newsitems

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          *EU Parliament/Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- In order to efficiently fight against still persisting Unemployment, despite the recently revived onward and more sustainable, but slow yet, move towards Growth, EU is aware of the fact that "Quality" of Jobs has to be "improved", and EU Citizens will have a chance to express their views, particularly on the relevant policy of Training, until the end of 2012, while moreover, an intra EU Mobility of Workers from job-poor to job-rich EU Member Countries should also help willing People to find Quality Work "inside the EU", instead of leaving for some Foreign Countries provoking an Anti-European "Brain Drain", replied, in substance, the competent EU Commissioner on Employment and Social affairs, Laszlo Andor, to "EuroFora"s questions during a Press Conference in EU Parliament in Strasbourg  :

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

"- In particular, "EuroFora" observed that EU Commissioner Andor had earlier "spoken also about "Quality" of Jobs, Mobility, etc. "There are various views about that, but, at any case, many People, Young or not, would like Mobility, and it's obviously favorable to EU Integration, as you know best of all".

=> "However, a Question that many of them raise, is Not about Wages, "Minimum Salaries", levels of Remuneration, etc, Contrary to what a collegue Journalist questioned before", we noted. In fact, it's the other way round : I.e. it's not about Money,  but about Quality of Jobs", we resumed.

    - "F.ex., as you know well, in some former "Socialist" Countries, sometimes, in real cases, they used f.ex. to take somebdy from a University and put him to clean the streets, or take a Writer and oblige him to do another kind of  job which had No "Quality" at all.  I.e., it wasn't a question of Money : They were paid, and they had Social Security, etc.- but of the Quality of those jobs", we stressed.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
- "F.ex. in the case of a Head of Christians Catholics at the Czech Republic, who reportedly had been obliged to ...clean windows for a Decade at the streets of Prague, etc.", (a real case of Religious/Political Oppression, as it was recently denounced at !Strasbourg's Cathedral's meeting (See relevant "Eurofora"'s NewsReport).

==> "Today, do you think that you can really realize, and the EU has the means, do you Hope that you can  imagine solutions which would allow, to haveMobility, but with Quality jobs concerning the Content, the Substance?", "Eurofora" questioned Andor in conclusion.

As it's well known, while some People are always greedy about Money in their professional acivities, asking always for more, (something which might be partly justified specially in case of dangerous, unhealthy and exhausting jobs), on the contrary, other People, and particularly, f.ex. real intellectuals (i.e. No Technocrats) give a Priority to Interesting, stimulating, "Quality" work, respecting their Human Dignity and able to develop their personal capacities,instead of degrarding them, as well as to Boost EU's Potential.
   

-------------------------
    -"Normally, these are 2 separate Questions : 1 of Quality of Jobs, and particularly particular of Young People, because that's  where the Problems have been the more Serious in the Recent period, and, then, the question of Mobility", the competent EU Commissioner distinguished.

    - "There might, indeed, be an overlap, in certain cases, and that's why the discussion also on the "Posting" of Workers has been very Significant, where, what we (EU) did f.ex. was to clarify the Conditions under which these persons work; I.e., it was about improving (also) the Quality of Employment in that context".

    - "So, we (EU) have to do that (i.e. "improve the Quality of jobs") in other contexts too", the competent EU Commissioner in charge of Employment, Social affairs and inclusion agreed.                                 

 + "Where this Employment Package makes ta Difference, it's about the Trainerships, where we (EU Commission) are launching (Public) Consultations, with one of the Documents which are part of this (Employment) Package),  and should reach Conclusion at the End of this Year" (12/2012), Andor anounced,

.     (B). + + "On the (2nd) Question of Mobility, if you allow, this is for me a Key issue, particularly, if you look at the great Symmetries between the Countries where there is a Dynamic Recovery, (so that) there are Vacancies (of Jobs), and, on the other hand, the so-called "Peripheries", where there is a Recession", Andor observed.

- "'It seems to be a quite Long Recession, with a great Number of Unemployed People". So that "we have seen Outward Migration from several Countries, particularly the (Financial Austerity) Program Countries, such as Greece, Ireland and Portugal. That shows that many People, Young People, even Entreprenerial People (i.e. Businessmen), are Ready to move in another Environment".

    => - "We (EU) would like to see that, if there is this Readiness and these Capacities, (then) People should move INSIDE Europe, so that we (EU) should Not Loose these Talents, we should not loose the Dynamic and Entreprenerial Young People (i.e. EU Citizens able to accomplish Quality Work) for the European Economy !", EU Commissioner Andor warned.

    On the contrary, "We (EU) have to Create Opportunities, -"as is the intention also with this (Employment 2012) Package, with EuroPrograms, etc.- to make the European Labour Market more Transparent, more Attractive, more Accessible, and facilitate Mobility and Employment inside the EU", he stressed in conclusion.

    Obviously because, otherwise, (I.e. if real "Quality" Work was found only overseas, in certain Foreign Countries), then, EU would also have to face the notorious Negative phenomenon of "Brain Drain", weakening the Potential of the European Economy, instead of developing it as an important Comparative Advantage in the World-wide, Global Competition.

    The move came in the context of both Urgent and Middle-Term EU measures for Employment, contained in a "Package" adopted today by EU Commission, including Higher Subisides, lower Taxes, etc. in order to stimulate Jobs' Offer, as well as Support for Green Economy, Info/Communication Technologies and Health-related jobs, considered to be the main future job creating Sectors, but also action on  Quality jobs and transition, with Mobility, etc. to make  the EU Labour Market more genuine and "Dynamic".        
                                                                                                                                                      

It's next week that is due to be decided whether one of the Historic Innovations of EU's Lisbon Treaty : EU Citizens' Initiative proposing New Measures to become EU Law, which has legally entered into force since the beginning of April 2012, but remains still rather foggy from several practical points of vie  until it's clarified and hammered out in real practice, will never be, at any case, totally blocked and silenced, even if EU Commission's agents might, eventually, decide (rightfuly or irregularly) not to give it any Legislative follow-up and satisfaction in substance, despite the fulfilment of all currently imposed formalities.

This seems to result in substance from the replies of the experienced EU Parliament's Spokesman and Director of Press/AV Service, Jaume Duch, to questions raised by "EuroFora" at the Press Briefing for this week's Plenary session in Strasbourg, which appear to prolonge further the ideas earlier suggested and discussed by "EuroFora" with EU Parliament's initial Rapporteurs Lamassoure, Gurmai and Haefner, as well as the competent EU Commission's vice-President Sefcovic (See relevant previous "EuroFora" NewsReports, f.ex. http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/debatesincitizensinitiatives.html ) :

 

- "Concerning the EU Citizens' Initiative, which has just entered (Legally) into force, (since April 1st), has EU Parliament scheduled to prepare a kind of Mechanism, as it was normaly foreseen by EU Commission's and EU Parliament's Draft ?", "EuroFora" started to ask EU Parliament's Spokesman from the outset.   

 

+ "And,  at your knowledge, does EU Parliament agree with the view recently attributed to EU Commissioner Cefcovic, that, even if a Popular Initiative might fullfil all the Conditions set up both by EU Treaty and EU Commission's Rules, nevertheless, EU Commission could, eventually decide not to bring that issue before EU Parliament, or do you think that this point is Open to Debate ?", (f.ex., if need be, also before the European Court of Justice, etc), we went on to add on the main issue at stake. --------------------

- " EU Parliament's Constitutional Committee (AFCO) is normally due to vote, next week (in Brussels) the Internal Rules, according to which the EU Citizens Legislative Initiative is going to be dealt with by the EU Parliament. This is going to be voted, at first, on Committee level, and afterwards by the Plenary", started to reply to "EuroFora"s Questions Duch.

=> - "What is important for EU Parliament, is that, even if EU Commission is going to eventually say "No" to some (Popular Legislative) Initiatives (which might fulfil all legal criteria), this would be done only after and Explanation with  a crystal-clear Motivation", stressed on the main point at issue, the experienced EU Parliament's Spokesman.     

    -  "Such an Explanation cannot take place but before EU Parliament. So that EU Commission should explain its position in front of EU Parliament, and, moreover, the Parliament will always have the possibility to organize a Hearing with those who organized the Initiative, in order to be better informed", Jaume Duch explained in particular, apparently based on an EU Parliament's Draft.

    - "But, the concrete details are due to be adopted from Next Week", he underlined in conclusion cautiously, for the time being...

                                                        ***

    *Paris/Angelo Marcopolo/- A vibrant appeal to People' will to win the fight for a stronger EU Identity, with a stronger CEB Action for "a new model of Growth", was launched by French President, and Frontrunner in the forthcoming presidential election, Nicolas Sarkozy, at a Mega-meeting of some 120.000 People at the greatest square of Paris, historically named "Concorde" to symbolise People's will for reconciliation and Unity, flanked by a huge image of the National Assembly, strikingly similar to nearby Church of Sainte Madeleine, the 1st woman to see Christ Resuscitated according to the Bible, a Monument initially due to Glorify Napoleon's Victorious Army (which notoriously inspired German Musician Bethoven in his famous "Heroic" symphony, due to its European message on Enlightnement, Human Rights/Democracy), afterwards a Christian Church inspired by Ancient Greece's Parthenon and Rome's Pantheon, with Greek Columns and 3 Byzantine Empire's Domes, in front of the Giant Obelisque from Ancient Egypt's Luxor, offered to France by an Albanian-origin former ruler of Alexandria and Cairo, born at Northern Greece, whose army had succeeded to arrive victoriously, from the Middle East and Syria towards Constantinople/Istanbul at the fall of former Ottoman-turc Empire and its unfinished  yet remplacement by modern Democratic ethnic States, whose dream to fight his way back home through Greece was left unfinished, but would have radically changed Modern Europe's Fate if he had been free to complete it, symbolically facing a Statute picturing Strasbourg and its unaccomplished yet European dreams...

    Indeed, Sarkozy said from the outset that Historic Concorde square is a Symbol of the "Expression of a Will" by French People "to overcome the Challenges which had made it suffer, in the middle of tears and blood (in the Past), by Uniting the Hearts of Millions of citizens concerned by the Future" of France and all Europe, and linked that with Italian author Malaparte's view that it represents "an Idea, a way of thinking", according to which, "History is not a playground for Gods (as Italians believed), nor a fact of Nature (as Brittish believed), but a Fact produced by People's Will", (as the French found). And he advanced (went on / continued ) by stressing that "revendicating the Right to Defend its Values, its Culture, its Language, its Way of Life, its Identity, its Civilisation ...  that France expects from Europe", shortly after publishing a "Letter to the People", earlier this week, where he declared that "Europe has an Identity : Its (Historic) Roots stem from Greco-Latin Culture at first, Judeo-Christian afterwards, and from the Enlightnment and Rationalism, finaly .. The Culture of European Peoples and their demand of an Identity must also be respected".

    But the greatest  surprise of Sarkozy's 2012 Concorde square speech undeniably was the apparently related, crystal-clear anouncement of the French President's intention to openly and explicitely "raise the issue of the Central European Bank's (CEB) role in supporting Growth", i.e. advancing well beyond the November 24 compromise in Strasbourg's Franco-Germano-Italian Summit between French President Sarkozy, German Chancelor Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Monti, to practically leave CEB Free to act independently on €urozone's Economy as it deems fit, which was shortly followed by the 1st participation of its new President, Draghi, at EU Brussel's' Summit on December 9, 2Q011, (See "EuroFora"s NewsReport from Brussels, as well as "EuroFora"s own questions and observations in 2 Press Conferences at EU parliament on December 20011), continuing by succesfull CEB's interventions against Global speculation on €urozone States' Debt, and for Banks' liquidities, on late December 2011 and January 20012, that Sarkozy has already analyzed in detail in his January 2012 Press Conference in Brussels' EU Summit : See "EuroFora"s NewsReports of end of 12/2011 and of the beginning of 2012, including from Brussels).

    At any case, Sarkozy probably reserves even more such Political Surprises, which inevitably concern all Europe, for the crucial 2nd round of the 2012 French Presidential Elections, April 23 - May 6, as we can guess from  the intriguing tone in which the experienced Director of his Press Service, Franck Louvrier, told "EuroFora" that "for the 2nd round, we'd better speak anew later on, because we shall have things to say at the night which ends the 1st round", i.e. next Sunday, April 22..
------------------------------------

    - In fact,"what is at stake is the Survival of a form of Civilisation, of our civilisation", and, currently, "Europe's situation, and the state of the World don't let us any right to commit Errors" :  Because "a race against the Clock has started from now on, with the (Global) Economic Crisis, the Social Desintegration, Humanism's declin", Sarkozy soberly warned Today in his speech.

    - Indeed, "in a World where exclusive passion  for Short-Term Gains and Identity Crispations affront eachother more and more violently, preparing the Great Tragedies of Tomorrow, if we don't beware of" that risk :  - "As at the eve of Renaissance, of the Enlightnement, or of the Industrial Revolution, we don't have the right to Miss our Entry into the New Era prepared by the upheavals of today", he warned.

     =>  We "expect from Europe" "the Right to defend its Values, its Culture, its Language, its Republican model, its Identity. Because defend its Identity, defend its Civilisation it's not something to be ashamd of, but it's Legitime".  That's why "you (i.e. the People) are Proud of its Culture, its Language, its Identity, proud for what it acomplished in History, proud of what it represents for so many People in the World", he observed.

    -  "F.ex., throughout the World, France is the name of a Civilisation : When you hear "France", you hear Moliere, Voltaire, Chateaubriand", "you hear Valmy's cry, the Great Revolution (of 1789) saying to the World that : "Happines is a New Idea" ; "Napoleon's voice dictating the News Bulletin for Victory in Austerlitz's sun" ; you hear (De Gaulle's) "No !" of JUne 18th ; Aimé Cesare throwing Racine, Zola and Hugo at the face of (NAZI Occupation's) regime of) Vichy's Censorship", (etc), Sarkozy reminded. - "We don't have the Right to Waste that Heritage !".

    - "2.000 Years of Labour shaped this Land. An endless reservoir for Future ages", according to Peguy's prayer at Our Lady of Chartres, Sarkozy reminded.

                                                                                                                                             
    => Thus, "European People's Culture and their demand for an Identity must also be respected", he wrote, earlier this week, in his "Letter to the People" (comp. supra).

    - "At a  moment when we must Face the Consequences of the Crisis", when "we need the strongest possible Cohesion", "it would be crazy to weaken our Republican Model, and, (therefore) we won't never accept Communautarism, (i.e. the Socio-Cultural,  Linguistic and even Urbanistic "Appartheid" in which some Foreign States, as notoriously Turkey, etc., push their Immigrants into EU Countries to stay, Separated from the mainstream Social Life of the large majority of the original population of the Host Country, to the detriment obviously of Children's chances for integration, and dangerously undermining Europe's Cohesion and Stability, so that such "Ghettos" can also be easily Manipulated from abroad), Sarkozy stressed, reminding a point which has recently been notoriously made initially by German Chancellor Merkel, and afterwards agreed also by New Brittish Prime Minister Cameron, (including earlier this year in Starsbourg, speaking as CoE's Chairman-in-office : See relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReport).

    + "At a Time when we need the strongest possible Cohesion, we will Not let Destroy the Institutions which founded the Republic, our Schools, and the Family", Sarkozy also underlined. Adding even orally beyond his Draft Speech, (in a way which topically recalls parallel debates elsewhere, even in the American currently growing grassroots Popular Movements on Moral Values during the US Presidential Elections, etc), that "Schools belong to Childrens' Families, not to Trade Unions who don't think but about their "status", while "Families, as we know, can help when Life is Cruel, so that whenever someone needs to be shouldered, (he/she) has his/her Family to stand side by side". That's why "Family is sacred here, and we won't let anyone destroy it !", Sarkozy strongly stressed, applauded, in a way which confirms also sthe substance of an interesting recent CoE Report on Family policies, prepared by Italian MEP Volonté, President of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group at CoE's pan-European Assembly in Strasbourg.

 
    >>> Because  the "Unity" of the People "around our Values, in order to Defend our Identity and way of life", is "the Condition of our Cohesion and Solidarity", because it's our Original Characteristics which will make the Value of our Products and Services, because in Tomorrow's World, Culture will be one of the most Precious Resources, because that's the Condition" for a "New Model of Growth", that Sarkozy proposed today in his Concorde square speech to the People.
----------------------------------
    ++ Moreover, "a Country" or "a Continent without Borders is a Country", "a Continent" "without Identity", "which ends up by building Walls to protect itself", he observed on the occasion of the debate on Shengen's External Borders towards 3rd Foreign Countries, (Comp. "EuroFora"s 3/2012 NewsReport from Villepinte), in an obvious reference to the notorious "Wall" that the USA were pushed to set up in their long Mexican Borders accross Rio Grande, provoking various negative undesirable byeffects, (such as Criminality, deadly incidents, etc). => That's one more reason for which - "We must protect Europe's External Borders", Sarkozy's "Letter to the People" points out. (See also "EuroFora"'s NewsReport from Sarkozy's March 2012 landmark speech at Villepinte).

    - Because "if Europe's External Borders are not protected against an Uncontroled Immigration, against Unfair Competition, against Social and/or Environmental Dumpings (i.e. by imports from some Foreign Countries which seriously violate even elementary Human and Social Rights, and/or grossly pollute Earth's Climate, disrespecting basic Rules, in order to obtain cheaper Labour Costs at any price : Comp. "EuroFora"s NewsReport already from Sarkozy''s landmark 2009 speech at Urmatt, as well as G20's 2011 Summit at Cannes, etc), then, there will never be any New Model of Growth, nor any European Civilisation, no more", he warned.      

------------------------------------
For a "New Model for Growth" :
----------------------------------------------    

    - "The Pathways towards the Future are well known : A Society of Knowledge. An Economy of Science. Digital Revolution. Responses to Ecologic challenges. Adapt our Production means and Socia organization to a phasing out of fossil Energies, i.e. to the slow but unavoidable disappearance of Oil and to the nor less unavoidable augmentation of its price", etc., "It's a Huge effort for Professional Training, Scientific Research, Technological Innovation, productive Investment, which is expected from us. It's all about Tomorrow's Growth, about Quality of Life in the Future, which will depend from that effort", Sarkozy reminded.

    + "We (France and all EU) have the Intelligence, the Young People and the Scientifics as well as the Businessmen required in order to Invent a New Model for Growth, a New Model for Society, in order to imagine" the New French and European "Model of 21th Century", he optimistically observed, resuming an overview of his past and new concrete proposals in this direction :

    => - "This New (French and European) Model will respond to the need of Justice, since it won't be, no more, subordinated to the Dictatorship of Finances, to excessive Profits, to the Tyranny of Short-term gain, (and) because everyone will get a Professional Qualification by Education/Training, everyone will have access to Social Promotion by Education and Training, so that a Job will becoome available for everyone, as he promissed, (Comp. recent "EuuroFora"s NewsReports from Villepinte and Nancy for concrete details).

    - Thus, "in this New Model, Schools will take care of Childrens' fragilities and there won't be, no more, students arriving at College level without even having learned how to Read, Write and Count". "Every Youngster who will choose rotation, will find a job in an enterprise. Unemployed People will have a Right to Professional Training, and they will also have an Obligation : to accept the Job which will be proposed to them. (Comp. "EuroFora"s NewsReport and observations from Nancy, 4/2012). Everybody will have a Right to Life-long Learning. Everybody will have a Right to a "2nd Chance", and all Families of good faith, which might face an Accident of life overburdening them with Debt, will be able to choose Civil Bankruptcy, as Businesses do, according to a system already existing in Strasbourg's area, Alsace, so that they could become able to have a New Start in life". At the same time, "in this New Model, effort, Capacities, Work, will be rewarded, without renouncing to Talent, Achievement, Succes. Because, being Jealous, Cupidity and/or Bitterness are not among our values", since "we won't turn our back to Talents simply because some might have fears. We won't be Nivellers". But "in this New Model, everyone will feel Free to choose his way of life, to feel fully Responsible for himself", because "it will respond to the Need for everyone to Recover the control of their Lives", and  "it will give back Hope to those who have lost it, since it will be a Model for Progress and Development, where the Future will become anew a Promisse, where Children will be able to hope have a Better Life than their Parents", he highlighted.

    => "What I propose you is to Build the Conditions which will allow us to organize the "30 Glorious Years" of the 21st Century", Sarkozy stressed, pointing at an expression notoriously used for the 1945-1974 quasi-permanent Growth period. "I.e. to Renew the Achievement accomplished by After World War II People, who had succeeded to learn the Lessons of the Big Errors of the Past and of the Tragedies that they had provoked", he compared. "To bring down the Bureaucratic State, and build up an entreprenarial State".  "To replace Financial Capital, by a Capital of Enterprises : We don't want,  no more, a tiny Minority to mislead our Ideas !" Thus, "I propose you a State which Reduces its Spending, refuses the Drug of Public Expenditure, and puts its Financial situation in order, so that it can Invest in order to build a Future"

    - In fact, "there are 2 possible Ways :"

- "One will impose the solutions of the Past". Thus, "at best, it won't solve anything. It well stay prisoner of all Conservatisms, all Corporatisms. It will continue to let Borders be phased out and Nations weaken even more. In the Worst case, it will Dissuade Success, Ruin Middle Classes, without enriching the Poorest. It will Destroy Investors' Trust, (by overSpending, despite the current Global Debt Crisis). It will put us at the Mercy of (Global) Speculation. And, afterwars, in order to find a Remedy to that, it will impose the Hardest Austerity which will throw us back to Depression, and the most Vulnerable to Misery", he warned, obviously describing a Scenario similar, mutatis-mutandis, to that of Grece after committing the Error to vote for PASOK party's False pre-Electoral Promisses back on 2009, given what notoriously folllowed until now...

- But, "the Other Way, is that which focuses towards the Future, which will Learn the Lessons of the Crisis, and will Invent the Solutions of the 21st Century :"

>>> I.e. "I propose you to build a New Model of Growth, a New Economy, a New Social Ambition", Sarkozy stressed.

    - "Between Nationalism and Abandonement, (renunciation), I propose you the Reasonable way of Unity and of Openess to the World". "It's noty about Uniting the People in order to Cut them off the World, but, on the Contrary, in order to become Strong enough to have No Fear of Opening to the World : I will never plead for Isolation", he made it clear.

    - Because "our Destiny is Not to Fade away, nor  to Shut up. Our Destiny is to Act for those who cannot act. It's to Speak for those who cannot speak". "It's to stand by those People who want to be Free, (f.ex.) to be side by side with Oriental Christians when they are Persecuted. To organize around the Mediterranean a Community of Destinations, after launching the Union for the Mediterranean, after acting in order to Protect the Libyan People from Massacers", and, in the same trend, "France will take Initiatives for the cause of Peace and Justice to prevail, at last, in the Middle East". Moreover, "our Destiny is to raise inside the G-20 (which wouldn't even exist without France", as he reminded pointing to the Fact that it was practically created between 2008 and 2011, starting by the 2008 EU rotating Presidency by France), the question of the need to Regulate Globalisation, to moralize Finance and to Tax Financial Transactions in order to find Resources that Poorest Countries need to get out of Misery". "Our Destiny is to be the Spokespersons of all those in the World who want that Humans are Not Sacrificed to Trade, that Social Rights, Health Rights, Environmental Law, etc., become Equal to Commercial Law". In brief, "our Vocation is to be everywhere the Voice of those who ask Justice, Freedom and the Right for a Better Future", Sarkozy ambitiously pointed out.
- -------------------------------------------
Means : + open €uro-Debate on a stronger CEB role for Growth
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     But, in order to become able to realize that "New Model for Growth", Europe must change, at least in certain points of Crucial Importance :

    - "I've already expressed (recently) my full Determination to make Europe Change in the issue of its External Borders", i.e. Shengen's effective application vis a vis 3rd, Foreign Countries (See "'EuroFora"s NewsReport from Villepinte, 3/2012 and Strasbourg speeches). Otherwise,  "I'll go up to the end. I'll even Suspend Shengen Agreements, if needed, and reestablish Targetted Checks in our Borders", he warned, if there is no change in 1 Year.     

    + And "I'll go, if needed, as far as to apply to our Public Procurements the Rules that Americans already apply, by giving contracts only to those Businesses which will produce in the European continent", Sarkozy warned.

    - Also, "I claim the Right for France to choose whom it accepts inside its Territory" ; "I claim for France" and the whole EU, "the Right to Protect itself from Competition of those who don't respect any Social or Environmental Rule". + "To set up Industrial Policies, Public Procurement policies, and to reserve a part of its Contracts to SMEs". "Defending those Rights is what France expects and demands from Europe.  But if Europe doesn'ty defend them, then, France informs its Partners that we will never give up our Right to defend them ourselves", the French President warned, resuming issues that he had initially anouned at his March 2012 meeting at Villepinte, (See "EuroFora's NewsReport from the spot).
---
    + But "I want to advance even further : - After what we did in order to Save €uro, I want to raise, not only the issue of (External EU) Borders, but also that of the (European) Central Bank's role in supporting Growth", the French President anounced, today, for the 1st time in a so crystal-clear way :

    - "That's a question that we can't dodge. Because if Europe doesn't want to loose its grip inside Global Economy, it must absolutely renew avec Growth", Sarkozy stressed.

    - And "Growth doesn't just come by order. It's not enough to write the Word "Growth" in a Treaty, in order to obtain it", he critically observed, obviously denouncing the apparently superficial but dangerous demands of "Socialist" Candidate Hollande, who notoriously asked to Revise the €uroArea Treaty recently Ratified by March 2012 EU Summit in Brussels, Risking to open a Chaotic series of Uncontroled and Unforseen Repercussions, even without having really a clear view on how precisely might be pursued his declared intention to "add Growth" inside the already negociated text, (as Hollande also briefly  but characteristically told "EuroFora" recently in Strasbourg : See 3/2012 NewsReport).         

       - "If you don't do nothing for Competitiveness, (notoriousy a central idea behind Sarkozy's agreement with German Chancellor Angie Merkel). If you overburden Labour Costs. If you discourage Business' spirit, and if you don't Invest, then, it's not Growth that you shall obtain, but Stagnation !", Sarkozy denounced, indeed, on this point, (See supra).   

 => "If we don't Change Europe, if we don't build a Europe of Production, a Europe of Investment, we won't be able to have Growth". And "if the (European) Central Bank doesn't support Growth, we won''t have enough Growth", the French President warned, also from the other side.

    - Because "the (Global) Crisis revealed the Limits of the rules which had been fixed in the Maastricht Treaty", Sarkozy denounced, (apparently pointing at the need to create a full European Economic and Monetary Governance policy, equiped with similar Tools as those that National States had traditionaly forged since Keynes' era, so that the transfert of Monetary Powers from the National to a European level can become well balanced by an equivalent transfert also of Economic and Monetary Governance Mechanisms, precisely as the political Majority which had created and developed further the €uro had already Foreseen, f.ex. during an Historic, landmark Debate in EU Parliament's Plenary in Strasbourg on "the state of Europe" as early as since back on October 1995)...         

    - "I am aware of the Difficulties that we'll have to face in this regard. I know the Obstacles", the French President acknowledged, probably referring mainly to some other EU Countries' possibly hesitant or even opposite reactions).-" But we have the Duty to (at least) Think about it", Sarkozy diplomatically proposed.

    - "Because it's a Major Issue for the Future of Europe. It's a Strategic issue for Europe", he stressed.

    - Certainly, "Europe has to settle its Debts, it doesn't have a choice", he admitted. "But, between Recession and Growth, it doesn't, no more, have a choice : If it (EU) chooses Recession, it (Europe) will Disappear" from the (World powers') map ! Don't forget what happened during the 1930ies", he dramatically warned.

    => - "If French People renew their Trust to me, I will Open this Debate, and I'll place the same Energy, the same Determination to make advance further a Europe of Growth, a Europe which Invests for its Future, as I've already done in order to Fight against the Financial Crisis and Save €uro", Sarkozy promissed.

    - "There shouldn't be any "Tabu" Issues. We must not have any Prohibited Debates !", he underlined, speaking about Europe's Future in Economy.

    + Showing that it's really Possible to accomplish results which were previously considered as "impossible", on the condition to have the required Will, Energy and Inventiveness, Sarkozy reminded, at this point, the Fact that "they had told us that ECB couldn't intervene in order to Save €uro. But the (European Central) Bank gave itself the Necessary Freedom in order to Save the €uro, by offering liquidities to (ordinary, National) Banks", he observed, naturally pointing at CEB's 2 succesful actions in the Financial Markets at the end of December 2011 and at the beginning of 2012, (See relevant "EuroFora"s NewsReports, including Sarkozy overnight Press Conference's statements at the January 2012 EU Summit in Brussels : "EuroFora" reporting from the spot).

    >>> CEB's move had notoriously being prepared also by its President, Draghis' participation, for the 1st time, at the December 9, 2011 EU Summit of Heads of State/Government in Brussels (See "EuroFora"s NewsReport from Brussels, then, as well as our Question/Reply at EU Parliament's subsequent Press Conferences in Strasbourg). It has been now Institutionalized V, with the insertion of CEB's President's Systematic participation in all €uroArea"s Summits, (See "EuroFora"s March 2012 relevant NewsReport).

    ++ As, also, "they had told us that  an Economic Governance (in €uroArea) would be "Impossible". But we obtained the Economic Governance", he rightfully boasted, particularly after the Collective signature of the "€uroArea" Treaty, (See March 2012 "EuroFora"s relevant NewsReport, as concrete follow-up to the December 2011 EU Brussels Summit's decision  : Comp. "EuroFora"s 12/2011 NewsReport from the spot).

    +++ Even "they had told us that the issue of (EU's External Borders was "TABOU". But we raised the issue of (EU's External) Borders".

    ++++ "They had told us that any Debate on "Reciprocity" (in Foreign Trade) was Prohibited.  And we have Opened the Debate on Reciprocity", he observed.

,     => "Thus, it's also on the Role of the (European) Central Bank in supporting Growth, that we are going to OPEN THE DEBATE. And we shall make Europe advance further", Sarkozy anounced ambitiously.

     - "When (former French President) General De Gaulle, in the middle of the 1960ies, raised the issue of (EU's) Common Agricultural Policy, and wasn't heard, he didn't hesitate to apply the "Empty Chair policy" (i.e. of France's Absence from EU Institutions). He was accused to destroy Europe, while, in fact, it's at that moment that he put a Foundation of Europe's developmenty during the following Decades !", Sarkozy reminded, (in a characteristic last-minute oral addition to his Draft Text).
------------
    + But, concerning at least the aspect of €uro Currency's reportedly "Over-estimated" market value, compared mainly to the lower price for the US Dollar $, and/or the  Chinese Yan, etc, this always topical point, notoriously crucial mainly for Foreign Trade, had already been made, in a crystal-clear way, as early as since Sarkozy's landmark 2/7/2007 Speech in Strasbourg, focused precisely on European policy, shorftly after his brillant May 2007 Electoral Win, and in the aftermath of the June 2007 Brussels' EU Summit, where Heads of State/Government at last felt free to adopt the "Simplified" Lisbon Treaty in order to bypass the obstacle of 3 "No" to EuroReferenda in France, the Netherlands and Ireland, which had notoriously blocked EU's Institutional development between 2005-2007, mainly because of a Majority of EU Citizens' opposal to Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid. However, no noisy objections appeared in the surface at that moment accross Europe...
--------------------------------------------------------
=> Stimulate and free People's conscious will
----------------------------------------------------------------

    => In order to become able to really achieve such a "New Model for Growth", the "People should be United behind a Great Ambition", Sarkozy urged.

    + And "Nations", (i.e., practically, EU Council as well as €urozone's Summits of Head of State/Government, extended in the Future also to Shengen, etc) can add the stimulation of a "Collective Momentum, which gives an Irresistible Strength in the Global Competition", as he added.

    - In this double regard, "we (EU) had committed an Error... to leave Bureaucracy take a precedence over Political Will, and over Political Responsibility", Sarkozy typically denounced.

    >>> Today, on the contrary, "I propose you to Stimulate anew all Intellectual, Moral and Social Forces ; to give back to the People a right to Speak, when Corporatisms join Conservatism in order to Hinder Progress, (an obvious reference to Popular Referendum : See "EuroFora"s NewsReports from Villepinte, Strasbourg and Nancy, 3 + 4/2012), he stressed.

    - "We must bring down the Bureaucratic State, in order to Build up an entreprenerial State, which will become a Driving Force and a Support for all those who Create, Invent, want to undertake", Sarkozy appealed to the People.

    + "The Condition is a .. Unity" of the People "in order to form a Block against all forces of Desintegration which Threaten our Society and our Economy" : That's why, "I'm speaking to the People .., not to the Left, nor to the Right, but to Citizens, whoever they might be, not only to Militants", he clarified.

    => Because if we are "United" and "get rid of Old Evils of Sectarism and Communautarism (Comp. supra), we "can claim to Renew the Achievement of the 30 Glorious Years (1945-1974), because Europe will become able to have a say in the World", Sarkozy explained ambitiously.     

>>>  - "Hear my call" : Like that of "Victor Hugo, of General De Gaulle, .. looking towards the Future, .. choosing Progress, as that of a France (and all Europe) which wants to serve all Humankind. Take your Fate in your own Hands ! Stand up" to the Challenge ! "Speak out ! Say what you have in your Heart. Say what you Want... Tell it alloud and strongly. Say it Now ! .. Don't  be afraid :" They'll never get you, "If you decide that you want to Win !", Sarkozy galvanized the applauding People.

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

+     Concerning the Number of People attracted by this exceptional event, set up  at the last minute, a Sunday, the Organizers were apparently taken by surprise by the greatest than expected group of People  (estimated at about 120.000 by some sources) who arrived at Concorde square, the biggest in Paris : Initially, indeed, (partly obliged also by the Socialist Municipality of the City, which had reserved a pathway for a routine local "Marathon"), the organizers seem to have thought that the number of People due to come might be lesser, and blocked or dispersed the access in a few spots, here and there, (mainly at the right and left side of the main scene, as well as far away, directly ahead of it, in front of the Trees of an adjacent Parc). So that, when more and more People started to progressively arrive during the event, (which started a little bit earlier than expected), a Huge Amount of People were obliged to mass up into 2 Large Columns, at the far Left and far Right of the square, which were progressively extended "à perte de vue" (i.e. prolonged until their end was pushed out of Sight), in 2 Diagonal Columns towards Both Sides of the Concorde Square, with many Persons being "obliged even to stay on the pavement at the oher side of the (adjacent) Roads", as eye witnesses told "EuroFora", confirming the general impression given also by our original Photographs from the Press Center's roof on the spot, as well as certain "Aerial" Photos provided by some Video materials, etc. This fact might also explain why Paris Metro's entries at "Concorde square Station" were blocked by Police shortly after the end of the Meeting, because, as they told "EuroFora", "the Station is full of People", advising to walk up to nearby Madeleine Church's station : ... An opportunity to take a closer look at that superbe, Historic Building (comp. supra), despite problems of Time "zeitnot"...

 

 

Despite the crucial importance of many pending EU issues today, there are not yet enough Debates on Europe's Future in the campaign for the forthcoming French Presidential Elections, the Data of a Poll conducted among Paris-based Journalists from various EU Countries, Embassy Officials and Foreign Business Executives, prepared by APCO/Euroactiv, and sent to "EuroFora", reveals.

    Indeed, "EU Construction" drops down to only     10th among the 13 issues that the participants find sufficiently debated now in France, with an absolute Majority of more than 50% believing that  this key issue is "Insufficiently dealt" until now.

    On the contrary, EU Construction pops up to No 3, i.e. pretty High among 12 other issues, (with No 1 for €uro crisis), in the Preferences of the same European obsezrvers in Paris, justified by the Importance that they believe that each issue should have in the 2012 French Presidential Elections, according to the Data of another Graphic in the same Poll.

    Sarkozy seems better placed in order to deal with EU's Future, attracting 46% positive views, compared to only 35% for Hollande, according to the same Data, even if he's considered much more able in order to tackle the €uro Crisis, as well as the Franco-German relations, (56% and 53% of the views, compared with only 28% and 31%, respectively).

    On the contrary, Hollande seems to have, at leasr, for the moment (End of March) more chances to win at  the 2nd round, for a Majority of Foreign Diplomats and/or Business staff, while ...Sarkozy's crystal-clear Win on both rounds is largely plebiscitated by EU Journalists.

    Politically speaking, the above mentioned findings  have a special importance, because Sarkozy had, notoriously, made, since August 2007, of a (Paneuropean) Debate on Europe's Future, one of the two Conditions for him to accept the continuation of EU - Turkey Negotiations. (The other condition being to "freeze" 5 Negotiation Chapters, considered to be linked with a full EU Membership, that France, together with a growing number of other EU Countries, as Germany, Austria, Netherlands, etc., refuses, as incompatible with a strong and popular, Political Europe, with an Identity and Values, as well as External Borders).

    Such a way to join an ambitious pro-European view with the assurance, given to the People, that they will be protected against pressure to admit Turkey's controversial and unpopular demand to enter inside the EU, that Sarkozy, as well as German Chancellor Merkel, etc., notoriously opposed, played a well known, crucial role in the 2007 French Presidential Elections, brillantly won by Sarkozy, particularly after he succeeded, precisely, to open a Public Debate on this "hot" issue with his "Socialist" competitor then, Segolene Royal, who had done everything she could to avoid even speaking on that...

    However, this time, during the 1st part of the 2012 French Presidential Electiions' campaign, curiously, neither Sarkozy nor anyone else among the main players, hasn't yet started to develop any follow-up to this succesful 2007 Debate, (which was, meanwhile, also taken over by EU Parliament's June 2009 Elections, as well as in Germany, in the UK, in Austria, in Bulgaria, in the Netherlands, Belgium, and other EU Countries, also at National level),  even if the 2007 move was explicitly destinated to be completed at a subsequent and EU level, (comp. supra+).

    Therefore, it so more strange, indeed, that this central and "hot" issue, substantially linked with Europe's Future, and a real "Cross-roads" of many other important questions, (such as Human Rights/Democracy, EU Identity/Culture/Borders, Integration of non-European Immigrants, EU Budget - given almost 1 Billion € EU grants to Turkey each year- Social Cohesion, Foreign Policy and International Law, even Energy resources, etc), hasn't yet been taken up until now, even if it is, in fact, also linked with the "hottest", No 1 issue, currently debated all over the French and other Electoral 2012 campaigns : That of the €uro "crisis" :

    - Notoriously started from Greece, at the end of 2009, obviously mis-handled by a former "Socialist" Government, in a way which aggravated Global Speculation against all Europe, the beginning of that so-called "€uro Crisis", was, in fact, mainly due to a controversial "Deal" brokered back on 1999-2000 between the mainly "Socialist" former EU Governments and even EU Commission's former President (Prodi, after the ChristianDemocrat/EPP former Prime Minister Jacques Santer was suddenly pushed to resign in the middle of 1999 !), accepted Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, almost at the same moment that they also accepted Greece's, earlier than normal, entry into €uroZone, even before Athens makes necessary Reforms in order to absorb a growing Debt notoriously provoked by massive apointements in the State-controlled sector of many counter-productive cushy job holders and/or political lackeys of former "Socialist" Governments, in exchange of Greece's acceptance of Turkey's EU "Candidate" Status, despite gross violations of Human Rights, cultural and socio-economic underdevelmopment, the persisting Military Occupation of part of Cyprus, refusal to recognize the Armenian Genocide and Blockade of Armenia's borders, War Threats and systematic Harassment against Greece at the Aegean, Deadly Turkish Military Interventions inside Iraq, usurpation of  Rivers' precious Water, hindering Syria, Iraq, Jordany, and other Neighbouring Countries, continuation of the Bloody Kurdish problem, etc, for which EU Parliament had traditionaly blocked all EU Funds earmarked for Ankara during almost a Decade earlier..

    => These 2 and interlinked 1999-2000 gross Blunders, which resulted in the 2005-2007 Blockade of EU's Institutional dezvelopment with Majority Abstentions in EU Elections (1999-2004+) and 3 "No" in EuroReferenda in France, the Netherlands and Ireland during 2005-2007, as well as into triggering the 2009-2011 €uro Crisis via Greece, were both committed, almost at the same time, by former "Socialist" Governments (in France, Germany, the UK, Italy, Spain, Greece, etc, :  ie. Jospin, Schroeder, Blair, Amato, Gonzalez, Simitis, etc), who bear grave Responsibilities vis a vis Europe and its People.

    Now that almost all that has started recently to become crystal-clear, after years of opacity, and EU Citizens can, at last, begin to see the whole picture of what really happened in their lives and throughout Europe during the last 2 or even 3 Decades, will such central European issues be Excluded from Public Debates, in front of all EU Citizens, by their main Political leaders, so that they can become able to choose, soon, by voting, fully aware of what really happened and what is really at stake ?.

    Recent controversial attempts inside EU Commission and/or EU Parflament (comp. earlier, relevant, "EuroFora" NewsReport), remind everybody the simple fact that, as long as EU - Turkey Negotiations continue, (costing more than 850 Millions € each year in Grants given to Ankara's Government, even during the Financial Crisis !), anything might happen, even in a few years time, if that pending matter is not definitively settled, in one way or another, particularly when there are both obvious and covert attempts to nullify EU Citizens' Political Choices, even without giving them a real chance to be fully aware of what might be coming, sooner or later...

However, the scandalous irruption of a Turkish pro-Government Media (Zaman Newspaper, English edition) in France's tragedy of Children and unarmed soldiers massacrated by monstruous Terrorists, with gross insults and slandering also against all Europe, and accusing personaly the French President Sarkozy, as well as other EU Leaders and all Europe, to be responsible for the killings, threatening that there might even be worse, if they continue to refuse Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, and if they dare speak about EU's  Civilisation, Identity, etc, dramatically reminded, at the end of March 2012, that nobody can simply "forget" and sweep under the carpet such an issue which,n in fact, still remains to be definitively and clearly settled for ever, (f.ex. as it did, in the Past, for Morroco)... 

***