present in Strasbourg, Deloire promissed that - "We are going to struggle, as "Reporters without Borders", together with EU Parliament in order to concince all parties in a Conflict to respect the Freedom and preserve the Lives of Journalists, who are Not Actors in the Conflicts, but are there just in order to provide their Testimony, to Inform, and so that Massacers don't take place behind Closed Doors", as he said.

- "Those 2 Journalists who were Hostages in the Past, and are now together with us, Magnus and Florence Aubenas, know very well how important it is to shed some Light upon those who are still in Captivity, show Solidarity and make it known that there are People who are thinking of them and trying to Liberate them", he concluded.

+  Indeed, "Expressions of Solidarity and other Public Reactions about the People exposed to such Risks are necessary, because, otherwise, Criminals might be led to believe that their Victims either wouldn't be real Journalists, or that they are not important enough, so that nobody cares for them, with the consequence to start facing a threat of Life or Death", had Warned earlier experienced former Irak Hostage Florence Aubenas, in reply to another question by a collegue from the website news "Bruxelles2". ------------------------

 - "Hostage Journalists are from Italy, France, Spain, Sweden, and other EU Countries, "but the most important is that they are Europeans", stressed Italian Socialdemocrat MEP Silvia Costa, who denounced also the case of a Catholic Priest who had dedicated himself to Dialogue and Friendship between Religions,  particularly Islam and Christians, as she said.

+ "There are also 3 Spanish journalists", among the Hostages still held in Syria, observed ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Santiago Fisas Ayxela. - in order to Help in real practice, "what is important for them is to give them Valorisation and Notoriety", he pointed out.
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 - Isabella Lövin, at present a "Green" MEP from Sweden, reminded that she had been a Journalist for nearly 20 Years, and expressed her Happiness for the recent Liberation of 2 Swedish Journalists who had been held Hostages in Syria : The fact that Negotiators managed to set you Free, gives some Hope also to others who are still kept Hostages, as well as the fact that EU Parliament starts to be engaged and takes that seriously".

 - Indeed, "I don't think that anything can prepare a Human being "to be held Hostage, unless by thinking that someone Cares from you, outside, and that Families are supporting you", "because Press Freedom is the other side of Democracy", she concluded.             

 

                     
    + EU Parliament Security/Defence Committee President, ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP from France, Arjnould Danjean, speaking to "EuroFora", said that he knew personaly the 1st kidnaped French Journalist, "Francois Didier", "since Bosnia"'s main events, long before he arrived to Syria. He used to go to Dangerous places, but without taking undue risks : He is a real Pro", he noted.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
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=> Cavada to "EuroFora"  : "This is about Kidnapping Public Opinion !"
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=> - "Good Feelings are important, but, now, Time has come for EU Parliament to take Action for the Criminalisation of Hostage-taking, particularly of Journalists", anounced in conclusion Top MEP and Journalist during all his previous life, Jean-Marie Cavada.

+ "What could be even more efficient, is also to try to modify the Statute of the International Criminal Court. Because a Hostage taker might feel in Security when he still is among a Group. But, once the Group has let him down, while an International Organisation is Searching for him, then, he knows that even if he's hidding at a Forest, if there is a real Political Will, it will not be long before he will be cought", he warned.

- "That's why we shall engage, together with EU Parliament's President Schulz and the InterGroup of MEPs former Journalists, from various EU Countries and/or Political Horizons, in parallel with our Member States, an effort to convince the International Community to modify in consequence the IPC Rules" accordingly, Cavada anounced.

 - "Defence of Journalists is not a Corporative issue", particularly when "it's Free  Speech which is taken Hostage", and, as 2 former Hostages who are present here remind us, "the Worst of all is Silence"....  

   >>> In fact, "this kind of Hostage-taking is not only about Individual Hostages, it' s also about  Kidnapping the Public Opinion" that they serve, and "that's why I consider necessary to extend the competence of the International Criminal Court in order to deal also with this kind of Histage-takers, Cavada (who is also an Experienced former President of EU Parliament's Civic Rights Committee), clarified to "EuroFora".

 

 

 
*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- Strong Political Personalities, aiming at a clear Win in the forthcoming May 2014 EU Elections due, for the 1st time in History, to directly choose the new EU Commission's President and his Policies for the 2014-2019 period, added to innovative uses of Internet for MEPs - EU Citizens links throughout EU's Decision-Making process, (as "EuroFora"s project), could help find the right Solutions to recently growing Needs for better Democratic Legitimacy of EU's extending role in Economic and Political issues, which is of Vital Importance for the development of a Europe-wide Democracy, as it results from Statements of the experienced EU Parliament's Secretary General, Klaus Welle from Germany, in reply to "EuroFora"s Questions, as well as other relevant material, in the "European Rendez-vous" Conference co-organized  by the prestigious French ENA School for Top Senior Officials, in cooperation with the European Public Administration pole (PEAP) during EU Parliament's Plenary Session here.

Topically, Welle intervened as the Key-note Speaker in the Concluding Session of ENA's European Conference, together with 3 University Professors, including a long-time Legal Director at EU Council in Brussels, after former WTO chief, Pascal Lamy, had kicked off the Starting session with another speech last Monday, both closely interwoving current Economy and Politics issues, only a Month before the biggest EU Parliament's political Group, that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP, chooses the Leader of its crucial 2014 EU Electoral Campaign, after almost all other Groups have just done so by choosing their own Leaders for the race to EU's Top Jobs, (See Infra).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
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    - Given the fact that, according to EU Lisbon Treaty, EU Council needs "a Qualified Majority" in order to chose whom it will propose as new EU Commission's President after "taking into account" the results of the latest EU Election, "EuroFora" asked EU Parliament's Secretary General Klaus Welle if he really thought that, a Candidate who succeeds to Win the forthcoming, May 2014 EU Parliament Elections with a strong Majority, wouldn't be blocked by a Minority of eventually Opposed Heads of State/Government inside EU Council, (who might attempt f.ex. to hinder a "Qualified Majority" in his favour, by a thin margin) ?       

Something which seems likely, given the current Political situation throughout Europe (where EPP-ruled Member States are the most numerous), f.ex. if a "Socialist" Minority inside EU Council tried to block a possible Center-Right Majority which might emerge from EU Parliament's 2014 Elections.  Be able to mark a Big Win is vital for EU Parties and even for EU Citizens to have a Say, because, Otherwise, i.e. in case of No clear Winner, EU Council's Heads of State/Government could, at least in Theory, play games with the various candidates...

 - "I think that if someone wins a clear Majority in EU Parliament's Elections, then, he can certainly become the new EU Commission's President", clearly replied Klaus Welle to the above mentioned "EuroFora"s Question, after a moment of thought.

 

This is important, because, otherwise, at present "we (EU) are in a Fluid situation", as explained earlier Welle, since, despite EU Lisbon Treaty's Article 17, which states that EU Council must propose the new EU Commission's President by "taking into account" the results of the Elections for the new EU Parliament, which has the power to accept or refuse to elect Council's candidate, and even if EU Member States accepted a relevant agreement with EU Parliament on how to consult each other on this matter, nevertheless, legally all this seems, at first sight, to leave various Interpetations possible, and, since 2014 EU Elections will be the 1st time that it happens in EU's History, "we don't yet know if and how EU Council will really respect that" in practice.. "I proposed that recently, but the majority initially thought that it was "absurd", because EU's Member States were going to refuse it. However, the States didn't reject it", but we have still to see how it will work in fact, he added. Certainly, we (EU) are, at present, in a process, where we cannot prejudge its final results", he observed Today.

=> - "In that case, if it's really as you said, then, apparently the best possible EPP Candidate of (the biggest Political Group in EU Parliament) ChristianDemocrats/EPP, (which is the only one to still keep its choice open to various Candidates) for the May 2014 EU Election would be a strong Political Personality", well known thoughout the EU, and with strong and stimulating views about EU's role and Future, able to stir "hot" Political Debate, "such as f.ex. (former EPP Group and EU Parliament's President, currently Head of the Adenauer Foundation in Germany), Hans Gert Poettering, or, even more, (his friend the former French President , who served also as EU, G-8 and G-20 rotating Chairman in 2008 and 2011 respectively), Nicolas Sarkozy !", (who had both succeeded to attract former Far Right supporters towards mainstream EU Politics, while also Uniting together most Center and Right supporters, f.ex. in the 2009 EU Elections, as well as in the crucial 2007 French Presidential Elections, etc), "EuroFora" suggested.

Indeed, strong and crystal-clear positions on EU's Cultural, Historic and Geopolitical Identity, on the priority to Political choices by Democratically elected politicians instead of Bureaucrats, with public Debates before crucial Decisions, on Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law Values, a big Ambition for Europe's Economic, Scientific and Technological Development, able to guarantee a Basic Social Welfare, Moral Values and elementary Rights for its People, and on Europe's role in a Multi-Polar, and, therefore, more Democratic World, at an era of galoping Globalisation, (etc. : something that f.ex. their famous, crystal-clear opposal to Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid resumed well enough), were among the key ingredients of their +2007-2009 winning recipes, including at the latest EU Parliament's Election where their respective ChristianDemocrat/EPP Parties won an exceptionaly large Victory both in France and Germany, (that the 2012 electoral campaign in France proved anew as Right, ...a contrario : I.e. by rejecting an initial Watering-down imposed by some party Apparatchics far away from People's concerns, that Sarkozy personaly tried to Rectify at the end, with good but insufficient results, when it was too late, while his Competitor, Hollande, had done anything he could to, precisely Avoid any Debate on too "Hot" issues such as Turkey, etc : Comp. f.ex. his relevant Statement, first to "EuroFora", at the eve of the 2012 Election : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/hollandeoneuturkey.html )...

=> Significantly, Klaus Welle did not deny such a possibility, as suggested by "EuroFora", but appeared to rather give at it a deep Thought, in order to examine it carefully, before pronouncing himself openly, in one way or another, ... Particularly when EPP's President, Joseph Daul, French MEP from Strasbourg, has officially confirmed, and recently reiterated, the collective Decision taken by the latest EPP Heads of State/Government Summit, last December in Brussels (Comp. "EuroFora"s newsreports from the spot), in the presence also of influential German Chancellor Angie Merkel, to keep open the procedure for the nomination of its official Candidate to the post of nezw EU Commission's President much longer than all the other Political Groups : I.e. up to the 5th of March, 2014, at the eve of the forthcoming EPP Summit in Dublin, Ireland, where Heads of State/Government and other Top delegates are due to finaly choose the Political Leader to whom they will entrust the duty to give the 1st ever  EU-wide Political Fight in order to win the May 2014 EU Parliament's Electoral campaign throughout all 28 Member Countries...

Certainly, 4 more Names have already circulated in the Press as possible EPP Top Candidates, spreading from Finland's Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen, former Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis,  and current EU Commissioner for the internal market, former Minister, Michel Barnier (France), up to and Prime minister of Luxembourg and €uroGroup President Jean-Claude Juncker. IMF's Chief Christine Lagarde has also been cited at certain moments, after EU Commission's vice-President Viviane Reding, etc.

It's certain that most among those Personalities possess precious Qualities, which could be effectively used at one or another among the soon available EU leading positions, in one way or another, (f.ex., in addition to EU Commission's President, there is also : EU Council's President, €uroZone's Chair, High Representative on External Relations, EU Parliament's new President, new EU Commission's vice-Presidents, etc), as German Chancellor Angie Merkel has recently observed in Brussels.

 

But it's absolutely another, Differend matter, to face various Popular aspirations, fierce Political Competition, "Hot" Ideological Fights, etc., in a succesful way in real practice, including at grassroots level, with the Hard task to attract Rightists at mainstream EU politics, while also keeping more traditional EU Voters united around a certain EU policy, (Comp. Supra).

Meanwhile, Liberals decided for a "ticket" led by former Prime Minister and current Chairman of the Liberal Group of MEPs Guy Verhofstadt (Belgium) followed by EU Commission's vice-President for Financial and Monetary affairs Olli Rehn (Finland), the "Greens" voted for MEPs José Bové (France) and Ska Keller (Germany), "EuroLeft" has notoriously chosen Alexis Tsipras (President of SYRIZA party in Greece). While Conservatives/Reformists have said that they won't present any EU leader for the job of Future EU Commission's President, and things are still quite foggy about an eventual future Group of Rightists and their intentions in this regard.
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    + Jean-Paul Jacqué, new President of the European Public Administration pole of the Upper Rhine, experienced long-time f. Director for Legal affairs at EU Council in Brussels, and former Dean of Strasbourg's Law Faculty, ééwarned that, from a point of view of Democratic Legitimacy, the real Power is not yet at the EU Commission, while most People naturally trust much more the (directly elected) Heads of State/Government who are gathered inside the EU Council, instead of a body that they could not control until now.

    - The idea to elect, for the 1st Time, the new EU Commission's President according to the results of EU Parliament's forthcoming, May 2014 Elections, following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty after 2010, is "interesting", he admitted.

     - "But, there is a Risk" : If it doesn't work, then, it's the end of the whole system, he warned. In particular, , there is a big Problem : It's not enough for the People to pronounce themselves vis a vis some Personalities that they don't even know well, he pointed out.

     => "Behind that, it has to be also a "Content" to choose. Thus, it could really be "Differend this time", if People had to pronounce themselves vis a vis "Solutions". ... i.e. "on Concrete Issues", President Jacqué stressed.  From this point of view, the Risk is, under pressure from Anti-European populists, to focus only on a dillema of the kind :  "Yes or No to Europe". Whie, on the contrary, what People need most of all is to debate on Questions concerning the various ways that Europe can help face the most crucial Issues which will shape their Future, having important consequences, he concluded.

    + However, EU's system is made in such a way that "every Decision is the result of a Compromise" between EU Council's Member States and EU Parliament, and EU Citizens often don't see clearly how it works in practice, or don't understand its results, Jacqué added afterwards.

    - But this is typical also of all Federal States, as f.ex. Germany, where Chancellor Merkel was obliged to tell to her friend, f. French President Sarkozy, that, even if "I agree wth you, and I love you, I can't decide alone, because I'm obliged to see also what the Bundestag" (and/or the National Constitutional Court) "will say about that", he observed.
--------------------------

    + Nevertheless, Today, "EU currently needs more Legitimacy", mainly because it has to deal with more serious issues, with bigger stakes than in the Past, which affect more directly and seriously People's lives, acknowleded EU Parliament's Secretary General, Klaus Welle.

    - However, at least for a certain period of time, very probably, this will have to be done, in practice, even without Changing the EU Treaty, since Institutional modifications are not something which could be done just in a few Days, Months or in the forthcoming few Years, he observed. => That's why we have to look at all the possibilities which exist in the framework of the present (EU) Treaties, to change something which could help us advance forward, by strengthening EU's Legitimity,  he advised. "I.e. without a Revision of basic Constitutional Treaties, but by the way in which they are applied in real practice, (f.ex. what the nearby Carlsruhe's German Constitutional Court, calls "Verfassungs' Wirklichkeit").     F.ex. in the American Constitution, most changes are made with "Amendments", but they are rare. However, the US Constitution has had a capacity to adapt itself, through Centuries, to various circonstances, f.ex. since the 18th Century, up to the Modern Times, to the needs of a Global Power, before and after the Cold War period, etc.    

          
+ In this regard, Klaus Welle didn't refuse, but heared thoughtfully, "EuroFora"s suggestion that, in line of his efforts to enhance EU Parliament's links to EU Citizens' concerns, it would be interesting to explore also the various possible ways of opening up to quasi-regular Public Debates between and with EU Citizens interested by EU Parliament's most important Decisions which affect their live and/or Society at large, before such Final Decisions are to be voted by the Plenary, according to the main lines of our 1997 (Comp. initial collective project "Europe in the World", officially retained by EU Commission in order to be examined in the framework of "ESPRIT" Program on Innovative uses of Modern Information and Communication Technologies), and 2006 (See "EuroFora"s intervention in EU Parliament's Press Conference by former EU Commissioner for Communication, Swedish Socialist Margaret Wallstrom), as well as 2007 (Comp. launch of "EuroFora"s project, and various relevant Publications since then, etc).

Particularly when, recently, as "EuroFora" also pointed out to EU Parliament's Secretary General, even Russia has already started to experiment an Internet-based system of Debates and Questions/Replies with interested Citizens during new Bills' Decision-making proces at the Duma, (according to an official presentation, supported by relevant Documents, made by the Russian Delegation  to CoE's PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly on January 2014 in Strasbourg), while also China has started to practice both "Voting" Democracy and "Deliberative" Democracy during recent years, the latter meaning interested People's "Consultations" and Dialogues with the competent Authorities before important Deciosions due to affect their lives...

+ Meanwhile, in Europe, CoE's Assembly has just voted and adopted a Report drafted by its new President, Anne Brasseur from Luxembourg (former Chairwoman of the Liberal Group of MEPs) on "Internet and Democracy", which advises to examine ways for engaging in Dialogue with concerned Citizens before important Decisions are taken by Parliaments, and finally contains even an Amendment unanimously added by PACE's Political Committee, launching a Call for a New Protocol to the PanEurooean Convention on Human Rights in order to establish a New Right for interested Citizens' Participation in the Decision-making Process of Public Authorities whenever it seriously affects their lives, (Comp. relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReport and President Brasseur's positive reaction at : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/pacepresidentbrasseuroninternetanddemocracy.html ).

Such developments could even find several useful Legal Basis in a series of coherent Case Laws, Texts and Practices which have been growing, slowyly but steadily, during the last 3 Decades in many key EU Member States' Legal order, on which "EuroFora"s co-Founder has already made and published a 1st detailed and concrete Analysis in a University Research work of more than one Thousand pages, since the 1980ies, (which was selected by Strasbourg's Faculty of Law in order to be presented for a Prize destinated to PhD. Doctoral Thesis, on a written proposal by Professor Paul Amselek), followed also by subsequent 2010 work to Update and Enlarge the scope of Research also on several other European Countries, as well as on EU's and ECHR's inputs, (etc), focusing on the concept of "Decision-Making Process" ("Processus Decisionel", according to the Original term in French) of Decisions submitted to Public Law, where affected Citizens are informed beforehand and invited to present their observations, to which they should receive a sufficient and correct Reply by the Public Authority invested with the Legal Competence and Responsibility to take the Final Decision, but without ignoring Citizens' concerns nor revealing any eventual abuse of power.

In addition, relevant EU and ECHR legal developments advancing in a similar direction at a European and PanEuropean level were highlighted for the 1st time at an interesting 2 Days-long Conference organized by Strasbourg's "European Public Administration Pole" for the Upper Rhine region (PEAP), currently chaired by Professor Jacqué, EU Council's honorary Legal Director, with the participation of key University Professors, ENA and other National Top Officials and Experts, (including the Chair of France's public "Debate Commission", a bodu initally set up by EU Commissioner Michel Barnier, when he was serving as Environment/Public works Minister, etc), to which "EuroFora"s co-founder particiated actively, on 2010.

+ Last but not least, CoE's 2013 Annual "World Forum for Democracy", organized last November in Strasbourg, focused for the 1st time on a critical presentation and assessment of various Internet-based Tools and concrete Projects on Citizens' participation to Democratic Decision-making procedures, mainly as a new way to ReVitalize Representative Democracy, confirming (despite a few unavoidable lacunas, at the beginning) the fact that "EuroFora" co-Founder's initial 1997-2007 (See +"EIW" collective Project) insight in favour of Internet-based Public Debates between EU Citizens and EU Politicians before important EU Decisions which affect their lives, was and is even more Today, pertinent, as well as able to stimulate, choose and develop in the foreseable Future some among the best possible ICT tools, (Comp. f.ex. also : "EuroFora"s NewsReports from that WFD, also f.ex. at : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/eupiratepartyseipenbuschworlddemocracyforum.html , etc.).
------------------------------

    =>  Questioned Today about the Democratic Legitimacy, and Accountability of MEPs, particularly vis a vis EU Citizens who Voted for them, regarding whom they are often seen as too Distant, sometimes even dangerously cut off from any regular and serious exchanges, may be for years, Welle replied that EU Parliament was well "Aware" of this topical issue...

     - Recent Studies show "both MEPs and (US) House of Representatives' members .. need to remain in contact with on average of about 700,000 Citizens", each. Something which is "absolutely Differend from National Parliaments, where, there are, in average, "only 100,000 citizens for MPs in even the biggest member States", Welle noted.

    => In consequence, for this and other reasons, "Legitimate Questions are raised" on how MEPs could come Closer to EU Citizens, EU Parliament's Secretary General aknowledged.

    In the USA, most Representatives keep a very concrete and quasi-constant presence in their Constituencies, f.ex. with the help of some 20 or 30 Assistants on the spot, he observed in comparison.- However, "I don't think that it might be necessary for us (EU) to do alike, by proposing equal Expenses" as USA traditionaly does.

     - "But, nevertheless, we (EU Parliament) are currently Thinking whether we should, f.ex., use Modern Information/Communication Technologies in order to better link our MEPs with their Constituencies and with EU Citizens", he revealed, (obviously pointing at a Direction similar to "EuroFora"s project). so that EU Parliament needs to reflect on "how to support MEPs better ...through greater Logistical support" (f.ex. in the organisation of ICT tools) in this regard, as he suggested in a 2013 Report (See Infra)..

    + In addition, "we are also in the process of establishing a more "Filtering" System, f.ex. by signing Today an Agreement of Cooperation with EU's Economic and Social Chamber, as well as with EU's Committee of Regions, which have, each, their own Networks better linked, respectively, to Trade Unions and Business Associations, or Regional areas, that we (EU Parliament) could try to use during our Law-Making Process", he said now.

    => "So, in general, we (EU) are Conscious of this problem, and of the Need to Establish a Continent-wide Democracy, which has to be organized in a Differend way than a purely National Democracy", Klaus Welle stressed in conclusion of Tonight's ENA/EU Parliament Conference in Strasbourg, on this point of crucial importance Today, as recent Events and current Polls obviously show.

    - However, classical Constituency links cannot always be really helpful in EU's case, because, as Professor Jacqué critically observed, contrary to what is the case in the USA, where House Representatives are chosen at a Majority (Electoral) System, in a way that, each one of them, has more clear links with a well Defined Constituency area of his own, the siuation is often Differend in several EU Countries : F.ex. en France, where MEPs are Elected on a Proportional System of Party Lists, inside some very Large Areas : In consequence, You (as EU Citizen) are sure to see them only during Election time, (i.e. once in 5 Years !), but, afterwards, you can't but scarcely see them for many Years", until the next EU Elections, he denounced, (while also observing that things are, nevertheless, "Differend in some other EU Member States, as, f.ex. in Belgium", where MEPs are often present throughout their respective constituencies, as he noted).  

 + As for EU's Regions and/or Economic/Social Chamber, etc (cited Supra), it's even more obvious that, even if they could probably add some useful inputs in Specific issues, nevertheless, they are not made at all in order to vehiculate EU Citizens' reactions to "Hot" Political Issues, which are the most debated by the People at large.

    => Therefore, the above mentioned MEPs - Citizens Problem remains largely Open, not having any other known way to be solved, but mainly by searching some Innovative Solutions that Modern Information/Communication Technologies, and particularly the Internet, more and more widely interconnected, easily and frequently used in Desk and Mobile PCs, Tablets and SmartPhones, etc., as "EuroFora"'s project co-founder had already suggested, in a collective project officially accepted by EU Commission in order to be examined in the framework of an EU Program for Innovative Social uses of ICTs, as early as since 1997 (Comp. Supra)...
----------------------

 - In this regard, it's interesting to note that in his recent Report on "EU Parliament in 2025 : Preparing for Complexity", published less than a Year ago, on April 2013, Klaus Welle, speaking of what he called a "Multi-Player System", observed the fact that, Today, EU "Citizens do not only wish to be better informed. They wish to investigate by themselves", and, even more importanty : "They are eager to Express and Share their Views. They expect to be Consulted and to actually Participate in (EU) Decisions. They wish to see that their Voice and their Vote actually matters. This evolution puts the Traditional Representative system under stress", (which could be particularly Creative)... This is part of a new element which should "be taken into account when preparing for the Future", which is the fact that "New actors (are) entering the scene. We are faced with a change towards Multi-Actor Policy Making, where not only states are interacting", as whe wrote. Indeed, "NGOs, private companies, grass-root organisations, sometimes Individuals are introducing their Ideas and Positions ever more intensively", while also "Policy Networks" go more global, knowledge-based and volatile. They are turning from clubs to Hubs". - "This is why traditional institutional consultation mechanisms - as the one organised by the Commission - partly fail to capture their rich potential input". Therefore,."finding a Balanced way for the European Parliament to effectively and fairly handle policy input from a growing multitude of actors, without losing sight of its own goals, constitutes a Challenge for the Near Future", Welle concluded on this point.

=> Moreover, "demands from (EU) Citizens to gain a better grip on European decisions have been exacerbated by the (Global) Crisis. ...  What has changed ... is that Citizens are now much more aware that what is being decided on the European level is touching the Heart of their own Social and Economic living conditions - directly and immediately... This is why the ... decisions taken between national Governments, EU Commission and the financial institutions in Brussels (and Frankfurt) are questioned and Debated by all kinds of citizens, medias, grass-root or "Net-root" movements ..  They are questioning the Legitimacy. They wish to know what will be the likely impact of decisions taken. Who decides, on which basis, and under which type of democratic control? They don't only require transparency. They ask for content, background information, independent assessment. They turn to MEPs for analysis and intervention". They are likely to make full use of newly established (EU) "Citizens' initiative" to channel their concerns", (etc).

- What Klaus Welle optimistically named as a "New Democratic Tide in the field of European affairs" should have "consequences .. of a quasi-Constitutional nature" :  It calls for an "Increased degree of Democratic 'legitimation' on European level", which "can only be achieved by the European Parliament, as democratically elected body, and by means of intensified Democratic Scrutiny on ..decisions", f.ex., among others, "MEPs  and the Parliament as an institution, will be also affected significantly by the growing demand for content, Debates", etc, where "they can act as Ambassadors -even if Critical ones - of the European level".

+ Moreover, it's also a matter of "a sense of European Identity in law", that "the Treaties of the EU provide .... with a proper (EU) Citizenship, as well as fundamental Rights", particularly since 2010, while even a "recent decision of (EU) Parliament's Bureau to create a Directorate for Democracy Promotion sits firmly in that" trend.  
------------------------

- In front of such "converging Expectations for a Democratic Revival", "it is ... certain that all Public Institutions will encounter a steady Pressure to derive the best from the New (Information/Communication) Technologies", as the Internet, etc., (according to EIW/"EuroFora"s 1997-2007+ presented Project : comp. Supra).

 - Thus, "the growing emergence of the individual (EU) Citizen as a political actor in his or her own Right", is a "New phenomenon ..intimately linked to the Technological quantum Leap" : "The Internet revolution, .....and the emergence of new hardware tools like SmartPhones and Tablets" have democratised the Access to and Exchange of information", almost at the same time with the recent emergence, after EU Lisbon Treaty, of EU "Citizens' Initiatives", which could "introduce an element of Participatory Democracy"

+ Moreover, "at a certain stage, Parliament might wish to consider whether to introduce (EU) Citizens' Participation as a direct and Systematic element into the Legislative Process. The Technological basis for Consultation of (EU) Citizens on texts exists with Software like 'Liquid Feedback'", (etc), Welle concludes pertinently in his 2013 Report,

... curiously stopping just a step before clearly aknowledging also the Vital Need today also for EU Citizens' Public DEBATES and Dialogue, including with key MEPs, before important EU Parliament Decisions affecting their lives, according to "EuroFora"s/EIW's 1997-2007+ presented project (Comp. supra. + See also German "Pirate" Party Founder and former President Jens Seipenbusch's INTW with "EuroFora", precisely on the issue of "Liquid Democracy", that his party already uses in real practice, who suggested a quite simple and practical way to realise "EuroFora"s idea which includes both EU Citizens' Votes and Debates before in the run up to crucial EU Decisions : To simply add to the Software "Liquid Feedback", on which he's been working since a long time, another, "classic" Software for Internet "Forums", that it currently lacks : See http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/eupiratepartyseipenbuschworlddemocracyforum.html  ).
-----------------------

+ Meanwhile, an own-initiative report by Paulo Rangel MEP on the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty with respect to the European Parliament is scheduled to be discussed and voted by the Constitutional Affairs Committee next week in Brussels, (11 February 2014).
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    + At any case, whenever any EU Treaty Change might be needed in the foreseable Future, on this or another issue, it's better not to aim at an entirely New EU Treaty "which changes everything", but rather to "Targetted EU Treaties"/Agreements, which would "solve 1 precise problem", Welle added in reply to another Question by Strasbourg's European House Director, Bohner, an experienced former long-time Top CoE Official.

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

    But, the reaction of EU Parliament's Secretary General to a "Fictional" Question, by PanEuropa's co-President for France, and current Head of the EU Federalists for Strasbourg's region, Count Christian d'Andlau-Hombourg, on how EU should proceed if a Majority of Voters in the May 2014 EU Election supported a call to establish a European Federation, was even more unexpected :

    - My personal opinion is that the EU, without being yet a Federation from a purely Legal point of view, in fact, it already works in a way which is similar to a Federal entity, Welle claimed surprisingly...

    - Because, currently, it's only Culture and Sport which are explicitly reserved to EU's Member States, while, on the contrary, Space, Agriculture and Fisheries are reserved for EU's competences, he observed.

    => Therefore, all the Other Issues are "potentialy European", "if the National States agree" on that, he pointed out.

    - And, indeed, this corresponds, Today, to what is often considered as a "great Inter-Governemental trend" inside EU Council :

    - That's only one way to see things. But there is also another point of view : That's exactly what happened during the last few Years, when EU Heads of State/Government authorized to deal and decide at an EU level even Political Issues for which this wasn't allowed in the Past, thereby allowing "a large Europeanization of Policies" for which such a thing was unthinkable until now :  

F.ex. the Monitoring of National Budgets by EU Commission. The possibilty EU's Central Bank to Supervise all Banks in Europe, whenever it deems necessary. This is very Important, since Banks are the Nucleus of all National Economies, (etc).

=> Thus, we have already advanced along a road which leads to more and more Europeanisation, since the Member States, facing the hard Necessities of the recent Global Economic and Financial Crisis, have accepted to deal at a European level with issues which were traditionaly National : Something that Nobody would have believed if he had heard of that just 10 Years ago !,... concluded Welle on this point, concerning a trend which has started since the recent Sarkozy - Merkel era, particularly when the former French President and, then, EU Chairman, had succeeded to convince all €uroZone Member State's Chiefs to gather exceptionaly together, a Sunday of October 2008, at Elysee Palace in Paris, in order to discuss and Decide all together, a series of voluntaristic Measures to boost their Economy against risks of Recession provoked by the Global Crisis, which had just started then, as they did from next Mondey morning, in a spectacularly concerted manner, with unprecedented efficiency throughout Europe.. Various other similar advances were also made afterwards on several different occasions, up to the more recent Banking Union's preparation, etc.

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

    However, when asked about the "Vision" (view) of Europe that this or that EU policy choice might serve, from a Political point of view, EU Parliament's Top Officer appeared careful, pointing rather to the forthcoming Debates between 2014 EU Election's Political Leaders :

       - "We (EU Officers) can explain you the way that the (EU) Mechanism works, but we are not Pilots (Drivers) of "Formula 1" cars... ", Welle joked in reply.

    - Because those who are going to Drive the (EU's) Machine are the Top Candidates" of EU Parliament's Political Groups, "and we (EU Parliament's Officers) are just the Engineers who try to make that Machine as Performant as as possible for that purpose", as he put it.

     - However,  Klaus Welle expressed the view that, "at present, I find that we are too much in a Defensive position, mainly because of a current debate on so-called "Cost of the EU". But, I remember, some 15 or 20 Years Earlier, People had an absolutely Differend Approach, since, the main Debate then, was, on the contrary, that of "the Cost of Non-EU", as he reminded, obviously pointing at a period before Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, i.e. before 1999, when the 1st ever Majority Abstention of Voters to EU Elections appeared suddenly (followed on 2005-2007 also by 3 "No" to EuroReferenda on an EU Constitutional project, etc),, right after the Helsinki EU Summit which had surprisingly accepted Turkey's EU claims on 1999, (while it had rejected earlier a similar attempt f.ex. by Morocco, on the contrary),  inevitably giving to EU Citizens the impression that both their Democratic and Human Rights, as well as their Social Welfare and Cultural Identity, etc. were threatened to be Downgraded to the dangerously Low level to which they notoriously are in Turkey, as f.ex. ECHR's case law obviously attests with a persistent Record High number of Judgements Condemning Ankara's Authorities for particularly Serious Violations of Human Rights until now : f.ex. Killings, Torture/Inhuman-Degrading Treatments, Arbitrary Jailings, muzzling of Press Freedoms, Unfair Trials and/or Discriminations, etc).

    - Well before that, we (EU) had been able to abudantly demonstrate, with several concrete examples, the fact that, already, in various sectors of activity, "we (EU Economy and Citizens in general) are loosing too much Money, precisely for Not having yet developed Sufficient European tools !", as he reminded. - "That was absolutely anOther, totally Differend Debate from those that we hear Recently... ", Welle underlined, obviously pointing at a periodicaly recurring EuroScepticism which has started to grow since 1999 (i.e. since Turkey's unpopular EU bid : Comp. Supra), including with 3 "No" to EU Constitution's EuroReferenda in France, the Netherlands and Ireland, between 2005-2007, resulting, particularly, in a Delay of €uroZone's Economic Governance, contrary to what had been initially Scheduled as early as since 1995, as f.ex. a landmark EU Parliament's debate in Strasbourg about EU's State of the Union, with the participation even of UNO's Secretary General (then, Boutros-Ghali), had clearly revealed, already at the moment when the €uro was prepared, on October 1995... So that Sarkozy-Merkel and other EU Heads of State/Government had to try to hastily find ways to meet the Urgent Need to forge some efficient Tools able to face the 2009-2012+ Global Crisis when it suddenly erupted, finding then Europe unprepared yet : A Delay in EU Construction which obviously provoked a lot of Damages to the detriment of Europe and its People, which could have been largely prevented, if European Edification had a chance to advance, earlier, as it had been initially scheduled, without any undue obstacle, in order to Timely complete the gaps obviously left when the €uro had started, with the declared, then, intention to fil them up the soonest possible, (Comp. Supra)...

    - Thus, we have found f.ex. that, simply by not having yet developed enough a Europe of Digital Economy, Services, and/or Economic Coordination tools, etc., we are currently loosing many Billions € that a well-developed and adequately organized Europe could have given us a chance to gain, Klaus Welle observed, calling, Today, for a New Debate on that crucial point, with all main EU Parliament's Political Groups, which "could help create a New Consensus" on the need to develop Europe further and better on certain areas of key importance for the Future.
------------------------

     + Also because "it's important to note that, at least until Today, inside the EU there is Not any Absolute Political Majority standing alone, but only many and various, Smaller or Bigger Minorities' Groups" of MEPs, went on to add Welle, in reply of further questions in a Political direction.

    => In consequence, particularly inside EU Parliament, most of the times, almost everybody is obliged, in practice, to Hear what the Others have also to say, so that in our System one always has to Listen to the Others, simply because it has better results when we hold Debates able to broker Political Compromise Agreements on one or another concrete Policy Issues : Something which has what many consider as an Advantage, to foster a Culture of Consensus, since nobody has ever had an Absolute Majority until now", as he observed.

*Toul/L'Arsenal/Angelo Marcopolo/- "EuroFora" was invited by former Minister and Press Spokeswoman of the biggest Center-Right party in France : UMP's Nadine Morano, President of the "Assembling for the People of France", and Head of UMP's team in Lorraine's Region, (idealy located between Strasbourg, Luxembourg and Brussels), to the 1st pre-electoral meeting of the Politician who ambitions to succeed President Joseph Daul, as new Head of French EPP MEPs for Strasbourg's Eastern Area, in EU Parliament from this Summer, following his Election as New Chairman of the entire EPP Party at its Brussels' EU Headquarters.

 - "These EU Elections are extremely Important", Morano told us from the outset on the forthcoming May 2014 Vote for EU Parliament's new MEPs.

 - Because "we need to give a Majority to the European Popular Party" (in EU Parliament), and "we also need to manage for France to be Stronger in EU Issues", where "we have Big Projects to start".

- So that "it has a capital, primordial importance, to stimulate and attract French People's interest", she stressed with voluntarism to "EuroFora".

+ In particular, "I think that €uroZone and the Governance of €uroZone is a Fundamental issue, in order to succeed to have a Good Economy in that area" with 18 Member Countries today, Morano went on to add in concreto.

- "Because I profoundly believe in the Fiscal and Social convergence" in Europe : "That's an issue of Capital importance, and it can't start but only inside €uroZone", she explained.

++ But, meanwhile, "Europe must stop to provoke Concerns" to the People. On the contrary, "it must become a Europe which Protects them".

- At the same time, "EU Technocracy must be placed at its Right role : That is to say, to provide expertise and accompagny the Policies, which have to be decided by the Politicians" democratically elected by the People, and "it's these Politicians who have to decide and Govern", (not any Bureaucracy).

- "That's how I intend to act during my (forthcoming) mandate" as Future MEP, from June 2014, Nadine Morano concluded to "EuroFora".  

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

In fact, I believe in Europe's potential, and I love so much Europe that I want to Change it", she added earlier. Given also my Experience as a former Minister, "I know both the Limits, and the Advantages of today's Europe". However, I also know that "France needs Europe, and Europe needs France".

- F. ex., "we want for the EU to have External Borders which work well", and "to Reform EU's Schengen system, or, otherwise, get out of it", she warned, applauded.

- However, one should seek the Right Recipe : F.ex. Socialists wanted to Mutualize the Debts of all EU Countries, so that some would pay for others, while we (EPP) are rather in favour of doing efficient Reforms"

=> -  But, nowadays, above all, there is "a Need to Strengthen the Franco-German "motor", that Tandem, without whom cannot advance a Europe which has been Enlarged Too Fast", she repeatedly stressed. In fact, "Germany is quite Strong, while France  weakened a bit",  so that we must act to put anew France and Germany in tune, able to work together efficiently, particularly thanks to the EPP Parties' network.
Symbolically, Tonight, she was strongly supported by enthousiastic German ChrsistianDemocrat/EPP MP Peter Weiss from nearby Freiburg (close to Strasbourg),  who appeared even more critical vis a vis her competitors than herself..

The French former Minister, who shall be in the same team with active MEP Arnould Danjean, currently President of EU Parliament's Security and Defence sub-Committee, will have to face together in the forthcoming 2014 Electoral Fight 2 Heavyweights of their main Competitors at the East of France (i.e. at Strasbourg's area) : -  "Socialist" Trade Unionist Martin, at the Left, (criticized for reportedly Misleading Workers to believe in Pre-Electoral Promisses afterwards bellied, particularly at Lorraine region) ; "Rightist" Philippot, No 2 of the "National Front", (denounced as "False Gaullist"  and "Anti-European", who "wants to get France out of €uroZone", etc). I.e., all the ingrediants for what can become a particularly "Hot" Electoral Fight, seem to be there...

- Others are Euro-credules, or, on the contrary, "Euro-Sceptics", but I'm rather "Euro-Hopeful", Morano said previously with a smile...

 

                 
*Strasbourg/ECHR/Angelo Marcopolo/- Replying to "Questions raised (by "EuroFora") on 2 Big Issues" (as he called them) : the Implementation of ECHR's Judgements, at least in the most Serious cases of Human Rights' Violations, as that of "MISSING" People, where even Latin America threatens to bypass Europe, (given, particularly, Turkey's notorious reluctance to move on Cyprus' "MISSING" persons, etc), as well as on BioEthical affairs, of growing importance recently in several Countries, (See Infra), the President of the PanEuropean Court of Human Rights, Dean Spielmann from Luxembourg, without ignoring the existing problems, looked Carefully Optimist about ECHR's capacity to help find ways to strengthen Implementation, and Conscious of the current Need to really give a deeper thought and a Fair balance on "Sensitive" BioEthical matters, as it results from what he told us during his Annual Press Conference at the eve of the beginning of the Judicial Year 2014.

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

    - "EuroFora" raised "2 Differend Questions" to ECHR's President :

-  (A) "Recently, you (ECHR) succeeded to reduce the Backlog, concerning incoming Applications, but, as it's well known, what is currently increasing is the backlog of Judgements of the Court, which are now pending for Execution at CoE's Committee of Ministers, without having been executed, or at least not fully implemented. Some of them even concern very Serious Violations of Human Rights, such as f.ex. on "MISSING" Persons (i.e. possibly Torture, Kiillings, deprivation of Liberty, etc), which are very Old sometimes, (the oldest being that of Cyprus since the 1974 Turkish Miltary Invasion and still on-going Occupation of its Northern Territories). "Obviously it's an issue mainly for CoE's Committee of Ministers. But is really the Court completely disarmed, or could it, perhaps, Find a way to Contribute a little bit" in helping to solve such problems, f.ex. "with Your (President's) Statements, using your (Moral and/or Legal) Authority, but also, may be, with something as Simple, perhaps, as the General Article 1 (of the PanEureopean Convention on Human Rights, which asks from all CoE Member States to ensure the Respect of all subsequently listed Human Rights to their Population) ? Because, in certain cases, aftert too many years not even one sligtest Suspect hasn't yet be found, while, on the Contrary, f.ex. in Latin America, there are even People who acted 40 years ago, even very important sometimes, who are going to Prison (for Crimes committed in the Past against "MISSING" Persons) and/or have to reply to Judges,, there are "hot"  Documents discovered, etc. So that Europe, who was the 1st defensor of Human Rights at the beginning, now risks to fall back" at a comparatively Lower level of protection.

       + (B) "On the Differend, but Topical issues, of recently growing number and importance, concerning BioEthics, that you (ECHR) have already started to handle, f.ex. on Human Embryos etc., is included also the presently "hot" issues, f.ex. in Austria, France, and other Countries, about "Mariages" between persons of the Same Sex, and particularly as far as it concerns Childrens' fate : F.ex. (controversial and unpopular) Adoptions by Homosexuals, Surrogate Mothers, Medicaly Assisted Procreation, etc. Certainly, the issue of (Homosexuals') Personal Liberty and Human Dignity, which was the 1st to arrive at the Court, is absolutely Respectable, and almost everybody at least claims to respect it. But, it seems that there are many Doubts and Fears concerning mainly Children, and particularly the Risk to massively impose, more and more frequently, an Artificial Procreation  of Human beings, which is absolutely something else, but, "de facto", Hidden behind these cases, as it's easy to guess",(given the Sterility of Homosexual Couples, who canNot have Children by Natural Birth). A trend which becomes even more Worrying if, at the same time, is imposed also a massive authorisation of (previously Forbidden) Genetic Manipulations of Human Embryos, (as, f.ex. in 2013 in France, etc), with obvious Risks of Abuses to the detriment of Humankind. "At this point, several Fears for Freedoms to be Restricted, perhaps Disproportionately, appear at another side : That of Critics (of Same Sex Mariage). F.ex. vis a vis Demonstrations, and/or concerning the way they are treated by the Police, (something which was already denounced by CoE's Assembly : See .....), or Families who withdraw their Children from (Government-controled) Schools, their Parents feeling (rightfuly or wrongly) that they risk to be threatened (f.ex. destabilized by a massively imposed endoctrination leaving Doubts about everybody's Sexual Identity, even at an early age, before it has had any chance to be consciously developed), at least as it is observed on the spot and published in several Media (even mainstream), sometimes even (democratically elected) Mayors are threatened with too Heavy Prison sentences, (f.ex. if they evoke their "Freedom of Conscience" to refuse to celebrate personaly Homosexuals' Mariages, but leave that to another member of a Municipal Council), some fear that even Free Speech might face more and more doubtful and vague restrictions, etc. In this regard, "do you think that the ECHR will succeed to keep a Fairly Balanced approach ?", "EuroFora" asked its President.                 

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[ NDLR : In the Worst cases in History, these 2 Different Problematics have been Joined Together, in exceptionaly Tragical circumstances, mainly of Horrible, Deadly "Tests" on Human beings, reportedly during the Armenian Genocide by the Othoman-Turc Empire of 1915-1922, closely followed by several NAZI Concentration Camps' abuses during the 2nd World War (1940-1945), while it was also mentioned in a more recent 2007 Publication by a US Review as a probable scenario for some among the more than 1.500 Greek Cypriot persons gone "Missing" since the 1974 Turkish Foreign Military Invasion/Occupation of part of the island, in addition to former International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia's Attorney General and UNO Top Expert, Carla del Ponte from Switzerland, 2007 and 2012 denunciations of Human Trafficking of Organs reportedly taken from Serbian and/or Syrian POWs kidnapped by Armed Rebels during the Kosovo and/or Syrian conflicts, (etc. + Comp. Carla del Ponte's relevant Statements to "EuroFora", during a special event organized at ECHR's headquarters in Strasbourg, as early as since 2007 already).

But here, it's much more a kind of Aldus Huxley's "Brave New World" dangers that it's obviously at stake, considering also the Fact that, f.ex. in France, it's almost at the Same Time that the Manipulation of Human Embryos was massively Authorized (f.ex. in France, 7/3013), closely following a very Controversial and Unpopular Law on Same Sex "Mariages" going as far as to impose even "Adoptions" of Children by Homosexuals, triggering widespread Popular Protests and Fears (Protests and Fears (See f. ex. Demonstrations' Photos, etc), that this would also push (by further manipulating ECHR's case-law) towards imposing Surrogate Mothers,  and/or Medically Assisted Procreations together with Massive In Vitro Fertilisations, Pre-Natal Screening, Sperms' and/or Ovaries' and/or Embryos' "Banks", etc., (through demands by Lobbysists hidden behind possibly many Tens of Thousands of oherwise Sterile Homosexual Couples), towards unprecedented, Massive abuse Risks for a Technocratic Lobby to take Control, in a large part of Procreation of Human Beings, over Natural Births through Natural Families (Historically protected also by Article 12 of the European Convention of Human Rights, onFamily, "between a Man and a Woman", as the Wording of the Official ECHR Text Signed and Ratified by 47 COE Member States still says, despite a subsequent and controversial Alteration by some ECHR Chambers' decisions), with obvious Dangers for Humankind too.

In that case, there would be no need, anymore, to Kidnap, arrest and/or imprison many Thousands of "Missing" Persons in order to commit abuses f.ex. by submiting them, as Guinea Pigs,  to various "Tests", as in the Past of Othoman-Turk and/or NAZI Genocides against Armenians or Jews, etc, since Technocratic Lobbies would have at their disposal many Tens of Thousands of Homosexual couples in each Country, who, given their congenital Sterility, would be asking for Artificial procreation of Human Beings, as the only way to get Children at the disposal.    

One may ask : - "What relation could exist f.ex, between Kidnaping, Detaining in Secret, Torturing and Killing an Adult "MISSING" Person, from the one side, and Destroying, "Testing" and/or Genetically Manipulating Human Embryos after conception, provoking Massive Artificialy Monitored Births instead of Natural Babies, and/or submitting Poor and Defenseless Children, isolated from their Natural Family, to the Power of Homosexuals who are total Strangers to the kids' Natural Parents, atrociously Exploit Poor "Surrogate Mothers",  Massively fabricate an entire Population of captive (because Sterile) "Clients"  to Technocrats able to abuse of a Panoply of Artificial Interventions in the Procreation of Human Beings (such as In Vitro Fertilisations, Pre-Natal "Screening" Tests, "Banks" of spare Embryos, Sperms and Ovaries, etc), inevitably stimulate a "Trafficking" of Babies and/or Poor Children for "Adoption" by Rich Homosexuals, etc.

In fact, all these cases have nothing else in common, except from raising serious issues concerning the Value of Human Life, Natural Family and Freedom, as well as Human Dignity. And, obviously, also to risk to Threaten all Humankind, even with irreversible consequences, for the 2nd category of cases, in addition... ]

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Implementation of ECHR's Judgements : ECHR to move stronger ?
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    - "If I may resume your questions, you have touched upon 2 Big Issues :",  observed ECHR's President, Spielmann :

 - "At first, the Implementation of our (ECHR's) Judgements :"    

-  "You are absolutely Right when you referred (in this regard) also to the 1st Article of our (PanEuropean) Convention ("on Human Rights"), which almost sets the (General) Framework of all other Rules of the Convention", (by stressing CoE's Member States' "Obligation" to "secure" "respect" of Human Rights for all their inhabitants), agreed President Spielmann,

    indirectly but surely pointing at what "EuroFora"'s idea implied : To start Condemning recalcitrant States also on the basis of Article 1, if they persist not to implement important ECHR's judgements which have condemned them for certain Violations of Human Rights.

    + "Including, particularly, Art. 46 of the Convention, which gives to CoE's Committee of Ministers the competence to Supervise the Implementation of our Judgements", he naturally reminded in addition.

    - But, "this doesn't mean that ECHR doesn't play any role regarding the Implementation of its Judgements", President Spielmann practically agreed with "EuroFora"'s main query (Comp. Supra).

    -  Thus, "I think, f.ex. , that the technique of "Pilot cases", is a good Example where, for the 1st time , our Cout invented an ingenious formula also in order to help (CoE's) Member States to implement judgements and, in particular, in order to settle equivalent situations vis a vis the Systemic Problems which are at the base of a pilot judgement".

    + Moreeover, ECHR's President Spielmann gave that Reply to "EuroFora"s 1st question while, at the same time, EuroCourt was preparing to hold Tomorow, Friday, a "Seminar, on the "Implementation of ECHR's Judgements", as  "a Shared judicial Responsibility", "an issue which seems to me to be particularly Important", as he anounced earlier Today, while also confirming a Keynote Speech by the President of the German Constitutional Court, from nearby Karlsruhe, Andreas Fosskuhle.     

   
    => - However, replying to another Journalist's question on Turkey, ECHR President Spielmann pointed out the fact that, "precisely, among the Problems that we (ECHR) have is to manage those Repetitive affairs".  I.e. there where, despite a clear Condemnation, nevertheless, the responsible State persists to commit even more similar Violations of Human Rights, wihout fully implementing ECHR's judgements - as, f.ex. the Turkish Authorities notoriously do on ECHR's case-law about "Missing" Persons, and/or Refugees, in Cyprus. That is to say, precisely, to that kind of problems that President Spielmann just evoked, in his Reply to "EuroFora"s Question, when he reminded the PanEuropean Court's attempts to "Help" recalcitrant States Stop "Repetitive" Violations of Human Rights, also by using the Tool of  the so-called "Pilot" cases : Comp. Supra)...

    => Thus, it's not a surprise that the latest ECHR Statistical Data revealed Today by Spielmann, clearly show that Turkey keeps the Biggest Numbers of Condemnations by ECHR in  2013 for Failing to Investigate even Violations of the Right to Life (i.e. Killings)  and in cases of Torture/Inhuman-Degrading Treatments, (etc).

    This problem appears to be even more important, when one considers also the fact that : -"Almost 1 Thousand of (pending) cases (on Turkey) are classified among the 3 Priority areas" of the ECHR, "so that this shows that, a priori, there are still many Serious cases of Human Rights' Violations", as Spielmann also observed.

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Bio-Ethical Issues : "No Activism" ?!
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     + "The 2nd point that you touched, naturally concerns some extremely Sensitive issues", E CHR's President agreed with "EuroFora"s general approach.  

    and, when I've said earlier, about an allegation that our Court would behave like an "Activist"

    I referred to the Interpretation of the (PanEureopean) Convention (on Human Rights)  in the light of Today's ways of life", (or : "conditions of life", in the original in French), as he called it.

    - "And BioEthical issues are obviously at the center of questions of current issues concerning Today's ways of life"", (or : "conditions of life", in the original in French).

    - "We (ECHR) already have a number of Judgements on BioEthical issues". F.ex., "one among the 1st was the decision on (the case of) "Evans v. U.K." where the ECHR didn't find a violation",

    - "But these are, of course, issues which are examined by our Court"

    -" However, you also understand that, as President of the Court, I can't comment now on eventualy more specific problems, because it's up to the Court to decide, at the right moment, on the issues which are raised in front of it".                      -------------------------------------------------    

    Concerning other Criticism of certain ECHR's rulings as being inspired sometimes by a kind of "Activism", as a Brittish Journalist from "Daily Telegraph" said earlier, pointing at the "accusations" of an eminent former Lord Judge, Chief Justice for England and Wales, who had even pushed the point as far as to denounce "a Threat to (National) Sovereignity" of CoE's Member States, because of some "intangible" EuroJudges' alleged stance,        

    President Spielmann first observed that Parliamentary Sovereignity had already been, restricted vis a vis several EU and/or CoE matters during the last 30 - 40 years, so that "Sovereignity cannot be an Obstacle to implement Human Rights" Today.

    + "As to the allegation that we are an "Activist" Court, I'd repeat, as I've already done in many occasions, that we (ECHR) don't create New Rights, (but) we Interpret (already Existing) Rights in the Light of Present Day conditions, as other Courts already do also, including Domestic Courts, including UK's Courts, including UK's Supreme Court",    

     
    F.ex., "it's clear that the Drafters of the (PanEuropean Human Rights) Convention did not envisage New Technologies, did not envisage Developments in Modern Society, and it's clear to us that the Convention needs to be Interpreted in the Light of Present Day Conditions".

    - But, at any case, "Without Creating New Rights, I would like to Insist on that", President Spielmann also stressed, as a matter of General Principle, due to be normaly respected by all 47 ECHR's Members, including small Chambers with only 7 or even just 3 Members, sometimes even 1 (one), etc.   

         
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    However, it obviously seems Difficult, if not Impossible to understand, then, how it became possible, only  a few Years ago, for an ECHR's Chamber, to even blatantly ERASE the crystal-clear mention of "Men and Women", (i.e. of Natural Couples, able to Freely trigger Natural Births of their own Children whenever they might want), from the beginning of Article 12 in the PanEuropean Convention of Human Rights about the "Right to Marry" !  Normaly, any Big Change in the PanEuropean Convention of HR. needs to be Agreed, Signed and Ratified by most, if not all 47 CoE's Member States, before it enters into force : Legally, it's not up to a Tiny Minority of 3 or 4 EuroJudges alone to impose important Mutations in Inter-Governemental International Treaties !  Particulary when a very Wide Majority of CoE's Member States (38 out of 47) hasn't yet recognized at all any kind of "Mariage" for Homosexuals until now, only a small Minority of 9 having done so, just recently, and most in Controversial circumstances, (See f.ex. : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/echrulingongayunionsandchildren.html ).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
    A fortiori when, matters such as "Today's conditions of Life", compared to "Yesterday's", and "Tomorow's", or of"the Day After Tomorrow's", etc., as President Spilmann called them, normally shouldn't affect at all certain Issues and Values of much Higher Importance, not only of Public Interest for the Society, but even concerning all Humankind, which would obviously Risk to be irreversibly affected by possibly provoked and imposed serious Alterations for ever, for the Eternity, if one wasn't careful enough to protect it on time...

    + Moreover, nobody could ignore or deny the great importance of "the Values involved and Issues at stake", (including "Public" ones which affect all the Society), in such BioEthical cases, as Spielmann and oher EuroJudges had already pointed out in their Dissending Opinion published on he occasion of the "Evans v. the UK" controversial Judgement, that ECHR's President evoked Today in his Reply to "EuroFora"s 2nd Question, (Comp. Supra).                      

 

(../..) 

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("DraftNews", as already send, earlier, to "EuroFora"'s Subscribers/Donors. A more accurate, full Final Version might be pubished asap).

 

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