newsitems
German Finance Minister Schäuble to EuroFora: Greece on Right Track, Underlying Problems to be fixed
*Strasbourg/ENA/Angelo Marcopolo/- Replying to an "EuroFora"'s question at a crucial moment of talks between EU/CEB/IMF's Troika and the new Greek coalition Government, experienced German Minister of Finance, Wolfgang Schäuble, ensured that the country is on a right track, but pointed at the need to reduce State's Deficit as well as to boost Competitive Employment, in a context which seems to put the finger mainly at the notorious need to urgently free the Greek State from a disproportionate number of unproductive cushy job holders and/or abusive political lackeys appointed by former clientelist and nepotist mainly PASOK Governments since the 1980ies, as well as to boost Competitiveness.
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Schäuble gave today a speech on EU's Future and the Franco-German motor, together with French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici, at the famous ENA School of Higher Administration, followed by questions from journalists, before a TV spot at the Headquarters of Franco-German TV "ARTE", to mark the beginning of a 3-Day long "Strasbourg's Forum" with various speakers on general European issues.
"EuroFora" mainly asked Schäuble and Moscovici how they advised to solve the remaining Financial problems in Greece and Cyprus, (considering also a possibility, mainly of the latter, to contribute to EU Growth with eventual Energy findings; See Moscovici's reply to "EuroFora" at a specific NewsReport).
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- We (EU) have basically elaborated our program, and the meaning of such programs is to help Greece solve certain problems :
- F. ex. to face the fact that "Greece has a too High State Deficit", Schäuble pointed out from the outset, in his reply to "EuroFora"s question.
>>> Because "in Greece the (Public) Debt has to be Cut down for about 50 %, and for this, one must reduce the (State's) Deficit.
+ But one has also.. to do something against Unemployment, Schäuble added, (obviously pointing at the need to do, in parallel, also something about much needed Growth, both for Social reasons and in order to augment State's revenues).
- In this regard, "We are Not Yet at the End of the tunnel, but things are Advancing well, on the Right Track", the experienced German Finance Minister ensured.
- "EU's Philosophy has already started to prove Helpful in the case of Portugal, Ireland, etc. :
- The main aim of our program is to improve Greece's Competitiveness", Schäuble stressed.
- Because, "the fundamental Philosophy of EU's Program is to help solve the Underlying Problems", the key German Minister said in Conclusion of his Reply to "EuroFora"s Question.
Anything else might only serve to eventually gain some Time, but would not definitively, nor fully solve the real main Problem, as he also said earlier, speaking as a matter of general principle.
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- Schäuble explained earlier that, today, "we should Stop that Debate which used to Oppose Growth to Austerity", simply because we need both : "Growth is indispensable, as is also Austerity", he stressed.
- The main problem is that, in fact, the current "Crisis comes from the recent Globalisation : We (Europeans) have to compete with (3rd) Countries which have Lower Costs than the EU", he denounced, (obviously pointing at Foreign Countries disposing Cheap Work forces, basically build upon more or less Serious Human Rights' Violations, as f.ex. in the notorious case of neighbouring Turkey, or Pakistan, etc, usually denounced also for Child labour and many other serious deviations far away even from the elementary individual and Social Rights endorsed by CoE's PanEuropean Social Charter)...
+ But, at the same time, at least inside Europe, "Social Cohesion is also Indispensable", added the experienced German ChristianDemocrat Minister.
=> Therefore, particularly inside a Single Currency €uroZone, we can't advance well without one strong European Integration, while it's necessary mainly to reduce Competitiveness' Gaps between EU Member Countries", Schäuble pointed out.
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+ "Greece was an extremely difficult case, that we (EU) have handled well, until Now", Schäuble carefully added later-on.
- But, beyond that, all (EU) Member States are regularly confronted to the need to become Competitive ,in order to face the challenges of Globalisation, the German Minister stressed anew, now speaking generally.
Sometimes, one may succeed better than in other cases. But nobody has the right to accuse the others. .. We must remind the fact that we are all Humans, and Errare Humanum est, be it in Greece, Cyprus, France or Germany, errors are human", Schäuble added later-on, without making it clear whether this was said as a (partial) Excuse, or, on the contrary, as a Warning, at another occasion Today, (ARTE TV).
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While obviously giving some Interesting Indications, however, Schäuble didn't go yet as far as to become entirely Explicit on the Concrete Issues at stake, even if it's significant that he focused on "Competitiveness", "State Deficit" and "Underlying Problems", (etc) concerning Greece, where the EU/CEB/IMF Troika is currently involved in negotiations with the Greek coalition Government on how exactly to finalize the country's Program, which reportedly focus on Hard Choices due to be made between starting, at last, to Liberate the Greek State from a notoriously Disproportionate Number of counter-productive Cushy Job holders, and/or abusive Political Lackeys scandalously appointed by former clientelist and/or nepotist Governments mainly of PASOK, already since the 1980ies, or, on the contrary, commit again the Error to aggravate the already Heavy Pressure over Productive Enterprises and/or Poor People, (f.ex. by imposing more Taxes even on Homes of Jobless Families, after having made dramatic Cuts even on basic Health services, etc), risking to provoke Dangerous consequences to the detriment of Growth and/or Social Cohesion, Peace and Stability, as well as elementary Moral Justice, all that being reportedly negotiated right now with Tensions inside the current Governing Coalition's heteroclite members.
Indeed, as most Media report, in addition to the risk to oblige productive Enterprises, including SMEs, and even Poor People to persist to pay again and again for the continuation of undeserved Salaries and other advantages to a disproportionate number of counterproductive Cushy Job Holders and abusive or corrupted Political Lackeys, scandalously appointed and maintained for Decades in the Public Sector during the last 30 Years which provoked a huge Debt (1981-2011+), now appears also a Danger to condemn the main Victims of that Negative and Unsustainable situation : productive Enterprises and Poor People, (as well as other Victims of sometimes even worse Abuses committed by some inside that same arrogant, untouchable Bureaucracy) to be condemned to pay for ...20 or 30 Years more even so-called .. "Pensions" (sic !) to that same Unpopular and Abusive Bureaucracy, provoking an obviously Explosive Scandal of Historic proportions !...
So that, obviously, only an Urgently needed and Popular Campaign against Nepotism, Corruption and other Crimes committed during the last 30 years of Debt-provoking State Deficit, could Timely avoid such Dangers, by Liberating the Greek State from an Unpopular and excessive, abusive Bureaucracy, in order to Solve those "Underlying Problems", that Schäuble eyed in the Conclusion of his Reply to "EuroFora"s question(comp. Supra),
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[See also other relevant NewsReports with statements to "EuroFora" from the same events].
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(NDLR : "DraftNews", as already sent earlier to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors. A more accurate, full Final Version might be Published asap).
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German Finance Minister Schäuble to EuroFora on Cyprus: OK for Opt-out if it Reimburses in Future ?!
*Strasbourg/ENA/Angelo Marcopolo/- A possibility for New Cyprus' President Nicos Anastassiades to ask for an Opt-Out Clause to be added to a forthcoming Financial Deal with the EU, allowing the Island to liberate itself from Troika's Monitoring if it succeeded, later-on, to reimburse all the Money due to be lended by the EU and IMF, (about 10 Billions €), wasn't excluded at all by the German Financial Minister Wolfgang Schäuble, reacting positively to a relevant Question raised by "EuroFora".
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Schaüble gave today a speech on EU's Future and the Franco-German motor, together with French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici, at the famous ENA School of High Administration, followed by questions from journalists, before a TV spot at the Headquarters of Franco-German TV "ARTE", to mark the beginning of a 3-Day long "Strasbourg's Forum" with various speakers on general European issues. ---------------
"EuroFora" asked Schäuble whether he thought really possible for Cyprus' President Anastassiades to add a kind of Opt-out Clause to the agreement due to be signed with EU's Financial Solidarity Mechanism, as Government Spokesman Stylianides has just declared, allowing Cyprus to free itself from Troika's Monitoring in the Future, if the country found a way to Reimburse all the 10 Billions € due to be lended by the EU/IMF in order to face the Financial Crisis provoked at the island.
The German Finance Minister initially Heard our Question with careful attention, then, he shrugged his Shoulders in a characteristic way, as if he was saying, surprised : - "Don't say ! But, after all, why not ? I don't mind", (etc). And, without rejecting at all Anastassiades' possible move, on the contrary, he afterwards turned towards "EuroFora", with a kind Smile :
- "I wish all the Best to Cyprus' people !", Schäuble added explicitly, before saluting "EuroFora" friendly.
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+ This is logically related also to an earlier Question by "EuroFora", where we pointed at Cyprus' probable Oil/Gas findings in its EEZ, (See other relevant NewStories from Today's Strasbourg events, including French Finance Minister Moscovici's long reply that he gave us on Cyprus), where the German Minister prefered to keep a rather Careful stance, simply saying that we (EU) are currently working to elaborate our (EU) financial help program for the Cypriot Economy, (which is reportedly due to be informaly endorsed by the EU next week).
At any case, as a matter of general principle, the fundamental Philosophy standing behind EU's Financial Solidarity Programs is that we (EU) are helping the concerned Countries to really solve the Underlying Problems, he added, (obviously pointing at structural reforms, such as to reduce State's Deficit, etc).
And particularly those which are linked with their Competitiveness, in the middle of a World Crisis mainly provoked by Globalisation, where we all have to compete with Foreign Countries disposing Cheap Work forces, (basically build upon more or less Serious Human Rights' Violations, as f.ex. in the notorious case of neighbouring Turkey, or Pakistan, etc, usually denounced also for Child labour and many other serious deviations far away even from the elementary individual and Social Rights endorsed by CoE's PanEuropean Social Charter)...
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- "The fundamental Philosophy of such EU's Programs is to help solve the underlying problems" in the Economy, Shaüble earlier replied to another "EuroFora"s question, (Comp. other relevant "NewsReports" from the same event, with Shaüble and Moscovici's replies to our questions).
- We are currently elaborating our (EU) program (for Cyprus).
+ - "Cyprus is a quite difficult case, a Special Case, that we (EU) are in the process of settling well", Schaüble added later-on.
- In fact, on the issue of Cyprus, we spoke at first in a Smaller Circle, before all 17 €uroZone Countries' meet together, and we also presented a Joint, Franco-German, Proposal, he noted earlier (?).
- But, beyond that, all (EU) Member States are regularly confronted to the need to become Competitive, in order to face the challenges of Globalisation, the German Minister stressed as a matter of general principle, at the center of his overall approach, (Comp. other relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReports from Today's events).
- Sometimes, one may succeed better than in other occasions. But nobody should accuse the others. ... We must remind the fact that we are all Humans, and Errare Humanum est, be it in Greece, Cyprus, France or Germany, errors are human", Schaüble added later-on, (i.e. as if he apparently didn't exclude a priori the need to at least partially rectify, eventually, some among the choices attributted to the controversial, young Dutch Minister of Finances, Mr. Dijsselbloem particularly on Cyprus' Banks and investors, etc (Comp. a relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReport, with a critical view from the No 3 of Russia's leadership, the President of the Federal Council, Valentina Matvienko, in reply to one among our questions : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/russianfederalcouncilpresidentoncypruseu.html ).
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+ "EuroFora" had, moreover, included in one of our earlier Questions, the fact that probable Oil/Gas findings by Cyprus might, eventually, contribute to help also the current fight for much needed Growth thoughout the entire EU, supporting the European General Interest, and this received another Reply from Schaüble's French counterpart, Minister Jean-Pierre Moscovici, (See relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReport).
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[See also other relevant NewsReports with statements to "EuroFora" from the same events].
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(NDLR : "DraftNews", as already sent earlier to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors. A more accurate, full Final Version might be Published asap).
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CoE Chair Andora Environment/Tourism Minister Camp to EuroFora: Landscape's importance for Democracy
*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- The importance of Natural and Cultural Landscapes which surround People's everyday Lives, both for Democracy and Human Rights, given what is at stake about affected Persons' Well-being, Health and Environment, as well as for Cultural Identity and Economic Development, was highlighted during Spring 2013 COE's PanEuropean Conference on the Landscape Convention, with a growing focus on the Need to act for its Implementation, particularly also by actively involving concerned People's Participation in Democratic Citizenship procedures of Decision-making by Public Authorities, as key-note Speakers told in substance "EuroFora", while pointing at forthcoming Developments on 2013-2014, years of EU Citizens and EU Parliament's Elections, respectively...
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"EuroFora" asked from the outset CoE's Chairman in office, Environment/Tourism Minister of Andorra Francesc Camp to explain -"Why Andorra's CoE President focused also on Landscape protection ?"
- "Landscape is in an integral part of the Strategy for Environment, which is among the main Priorities of the rotating Presidency of CoE's Committee of Ministers by Andorra" (November 2012 - May 2013), immediately replied the competent Minister.
- But, "How exactly Environment is linked to CoE's main priorities on Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law ?", "EuroFora" invited the specialized CoE's-chairman-in-office to clarify :
- Because it's important for Democracy, particularly given People's aspiration for a beautiful Landscape, a Nature favorable to their Well-being, Healthy surroundings and Tourism, for better relations between People living together, as well as for Citizens' active Participation in the way that their Natural and Cultural Environment is shaped, Minister Francesc Camp replied in substance to our second question.
- "Preserve and valorize Landscape is an important point in the construction of an Harmonious Living-Together, in our culturally diverse Societies", as he went on to observe earlier in his inaugural speech at CoE's Conference, before presenting the country's national landscape program.
- "People become more and more Aware of the Value of the Landscapes in which they live, which deserve all out attention as Habitats" (living space). "The aims of (CoE's Landscape) Convention are more widely Recognized in Europe, and even serve as an Example also far away from the European area" .. thanks to this Modern and Advanced view on Landscapes integrated in our Policies", which "is important not only in order to valorize a Territory in itself, but also Culture and Heritage, allowing Citizens to better understand and interact with their everyday Environment, as he said.
- "Citizens' Participation is of Essential Importance in this Strategy, he stressed, and for this purpose, we (Andorra) have set up a List of Darkspots which need to be resolved in cooperation with our Municipalities, etc., and we've organized also a mechanism of "Photo-Denonciation" in order to promote People's active involvement, he revealed before an interesting, concrete presentation which already started to inspire also various other People, including "EuroFora"... (See Infra).
+ Moreover, an obviously important factor is also the fact that almost "50% of the country's GDP comes from Tourism", mainly because of its Natural Landscape features, which ally "Snow and Sun" during Wintertime, and a Quiet, unspoiled Environment during Summertime, considering also that it's just about 1% of Andorra's territory which has been urbanized, leaving yet huge areas for future development, as several extensions and/or new villages indicate, Minister Camp also added in substance while speaking later to "EuroFora".
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- "European Landscapes are part of our Living Environment and are of Fundamental Importance to our Individual and Social Well-being, Quality of Life and Identity", while "they (also) play an important role in the Cultural, Ecological, Environmental and Social fields, and through Tourism they .. represent a valuable Resource for Economic Activity", stressed earlier CoE's deputy Secretary General, Gabrieall Battaini-Dragoni, in her address to COE's Conference.
- But, "in too maby cases we have witnessed the Destruction of Landscapes, or developments which have rendered Extraordinary Landscapes Unremarkable", she denounced, while pointing also at several "Technical developments and (to) the needs of our Economies (which might) lead to constant Pressure on Resources and (on) the Cultural Heritage".
=> Therefore, "all Citizens must take part in the Preservation of the Quality of the Landscape, but Public Authorities have a special Duty", since CoE's "Convention .. entail(s) <<Rights and Responsibilities for everyone>> and establishes ...Legal Principles", she warned. In consequence, "the aim of this (Spring 2013 COE's) Conference is to present .. the progress made .. and Practical Questions related to its Implementation", D-SG. Battaini-Dragoni stressed.
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The European Convention "notes" from the outset Landscape's importance in thee Cultural, Ecological, Environmental and Social fields", while also constituting "a resource favorable to Economic Activity", "whose Protection .. can constitute with Job creation".
Landscape "is a basic component of the European Natural and Cultural Heritage", as well as "Identity", while also "contributing to Human Well-Being", (both "Individual and Social"), as "an important part of People's Quality of Life everywhere".
In consequence, "its Protection ... entail(s) Rights and Responsibilities", in particular about being "Recognized .. in Law as an Essential component of People's surroundings, ... Cultural and Natural Heritage, and .. Identity", managed, planned, and "integrate(d) .. into .. regional and Town Planning", "Cultural, Environmental, Agricultural, Social and Economic Policies".
But, most of all, it requires "to establish Procedures for the Participation of the general Public, ... and other Parties with an Interest in the definition and implementation of the Landscape Policies", whose "Active Participation" is necessary in order to "take into account the particular Values assigned to (Landscapes) by the ... Populations concerned", and to fix "landscape Quality Objectives ... after Public Consultation".
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The Spring 2013 CoE Conference took an important decision in view of the possible creation of a Pan-European Monitoring mechanism for the Implementation of the European Landscape Convention, as required by its Article 8, according to which, "the (State) Parties undertake to cooperate", concerning "the Effectiveness of (the) Measures" prescribed, by "pooling and exchange of experience, .. results of research" and "Specialists" ("in particular for Training", etc), as well as by "exchanging Information on all matters covered by the Provisions of the (CoE's) Convention", (comp. Supra) :
- It was, indeed, decided to adopt a Draft Recommendation for the establishment of a PanEuropean "Information System" mainly about the implementation of the "Landscape Convention" in all its Member States, which might evolve, later-on, (by analogy to various other similar CoE Mechanisms in many other areas), into a precious Tool for eventually starting to really check National Policies' conformity to the Principles laid down by the above mentioned CoE's Legal text, already highlighted Supra, and the relevant Commitments undertaken by the Countries which have signed and ratified it. Code-named "ELCIS", (for "European Landscape Convention's Information System"), and acompagnied by a handy, practical "Glossary", this tool could include, f.ex. at its scheduled "2nd stage", also a useful PanEuropean Collection of Case-Law by National Courts concerning all Legal issues for the Implementation of CoE's Convention in its Member States, as the experienced Secretary General of NGO "Civilscape.eu", Dr. Gerhard Ermischer, told "EuroFora" concerning our suggestion (comp. supra and infra).
Such and/or other Final Decisions are due to be shaped by the brand new CoE's Steering Committee on Culture, Heritage and Landscape (CDCPP) on May 2013, followed by CoE's highest Political body : its Committee of Ministers, while specialized Ministerial Conferences are prepared for October 2013 in Montenegro, concerning specifically Landscape's "Future" and "Democracy", as well as on 2014 in Greece, concerning its inclusion in wider Spatial/Regional Planning (CEMAT), confirmed to "EuroFora" the competent long-time CoE's Head of the Division for Spatial/Regional Planning and Landscape, Maguelonne Dejeant-Pons.
However, despite its obvious interest, any such eventual move should also take into account "the Specific characteristics of each Country", carefully warned "EuroFora" the outgoing, long-time Chair of COE's Conference on the European Landscape Convention, Maria Jose Festas from Portugal.
Nevertheless, it's interesting to note also the Fact that her successor as new Chair, the Norwegian Liv Kristine Mortensen, a Senior Official on Regional Planning at the Ministry of the Environment, comes from a key Nordic Country among the 4 (Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) who have just issued a Strong Statement of strategy, asking to put more "Emphasis on" - and "clearly reflect"- "Landscape and Spatial Planning .. in the Future Priorities of the CoE", (currently considered by its Committee of Ministers), stressing that "International" action, (such as "exchange of knowledge", "best practice", etc.) "is embedded in the Convention", whose "aims .. are .. to organise European Cooperation on Landscape issues", after being ratified by 38 States and signed by 40 out of 47 Member Countries of the CoE, from which they "expect .. to provide services of Quality and Practical use", particularly via "CoE's functions as Facilitator and Common Meeting ground in a Pan-European Network... and its Capacity", which "provide(s) very Important venues for .. Implementation" and for the "Organis(ation of) Pan-European Cooperation between its member States on these issues", in order to "give .. Stimuli to the Reinforcement of Human Rights, Democracy and Good Governance throughout Europe".
Simply because "Landscape and Spatial Development are Important issues in any Democratic Society", the Nordic Countries' Statement stressed, pointing to the fact that "the European Landscape Convention was initiated for the reason of Democracy and Participation" of Citizens, since "Landscape is the Concern of All", particularly when "Many People have come to realise that the Quality and Diversity of their Surroundings and Everyday Lives are Deteriorating, as a result of Technical and Economic developments, in which they have had No Say", as they denounce.
In a welcome, because timely, unscheduled intervention at the Pan-European Conference by the currently Hyperactive CoE's new Director General of Programmes, Claudia Luciani, she finally confirmed a strong will to include Landscape's protection among CoE's Priorities, even if the Budgetary aspects (of secondary importance even for the Nordic Countries as they say in their statement : Comp. Supra) would still be under discussions. Meanwhile, Luciani also found, a priori, interesting "EuroFora"s concrete suggestion to strengthen European Landscape Convention's Implementation by systematically collecting relevant Case Law in CoE's Member Countries, so that EU might fund f.ex. a CoE's competent experts' work into a kind of Legal Compendium able to guide National Courts in interpreting the key principles set up by the PanEuropean Legal text, (comp. supra), in line with her earlier, wider proposal for stronger and more efficient EU - CoE cooperation in this field.
- F.ex., new French Expert Aurelie Franchi, from the Landscape Office of the Department on Quality of Life in the Ministry of Sustainable Development, speaking to "EuroFora", expressed the view that COE's Convention, in fact, doesn't really impose direct obligations to Public Authorities, as she said, and pointed at the preparation of a Draft Law due to "include Landscape's protection inside a wider scope on Bio-Diversity", in order to help apply the above mentioned principles.
- But, the experienced President of the European Council of Spatial Planners, Luc-Emile Bouche-Florin, prefered to clearly stress, on the contrary, the fact that "the European Landscape Convention has been already ratified by a Law, and, as an International Treaty, it is obviously applicable in France, so that it can be legally invoked f.e. before the competent Courts, (even if he admitted that he didn't have yet ready in mind some concrete examples of such a Legal use, which has reportedly started since years).
- In Germany, even before any eventual Ratification, already several Laender (Federated States/Regions) in fact include all or most of its provisions inside their own Regional Legislation, added also to "EuroFora" the Secretary General of "Civilscape" NGO, headquartered at nearby Germany, Dr. Ermischer, (who, however, found better for the EU as a whole to accede to CoE's Landscape Convention, so that the Luxembourg's ECJ Judges can start considering its implementation also by this biais).
- However, in Countries like Italy, France, Germany, Greece, Belgium, etc., in principle, their Legal Systems of Administrative Law, should normally allow for the Judge to eventually oblige the Public Authorities to at least present a "Sufficient Motivation" of their Decisions regarding the Values protected by the European Landscape Convention, (i.e. Nature, Cultural Heritage/Identity, concerned People's well-being, livelihood, etc), and/or a "Contradictory Procedure" (of the kind "Audi alteram pars") with proper Consultation of the affected Citizens, as well as by possibly taking into account also CoE's Landscape Convention's Values in any Judicial check of the so-called "Proportionality" (aka : "Bilan : Coût-Avantages" in the familiar French expression) of any Decision on Landscapes taken by a Public Authority with Discretionary Power. Thus, an interesting Judicial Monitoring at least of the "Decision-Making Process" could be legally developed throughout Europe on the basis of the European Landscape Convention, as "EuroFora" suggested, speaking to CoE's experienced Head of the Division on Spatial Planning and Landscape, Maguelonne Dejeant-Pons, who didn't exclude at all that possibility.
- But in Greece, already, "citizens can bring such Legal cases even up to the Highest Administrative Court ("Council of State") !", since CoE's Landscape Convention has been ratified by Law, clearly said to "EuroFora" Anestis Gourgiotis, Senior Official on Spatial-Urban planning at the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climat Change.
Greece currently holding the rotating Presidency of teh European Ministerial Committee on Spatial/Regional Planning (CEMAT) until 2014, (Year of EU Parliament's Elections, also under Greece's forthcoming EU Presidency), Gourgiotis stressed mainly Spatial Planners' recently expressed intention to include Landscape Convention's principles among their Criteria, and presented at CoE's Conference the results of the latest Workshop on "Landscape as a New Strategy for Spatial Planning", organized on October 2012 in Thessaloniki.
>>> Significantly, the event was placed under the stimulating, wider and topical framework of developing "a Vision for Europe's Future", particularly "on Territorial Democracy", where Landscape issues should boost "another way to see the Territory involving Civil Society"...
- Indeed, by seeking more Democracy, with real Citizens' participation, and for any Spatial/Urban Planning to include Landscape Values, "we (CEMAT) want to be sure to avoid at least some Abominable situations, as f.ex. that which can be seen in these Photographs", observed CEMAT' Presidendy's (2012-2014) Senior Official, pointing at a List of Photos presented to him and other CoE's Landscape Conference participants by "EuroFora", which reveal the astonishing spectacle of a Strasbourg City's popular Suburb (at "Haute-Pierre") where an originally Beautiful Natural and Cultural Landscape, including a small Wood with many adjacent Big Trees Hiding all Buildings, a High Hill with a Bridge at its Top, and a Pedestrian Pathway covered by Shady Trees in a way that People felt as if they were in a Green Village or even inside a big Forest, without any appearance of Heavy, Gray Buildings of Concrete which, in fact, surrounded that area, artfully hidden behind that Small Wood, allowing the Inhabitants to take a fresh breath and feel as if they were in the middle of pure Nature....
Unfortunately, a brutal Invasion of huge Buldozers totally Destroying all 35 - 45 Numbered big Trees of that Wood, and Demolishing the Bridge as well as most of the Hill (where People could see a spectacular Sunset, while Children played with Snow, Bikes, etc), totally eliminating the independent and beautiful pedestrian pathway, etc., had transformed that area into an Awful Muddy Mess, without leaving not even one (1) Natural Tree intact, pushing big Metal Barriers to swallow 50% of the formerly Free Access area, and stil keeping all Neighbouring Families away by Barriers blocking all the area, even a whole Year (12 Months !) after the Demolition, (i.e. obliging f.ex. Mothers with Babies, old people, etc., to .. walk amidst a lot of Mud, Insects, and Dangerously unhealthy stagnant water plenty of Dirt, even during an entire Hot Summer's Exceptional Heatwave...
Such concrete examples, (whose denonciation was inspired by the competent CoE Chairman-in-office, Minister Camp's earlier initiative for "mechanisms of "Photo-Denonciations" in order to promote People's active involvement" : Comp. Supra), obviously are in a blatant Contradiction with the obligations stemming from COE's PanEuropean Landscape Convention, not only because of that Huge and Irreversible Destruction of all Trees of a Wood Aged 30 to 40 Years, but also because of a strange Contempt which never took even into account a collective Petition signed by Hundreds of People living in that area, who had kindly asked to Respect this small area of pure, splendid Nature, the only one that they had in the middle of a Jungle made by Many ugly Collective Buildings full of gray Concrete ... Even a spontaneous popular Demonstration by many Kids, who had vainly cried, all together : - "Hands off from our Bridge !" (the Symbol of that Hilltop), before being later-on brutally Chassed away by the Huge Bulldozers and a violent Rain at the moment of the massive Destruction/Demolition (comp. Supra)..
- "It's really Horrible !", honestly witnessed in this regard also the experienced Norwegian former long-time Representative at CEMAT, Audun Moflag, speaking later to "EuroFora", after carefully asking us to find out where and when all this mess had been inflicted for such a Long Time to the innocent and socially fragile, Poor Population of such a Peri-Urban Suburb, as those that he had just described, in his landmark presentation of Spatial-Urban Planning's concern for elementary Landscape values' respect :
- "Landscape adds a Human element, a Human Quality in a Natural and Cultural Environment". That's particularly important in those areas where "Poor People live in a Housing of the 1960ies", facing today's "Markets' forces". In fact, concerned "People themselves are better suited to know what is best for their Community" to do with their Landscape in which they live. Therefore, really "Active Citizenship and Participation is a big New Approach" which must inspire all relevant activities by Any Public Authorities in the Present and the Future, concluded in substance the experienced Norwegian Expert, largely applauded, whose valuable work was Unanimously considered by the COE's PanEuropean Landscape Convention's Conference of Spring 2013 to be so useful that it was decided to exceptionaly Publish it in a special, practical Handbook and CoE Leaflet, due to be distributed throughout all European channels (f.ex. to Public Authorities, NGOs, Judges, Lawyers, Urbanists, Media, etc).
Last but not least, COE's recent Priority concern for Landscape protection, significantly focuses mainly on the "Implementation" of the relevant European Convention particularly on "Towns, Peri-Urban and Sub-Urban areas", mostly of the kind pictured in the above mentioned Photos critically commented by experienced Norwegian Expert of CEMAT, Audun Moflag, and others, (Comp. Supra).
A Counter-Example of a blatant Blunder, damaging People's everyday Lives, Health, etc., which obviously could not be completely reversed by merely ... putting, in the middle of a Flat Concete and with all Ugly Collective Buildings now apparent all around, only a few tiny small Sprouts, unable to give any Shade, not even to cover anyone from the Rain, at least not before .. 20 - 30 Years or so, i.e. when most of the People victims of that blunder might Not even be Alive ...
(Comp. a photo of such obviously ridiculous Tiny Sproots, which obviously look more like a Waste of Taxpayers' Money, instead of Really Correcting a big and dangerous Blunder which uselessly wasted a lot of Public Funds only to Destroy an exceptionaly Beautiful and rare Natural and Cultural Landscape, without any regard to Hundreds of concerned People's collective protests)..
As COE's chairman-in-office, competent in such matters, Minister Camp, has just said at the PanEuropean Conference of Spring 2013, such "Darkspots", really show the need for the affected People to collaborate with Municipalities in order to try to Find adequate Remedies to the manifold damages already inflicted to the inhabitants, in order to start hoping for a Better Future "Landscape" for all involved, respectful of European Principles of Law.
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CLRAE Head Van Staa to EuroFora:AntiCorruption Fight also at Local/Regional levels includes Citizens
*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/19-21 March 2013- Citizens' participation in the revitalization of Local/Regional Democracy, and defense of their Human Rights also at this level, can bring crucial contributions to the necessary Fight against Corruption, which undermines Democracy, said in substance, replying to an "EuroFora"s Question, the experienced President of CoE's PanEuropean watchdog for Local/Regional Democracy, Herwig Van Staa, f. governor of Tyrol, from Austria, (a forthcoming CoE Ministers' rotating chair in 2014, which aims to focus also on that topical EU/CoE issue).
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- "EuroFora" observed that - "One of your (CLRAE's) Invitees (for the Spring 2013 Plenary session : Comp. Infra) is an International NGO which includes also Citizens". Therefore, we asked President Van Staa : - "You (CoE) have already supported the Participation of Citizens in Democratic Decision-making processes. But, now, do you really think that it's also in the Fight against Corruption that Citizens' participation might be interesting and useful in Future ?"
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- "It's a Fact that we have Corruption in almost all (47) Member States of the CoE, in Differend levels and contexts, from Austria up to Countries where the Democratic Control is not so developed."
- "But it's Necessary to Reduce Corruption, because it's the most Dangerous Enemy against Democratic Development", as he timely denounced, in a period where all European and other Countries in the World seach a healthy, credible and sustainable way out of the recent Global Economic and Financial Crisis.
- "And even in order to really respect in practice Human Rights, also at Regional level, vis a vis Districts and/or Municipalities, etc., as well as regarding States, we (CoE) have to do all we can to fight against Corruption", stressed the experienced Head of CoE's Local/Regional Democracy watchdog, (obviously referring also to previous CLRAE debates and recommendations on the need to protect Citizens' fundamental Rights also vis a vis Local and Regional Authorities, as COE's Human Rights' Commissioner's office has already urged in recent years : Comp. relevant previous "EuroFora"s NewsReports).
=> That's why, as "I know, in order to tackle all the problems in this field, we have to Work Closely Together, and to use All Institutions, like Ombudsmen, Audit Courts, etc.
+ In fact, "we have to use All Possibilities (i.e. including Citizens, NGOs, etc) to Reduce Corruption in all (CoE) Member States", "and", in doing so", "we (CoE) have to Speak out very Openly against this Democratic Deficit", concluded President Van Staa, in his Reply to "EuroFora"s question.
CoE's Secretary General, Tornbjorn Jagland himself, has already denounced recently the fact that "Corruption is the Biggest Threat to Democracy in Europe Today".
=> For this reason, Van Staa anounced, later-on, a key 2014 Anti-Corruption Ministerial PanEuropean Conference, under the forthcoming Austrian presidency of CoE's Committee of Ministers, next year.
During a subsequent Plenary Debate focused on "Promoting Ethics" and "Preventing Corruption", CLRAE heard a keynote speech by CoE's Anti-Corruption Watchdog "GRECO", Marin Mrcela from Croatia, as well as by the Director of Investigations in EU's Anti-Corruption Office (OLAF), Petra Kneuer, in addition to CoE's Parliamenary Assembly's General Rapporteur on Local/Regional Authorities, British MEP Sir Alan Meale, together with the President of ANTICOR, an original Association of (Multi-Party) Elected Representatives and Citizens (as per "EuroFora"s Question to Van Staa : Comp. Supra), Jean-Pierre Quies from France, (etc).
GRECO's President warned that, "added to the State's Bureacracy", Corruption at Local/Regional level "can be even More Severe". This is what reveal also most International and European Statistics, President Mrcela observed : F.ex., on Local/Regional level, "Transparency International" has identified 6 main problematic areas : Namely, Dispersion between National and Local/Regional Finances, Discretion over Recruitment and/or Dismissal of Staff, Proximity to the Recipiants of Services, Relations with Contractors, Networks and/or Lack of Oversight, etc. Some 18% People in average say that they have personaly been confronted with Bribery, while similar problems are perceived particularly vis a vis those Local/Regional Officials who deal with Public Tenders and in issuing Building Permits : 46-47% of responses to a relevant Questionaire. Around 1 our of 3 People associated Corruption with Inspectors. Officials dealing with Business Permits : 36%. And Officials working in the Public Health Sector : 30%. While Politicians involved in Local or Regional activities were also perceived critically, with 48% and 46%, respectively, as he denounced. In other words : Local and Regional levels of Government are not yet sufficiently Credible".
=> - "This Legitimity Gap needs to be dealt with, as a matter of Urgency", GRECO's President stressed, anouncing his intention to "cooperate closely with the CLRAE", in order to create "Synergies" for this purpose; particularly through the promotion of "2 Values" : (A) concerning "Governance : f.ex. by (Citizens, a.o.) Participation, ,; Transparency, Ethics, and Accountabilty". (B) "Efficiency"', f.ex. in using Resources, etc. In this context, strengthening Democracy and MultiParty systems with transparent incomes and spending in Political Financing, etc., developing Transparency in Decision-making processes, particularly when there is a Discretionary power, Predictability, Collective decisions, respect of Procedures, Public Information, etc, are obviously useful, while Statistics prove that Prosecution against suspected Criminals, or even simple Disciplinary sanctions against staff are most "Ineffective", added to "Immunity" among obstacles vis a vis the possibility of bringing corruption to Justice, Mrcela pointed out.
+ When some 72% of People believe that Politicians are often "rather Corrupted", an obvious Risk is that Democracy is is threatened to be Discredited if most Citizens believe that "all Politicians are corrupted", warned ANTICORPs' Chairman, Jean-Pierre Guis, who advocated more Checks by Local Multi-Party Groups and by Audit Courts, shortening Politicians' carreer to 2 Mandates and to exclude from Public Service those condemned for Corruption, give control over Public Tenders' procedure also to the Opposition, (etc)., while particularly insisting on the need to develop a really Participatory "Democracy as the Best Anti-Corruption Weapon"...
- Corruption is estimated to cost about 120 Billions € each year, i.e. about 1% of EU's GDP, seriously affecting both EU's Growth potential and Democracy, denounced also EU's OLAF Director, Petra Kneuer, who also pointed at EU's important role as Aid Donor accross the World, pointing at the "basic need" to have an efficient EU Monitoring system, including on "Whistleblowers", etc.
- OLAF already has a Special Department for Local/Regional Authorities, but it's only due to check the use of EU Funds, observed, during the Plenary Debate which fozllowed, CLRAE's Rapporteur on Corruption, who is Herwig Van Staa, I.e. CLRAE's President himself, (comp. Van Staa's previous statements to "EuroFora" as CLRAE's competent Spokesman).
=> But, in fact there is a general "Need for proper Criminal Procedures at International level", as a kind of "Court of Appeals", stressed Van Staa.
- Also because things are often Tricky in this area : From the one side, there are "cases of Political Mafia, which leads to Corruption", while, from another side, f.ex. "at the NAZI era, attempts were made to Lock People (in jails), under Pretext of Theft", ²&a President Van Staa pointed out; As for the Mass Medias, although they have some Means to act, nevertheless, often there are "cases where the Media itself is part of a Corruption" ring, President Van Staa concluded.
- GRECO's competent Chairman, Mrcela, welcomed CLRAE President Van Staa's Idea for "an International Anti-Corruption Court", but observed also that the proportions of the problem to tackle are so big, that it's better to also start using even Public Education, already "from the Kidergarden"...
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Russian Federal Council Head Matvienko to EuroFora on Cyprus: Better keep Investor Trust to EU Banks
*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- The President of Russia's Council of Federation, Valentina Matvienko, widely popular and considered to be the No 3 of the Country's elected Political Leaders, replying to "EuroFora"s Questions on topical developments concerning EuroGroup and Cyprus, welcomed the decision of the Parliament of the island, and stressed in substance that EU and Russia should find other ways to settle that matter, in a much more effective way, which wouldn't risk at all to harm the Trust of Investors to EU/€uroArea Member Countries in general.
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- "EuroFora" asked Matvienko what she thought about Cyprus' Parliament's decision, yesterday afternoon, to drop a controversial EuroGroup draft proposal to Tax all Bank deposits in the country (in order to pay a great part of loans due to face its current needs after being hardly hit by the Global Crisis and its Regional aftermath), which would have trapped also several Billions € of Russian-origin Money, and if she believed that some Press-reported plans for Russia to participate (f.ex. via GasProm, etc) to the forthcoming development of Cyprus' Energy sources ?"
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=> - "I'm glad that the Parliament of Cyprus has taken a correct decision not to implement this", as it stands, President Matvienko stressed from the outset of her Reply to "EuroFora"s question.
- "Because such a Precedent would be Dangerous not only for Cyprus, but for (the) Europe(an Union) as a whole", she explained.
- "Since, if such decisions could be taken in one country of the EU, then, also Other EU Countries could take them as well".
- "And that would undermine the Trust of possible Investors, (and) would (also) make the Cyprus' crisis even more grave", she warned.
- In this regard, "the Idea itself was wrong and unprofessional".because "it's quite Illegal and it violates ..... International Law", Matvienco added.
+ Moreover, "it would deteriorate the situation in Cyprus very much", and "it creates a Dangerous Precedent, which would undermine the Trust of Investors in Europe and to the €uroArea".
-"The position of Russia, has been expressed by our President (of the Russian Republic, Vladimir Putin), and we are Glad that this position has been Heard" in Cyprus, she concluded
This point of Wider, General Interest appears even more important if one also takes into account the fact that, already, "almost 50% of Russia's External Trade goes to the EU, representing about 400 Billions € on 2012", and "the EU - Russia Economic cooperation could help find ways Out of the (Global) Crisis", since "Russia is ...part of the European Family", as she added in further statements to "EuroFora", (due to be integraly published asap).
- "Finally", at least for the moment, "I don't have more to say" now on this topical issue, she carefuly noted, skiping f.ex. the Energy sharing scenario (comp. Supra), while Russian and Cypriot Presidents Putin and Anastassiades have, reportedly, just spoken by phone, late yesterday Night, and Putin launched an invitation for a Presidential visit to Moscow, (where Cyprus' Finance Minister Sarles has just arrived earlier this week).
Some €uroGroup's members have argued that the controversial proposal to Tax all Bank deposits would be justified by the aim to oblige all those who are benefiting from a country's Banking system to take a part in efforts to save it in times of crisis. But the new Chairman of €uroGroup hasn't reportedly excluded the possibility to consider any other alternative solution, among several currently examined.
President Matvienko is invited to Strasbourg by the President of COE's PanEuropean Congres of Local and Regional Authorities, Herwig Van Staa (Austria), in order to be the keynote speaker during its Spring 2013 Plenary session, since she also was, until recently, famous as Governor of Saint-Petersbourg's area.
(.../...)
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EU-educated charming young Chinese presence started to be felt in Council of Europe's corridors in Strasbourg at the aftermath of an Historic Resolution adopted by its Parliamentary Assembly in favor of opening the possibility to give China a special "Status" in the PanEuropean Organization.
- "My proposal to offer to China an official status as "Observer", in short term, under conditions, was welcomed" by the CoE : "The road to Dialogue between China and the CoE has now been opened", declared after Strasbourg's debates and votes the Head of France's delegation, MEP Jean-Claude Mignon.
"Neither complacency, nor a mere condamnation of China", but a "wise approach of a political issue of great importance", advised Mignon to all those who'd either overload claims on Democracy, Human Rights or Minorities, or close their eyes to anything, there as elsewhere... A balance which was not exactly followed during debates, contrary to Mignon's personal stance, which appeared rather even-handed.
China is the only UNO Security Council permanent member which has not yet any status at the CoE, being still obliged to be represented in Strasbourg by a General Consul : USA and Canada, even Japan and .. Mexico, have already got a special Status at the CoE, following Strasbourg's decision, back in 1995, to counter-balance the accession of Russia (1996) by creating special links to traditional "Western-world" allies.
All former "Socialist" Eastern European countries started to have relations whith the CoE through its former sector on Culture and Education, before becoming full Members of Strasbourg's paneuropean organization. Speculations were unfolding recently about establishing a probable concrete link with China through the topical issue of anti-doping in Sport, on the occasion of the 2008 Olympic games.
More spectacular, a meeting co-organized a few years ago in Strasbourg, by EuroFora and the International Space University between EU Parliament's long-time Rapporteur for EU's Satellite Navigation system "GALILEO", German MEP Brigitte Langenhagen, and a group of postgraduate students, attracted special interest from Chinese experts, and was followed, in less than a month, by the anouncement of China's intention to support EU's GALILEO project with a participation of 200 million €.
Compared to that, revendications of .. "Turkish" Minorities, by Turkish MEPs, this week in Strasbourg, spreading through a wide area extended ...from Greece up to China, appeared less worrying, than pittoresque...
Meanwhile, France's political will to start involving China and other important countries in European and Global affairs was due to be raised also at the forthcoming G-8 Summit in Japan by President Nicolas SARKOZY, (NDLR : confirmed on July 5)
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