newsitems

 

*EU Finances, Integration and role in the World figured among the issues evoked by German President Christian Wulff in his 1st official foreign Visit which he symbolically chose to make to EU Parliament's President, Polish MEP, Jerzy Buzek in Strasbourg, on the road from Berlin towards Paris, as they noted both :   

 - EU Parliament's President, professor Jerzy Buzek stressed from the outset  that he was "very glad to see Germany's President, newly elected, to make his 1st visit to us, (in EU Parliament) in Strasbourg",

    - "We (EU Parliament) are a kin of Democracy also from Berlin, representing all EU Citizens, but we need suppot from our Member States for our main Ideas in the EU. The First is to make our EU more Effective, and relevant, using the Community Method. Specially because we (EU) face (Global) Crisis, and we must Modernize ourselves, as we know from the Past", he observed.

    - "Germany is Central for the EU, because it's a Founding, big Country, also with a Big Economy, influencing very strongly the EU". All of us (MEPs) are very Aware about that, and we wish you a very good Presidency in your Country. ...Thank you for being with us Today and for giving us clear answers to our questions, as well as for your European message", Buzek added (on their previous, brief bilateral meeting in camera).

     - I wanted to "send a Signal" with my 1st official visit as President of the Federal Republic of Germany, "by coming here to Strasbourg", to meet the President of EU Parliament, a freely elected, Democratic Institution."

    - Because, "I wanted to make it very Clear that Germany, during these Difficult Times, at a European and Global Level, "relies to Strasbourg" Parliament on the EU, and for the Stability that EU provides, which, we believe, should continue  .. So, being able to meet today with the President of EU Parliament (Buzek) is important for us.

    + But "we want also to act Together with our Partners, and continue to be a Reliable EU Member Country", on the main topical issues for Europe.  Thus, "by coming to Strasbourg, we also pay our respects to the Franco-German Friendship, which is another Important issue for us", the German President added.

    - "I'm glad that this Signal was understood, and I want to make it clear that EU Parliament has a very Serious and  Important part to play in the EU", and for its role in the World, where "it's important (for the EU) to  continue to speak with One Voice also in the Future", including in Topical issues, such as, f.ex. "Financial Markets' Regulation, Foreign Policy,  Economic Policy, Environmental policy", etc..

    + "Speak in one voice is important because Europe as such has not the greatest weight of all other Continents in the World", Wulff said, "but it becomes  increasingly important, that the EU, because of the Stability that it provides and has achieved, continues to speak with some Weight", and that's crucial "when it comes f.ex. to ensure Growth, to inject a greater sens of Economy, and to fix Priorities in Economic Reforms", etc., he pointed out.

- "We had, recently, a Heated Debate, about the Safety of certain Countries, as f.ex. Greece, This was a necessary debate, if we are to stay a Reliable EU Partner" , for which we must make our Contribution, but also speak about Reforms, Sanctions, Rules to adhere to, etc"., went on to say Wulff, (apparently evoking the current attempts of some mainly Anglo-American Speculators to exploit against EU the Error committed by some Past "Socialist" Governments to broker a doubtful  Economico-Political Deal with a former "Socialist" Government in Greece, back on 1999-2001+, to let it enter Earlier than normal in €uroZone, even without doing previously necessary Reforms, mainly on reversing a Huge number of unpopular, often abusive or even corrupted Public Sector cushy-job holders imposed by Political Clientelism and Nepotism since the 1980ies, in exchange of accepting Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid. Both these 2, practivaly intelinked Errors, notoriously costed too much afterwards to the EU, both Financially and Politically... : See previous "EuroFora"s NewsReports).

    For all these and other EU issues,  he concluded by expressing a "great Respect" for "Cooperation" with EU Parliament", "thanking" Buzek for his welcome.
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    - Questioned on claims that some "re-Nationalisation" attempts might go against "EU Integration", Wulff replied by stressing that, certainly, "we have to ensure the continuation of the EU Integration process, and work hard for support to the European Idea, also by explaining and proving to the People the Value of the EU, both for Free Democracy (that f.ex. EU Parliament symbolizes), and, first of all, for continued Economic Prosperity and Development, etc. on which we have to work hard. I think that, despite Concerns and Fears of some People or Member States, this can be achieved. EU is not (yet) a Federal State, in order to share Financial a.o. means, but it's necessary to articulate the Financial and Political processes in the EU. Only if we do so, we can show that People and Governments are really Committed to European Ideals and further Improvement, he concluded (speaking via oral translation).
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     Topically, considering such issues (Comp. infra), Wulff was also greeted in Strasbourg also by the experienced former EU Parliament's President, and past EPP/ChristianDemocrat Group Chairman, currently new President of the famous "Adenauer Foundation", Hans Gert Poettering, who suddenly emerged,  just on the Side of a surprised "EuroFora", moving so Fast that our Photo machine just got some white strips of Light...

    Poettering, who stays also in the same Osnabruck Village in which Wulff lived until now, but has also Brillantly led the German EPP/ChristianDemocrat faction to a Succesful Win in EU Parliament's June 2009 Elections including under the banner of Chancellor Merkel's crystal-clear refusal to admit Turkey's controversial and notoriously unpopular EU bid, which is also contrary to "EU Values", as she declared in Berlin from the Beginning of the 2009 EU Elections, together with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, speaking afterwards to "EuroFora" expressed the view that Wulff would normally respect the well known official position of the CDU/CSU Political Parties which recently spearheaded his Election by the Bundestag, which is notoriusly in line with more than 65% of German Citizens' opposition to Ankara's EU claims, that a growing number of EU Leaders finds opposed to a Strong, Popular,  Integrated and really Democratic and developed EU, with a Cultural and Historic Identity able to attract positively the support of a large Majority of EU Citizens.

 

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    + Wulff was on his road towards meeting with French President Sarkozy in Paris, (who had himself taken the initiative to visitGerman Chancellor Angie Merkel in Berlin from the very  1st Day of his Inauguration at Elysee Palace in Paris : See "EuroFora" co-Founders' Publications from Both Events on the spot, including Sarkozy Spokesman reply to our question at the conclusion of the Berlin Summit back on Mary 2007, as Merkel had herself done, as early as since November 2005, vis a vis former French President Chirac  : See Merkel's reply to "EuroFora" co-Founder's question in the Press Conference which followed that Franco-German Summit).

    Merkel's faithful and experienced Translator for German - French language was, on this occasion, present at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, (replying in French to a "Wilkommen" in German by "Eurofora", after we briefly met also at Heiligendam, Pomerania,  during Germany's Presidency of the  G 8 Heads of State/Government Summit in 2007, independently of Brussels, Paris, Berlin, etc), before flying with the New German President Christian Wulff to meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy later this same Day at Paris' Elysee Palace. 

(NDLR : "DraftNews", as already sent to "EuroFora"s Susbscribers/Donors. A more accurate Final Version is due asap).

***

On the 2010 Anniversary of the cold-blood Murder of dissident Turkish Cypriot Journalist Kutlu Adali,  in the Territories of Cyprus still occupied by Ankara's Army since a 1974 Military Invasion after a short-lived coup linked to former Colonels' chunta in Athens, (jailed since then),  his Family and Friends vainly denounced the fact that, despite a 2005 ECHR Judgement condeming Turkey for lack of any efficient Investigation to find and punish those responsible for the killing, still, 14 Years later, neither Turkey itself, nor the Ankara-supported illegal Occupation regime, hasn't found yet nobody to blame for the Brutal Crime committed with five bullets fired at the Journalists Head...

Because, meanwhile, the forthcoming Turkish rotating CoE Chairmanship, (November 2010 - May 2011), had already started, immediately after the traditional take-over of the Committee of Ministers' Human Rights meetings' Presidency  6 Months earlier (May - November 2010), by being Marked, since its 1st  trimestrial Session on June 2010, with the Adoption of  Resolution putting paradoxically ... an End to its general Duty to Monitor the Implementation of ECHR's Judgements in the case of Adali's murder !

This astonishing Fact, which obviously aggravates inevitable fears about Journalists' Freedom of Expression when CoE's Ministers' rotating Chairmanship is due to be, from November 2010,  fully entrusted to Turkey, wih its notoriously Bad Record on this area, (considering the outstanding Number of ECHR Condemnations of Ankara's Authorities' frequently Negative Practice vis a vis various Critical Media), was, indeed, confirmed to "EuroFora" by  3 Experienced CoE Officials and Diplomats, who were, however, both ...Unable to tell us of any Important New Development which might be serious enough to eventually claim that Turkey could have really brought recently into light some conveincing Evidence that it would have fully met its Obligation to make Efficient and Transparent Investigations in order to shed Light on the Circonstances and the Motives of Adali's Murder, find out and bring to Justice for due Punishement the Perpetrators of the Killing and the Instigators.

Adali was known mainly as a Critic of Ankara's policies on Massive Imports of Turkish Settlers from Anatolia to the Occupied Territories of Cyprus, which has been twice denounced by CoE's Assembly and Ministers in the Past as risking to provoke  a "Political Obstacle" to Peace and ReUnification in Cyprus, by "Altering" the Demographic Composition of the area, since they progressively replacing not only Greek Cypriot Refugees, obliged to flee their Ancestral Land/ Family Homes, but even of genuine Turkish Cypriots themselves, who risk to become a Minority after being outnumbered by incoming Turkish Settlers, in the context of a Systematic "Ethnic Cleansing" orchestrated in a Foreign Land by the Occupying Power, in a way similar to what  International Penal Court's statute clearly denounces as "War Crimes"...

Despite a 2008 CoE Committee of Ministers' call upon Turkey to make a New Investigation on Adali's Murder, according to its obligation to implement ECHR's 2005 Judgement, on the contrary, Ankara apparently didn't really do anything more than to simply repeat its Old Claim that it would have "tried", but "couldn't" ever find out Nothing about the Criminals and their Motives, and that's all !  But, at one of the Rare detailed Discussions of this Case, with an exchange of Documents citting Concrete Facts and Arguments inside CoE's Committee of Ministers, a few years ago, it had become obvious that, in reality, Turkey had Never done Real Efforts to  seriously Investigate Adali's Murder  in an Effective and Transparent way, so that ECHR's Judgement condemning Ankara remained both justified and topically outstanding. Nevertheless,  instead of pressuring Turkey to take the required action in order to respect, at last, ECHR's Judgement, on the contrary, on June 2010 appeared this astonishing and unexplained yet June 2010  decision to ..Stop Monitoring Adali's Murder, immediately after Turkey took over the rotating Chair of CoE's Committee of Ministers' Human Rights trimestrial Sessions (See supra), for reasons which remain Unknown to the Public...

Curiously, Adali Murder's File would have been reportedly closed on June 2010 inside CoE's Committee of Ministers ...without any Debate, merely via a "Silent" procedure, practically hidden and burried as a simple Number in the middle of a Long List of various other, hetericlite and usually "anodynous", non-controversial banal cases with many Draft "Resolutions" submitted by CoE's Secretariat and automatically considered.. implicitly "decided" by ..."tacit approval" (i.e. unless enough CoE Member States' Diplomats are Timely alerted on a specific issue hidden among Hundreds of various others, usually lenient cases, and manage to react strongly enough on Time, before it becomes too late in such Bureaucratic procedures), as "EuroFora" found out by CoE's sources... 

But this is in obviously in Blatant Contradiction with an absolutely Differend attitude inside CoE's Committee of Ministers vis a vis the similar case of another Critical, Investigative Journalist's Brutal Murder :  That of Gongadze in Ukraine, (on which ECHR issued a Judgement asking the same things, exactly in the Same Year as on Adali's Murder case : on 2005 !), where CoE's body has been until know constantly asking from the Ukranian Authorities and pressuring them to pursue further theirs Investigations, despite the fact that Ukraine has already found, arrested, judged and condemned to 10 Years in Jail two Perpetretors of Journalist Gongadze's Murder, and recently arrested a 3rd Suspect, accused to have organized the Killing, while also accepting even the active Intervention of Foreign Experts from USA's FBI, etc. in Ukraine's own National Investigation, which continues in order to try to  complete its findings by arriving also up to a possible Mastermind or main Instigator...

Keep such Opposed attitudes in these two cases of Journalists' Murders, Gongadze and Adali, (both based on ECHR Judgements issued the same year 2005 and asking the same thing : to do an Efficient Investigation),  by persisting to pressure Ukraine, which has already found and punished 3 Suspects and opened up its Enquiry even to Foreign Scrutiny, while ....absolving Turkey, which didn't yet find, nor punished anyone at all for Adali's killing, would inevitably and obviously risk to appear as if a lobby searched to impose inside CoE a practice of  Double Standards , which would be Detrimental to the Moral Authority of Strasbourg's Human Rights' Organization !

Ukraine is due to take over CoE's rotating Chairmanship shortly after Turkey's turn will end.

The Contradiction which surfaced this Summer, was recently Highlighted also by an Exceptional PanEuropean-International Event at the CoE in Strasbourg, on the occasion of an Exhbition on "Freedom of Expression and Journalists' Safety", co-organized by the Swedish Ambassadors/Permanent Representatives to UNESCO and CoE, as well as the European Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, and CoE Assembly's Rapporteur on Press Freedom, British  Socialist MEP Andrew McIntosh, Chairman of the Committee on Culture, Science and Education, as well as the Experienced CoE's Director on Human Rights' and Legal Standards, Jan Kleijssen from Austria  :

 
- CoE Human Rights' Commissioner Hammarberg, strongly denounced mainly the "Impunity" of Criminals and all those Responsible for Brutal Aggressions, Harassment, Threats and other attempts to Intimidate and Muzzle Journalists, stressing the Need for Justice to be done in order to prevent also more such Crimes against the Freedom of Expression and Press to be committed in the Future. (See parts of Hammarberg's a.o.'s original remarks, already sent to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors earlier).

    Mats Ringborg, Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Sweden to UNESCO and OECD in Paris, who spoke at the "Journalist's Freedom and Safety" CoE event, was interested to ask concrete information on Adali's murder ECHR case, and promised to examine the possibility to eventually include it in the framework of General Issues of Principles and International Tools for this kind of matters,  currently discussed at the UNESCO, as he said to "EuroFora" on the sidelines of the event organised mainly by the experienced out-going Swedish Ambassador/Pemanent Representative to the CoE, Per Sjögren, discreetly active during the 2008 Swedish CoE Presidency together with Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, who is due to continue supervising CoE's Human Rights issues after he takes over the Direction of Swedish Diplomacy's Legal Services, as he indicated later to "EuroFora". 

By an astonishingly Symbolic Coincidence, the Exhibition at the CoE focused on an Eye-catching, Huge Panel prepared by New York based "Committee to Protect Journalist", which dressed an impressive Synthesis of various Violent Aggressions, Persecutions, Murders, etc. committed against Journalists all over the World since ...1997 : I.e. precisely since the Year that the affair of Adali's Murder started officially at the ECHR, when the Victim's Wife, Ilkay Adali, lodged an Application against Turkey in Strasbourg's Court, which became the "Case No 38187/97"..

 

- "Adali, a political columnist with the leftist newspaper Yeni Duzen in Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus, was fatally shot in front of his home. He had written critically about .... immigration policies enabling Turkish nationals ... in Cyprus. A little-known group called the Turkish Revenge Brigade claimed responsibility for his assassination, but he had also received threats for a recent investigative report on an antiquities heist said to involve a Turkish general", reminds from N.Y.C. the "Committee to Protect Journalists" website until now (July 2010).

- "Suspected Source of Fire: Paramilitary Group. Impunity: Yes", the experienced International NGO on Press Freedom and Safety, "CPJ" concludes.

Adding to such Timely "Coincidences", the Author of CoE/UNESCO Exhibition's Panel : New York heaquartered, international "Committee to Protect Journalists", had been actively involved in the Adali Murder affair, when "EuroFora"s co-Founder, (who has been following the case and Publishing various Exclusive News on it all over between 1996 and 2010), alerted the CPJ Official then in charge of Europe/Asia affairs, after revealing in 2000, (on the base of a Research in ECHR's Full, Original Files of the case, available only in Strasbourg per request on the spot), that the Victim's Wife, Ilkay, had repeatedly protested at EuroJudges for being harassed, often together with their unique Daughter, and pressured in order to "Drop" her application on her Husband's Murder !

Another "Symbolic Coincidence" was also the fact that the CoE/UNESCO Exhibition alerting on the need to protect Journalists' Safety and Freedom had been Timely set up ....right in front of the door of CoE's Committee of Ministers,  whose incoming rotating Chair is Turkey (See supra), and where an Astonishing Resolution had just been taken on June to Stop even Monitoring Turkey's persisting Failure to comply with ECHR's 2005 Judgement condemning Ankara for Lack of any Efficient Investigation on Adali's Murder (See also supra)..

 
Artfully pushing this move further, even in a Comic-Tragic way, a Choir formed by CoE's staff had the Bright Idea to orchestrate a "Musical-Theatrical" happening, in front of CoE/UNESCO's Exhibition denouncing Aggressions and Threats against critical Journalists' Safety/Freecom, and CoE's Committee of Ministers' Door, where they marked a Popular Success with many Smiles and Applause among numerous  bystanders by Singing a Comic/Satirical Song about .."All that Rain (which) is falling upon us !", and wisely holding Huge ...Ombrella's, (as if to timely protect People from even more astonishing things than putting practically an End to the Investigation of a non-elycidated Murder of Journalist), shortly before Turkey takes over CoE's CM., only a few meters away !...

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-  "Though fourteen years have passed since the assassination, the culprits have not been arrested, nor has evidence about the case come to light", reportedly denounced Turkish Cypriot Daily "Africa" Newspaper on the 14th Anniversary of the Assassination of Journalist Kutlu Adali outside his House on 6 July 1996.

Meanwhile, a Ceremony was organized this Tuesday by the "Adali Foundation" and the "Yeni Duzen" Newspaper, where the Victim had been working at the time. The Organizers' Spokesman, Burhan Eraslan, stressed that Adali was supporting Peace and Democracy in Cyprus, denouncing the fact that this Murder case, like other similar cases, hasn't been resolved yet.

There are at least 3 probable Political Motives behind Adali's Brutal Murder, according to various sources, which are all convergent and even linked together, both logically and Timely :

1) His long-standing denunciation of Turkish Settlers' massive, systematic influx in Cyprus' Territories Occupied by Ankara's Military, where they progressively replace real Turkish Cypriots, while also notoriously usurpating Greek Cypriot Refugees' Family Homes and/or ancestral Land, threatening to add a New Political Obstacle to the ReUnification of Cyprus, as CoE has repeatedly warned.

2) A recent denunciation that the Victim had been just investigating shortly before he was murdered, against a  Christian Monastery's destruction and looting, reportedly linked with a Military Commander of the Turkish Occupation Army : 

 

- "Adali, .., was murdered in front of his Home on 6 July 1996, soon after he had published a story saying that a former senior Officer of the Turkish Army in Cyprus had been involved in an attack on a Monastery, and reporting the misuse of civilian vehicles belonging to the Defence ministry".

"Nobody has dared to give evidence about the murder, which remains unsolved.", denounced Paris-based International NGO "Reporters without Borders" in 2002.  

3)  Adali's forthcoming personal Testimony at ECHR's Hearing on the "Cyprus v. Turkey" InterState case, (which covered a wide spectrum of Human Rights Violations, spreading from usurpation of Refugees' Homes and Land, to "Missing" Persons' kidnaping, Torture, Killings, etc, with persisting scandalous Impunity of all Perpetrators of such horrible Crimes and Inhuman/Degrading Treatment of Victims' Families kept in the dark by Turkey, refusing to give any information to them on what really happened to their beloved ones (fex. Husbands, Sons, Brothers, Kids, etc ., many of whom had even been detained in Turkish mainland Prisons, whose Archives still remain Secret !), as it had been scheduled in Strasbourg at the time of the murder (Summer 1996).

 

--Just a few Months ago, in 2009, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) officially "demanded that the Turkish government and the authorities in the north of Cyprus renew their investigation into the killing of journalist Kutlu Adali who is thought to have been targeted by Turkish security agents or unknown assassins of the administration in the northern part of Cyprus".

- "This case must not be closed until justice has been delivered,"  reportedly said Arne Konig, President of the EFJ.

This crucial point has been repeatedly stressed also by the Experienced, long-time Secretary General of the International/European Federation of Journalists, Aidan White himself, speaking at various occasions to "EuroFora,  the latest on Adali being on November 2009 : - "They (CoE's Committee of Ministers) must not Stop" Monitoring, but, on the contrary, "continue" to push for fresh and efficient Investigations until the Truth is found on this Journalist's murder as in any other similar case, White replied to an "EuroFora" Question, on the sidelines of a Speech on "Press Freedom" at a CoE event organized in Strasbourg together with various French and other Professional Associations of Journalists.

 

- "It is a Scandal that so many Years after a Brutal and targeted Assassination, there is an Attempt to Quietly Close the File", König had warned. On the contrary, "Turkey and the authorities in the north of Cyprus must take their Responsibility and put New Efforts into finding the Killers."

- "The shadow of Injustice, impunity and Scandalous disregard for the Rights of Journalists hangs over this case and this must be put right," said König.

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   -  EU Parliament's Rapporteur on Turkey's controversial EU bid, Dutch ChristianDemocrat MEP Ria Oomen-Rujtens, speaking to "EuroFora", agreed that if Ankara really persisted to fail  to conduct an efficient investigation into  journalist's murder at the Territories of Cyprus occupied by its Army, this "could be" included in her forthcoming 2010 Draft paper scheduled "fcr October", and did "not exclude" that, if she received meanwhile more concrete informations, that it might eventually be cited also in the draft EU Resolution due to be voted by MEPs.

    Other Parallel, Converging Moves might, eventually, be done also by CoE's PanEuropean Commissioner on Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg (but only in a General framework of Principles' respect in various similar cases raising issues of Journalists' Safety and Freedom all over Europe), and/or CoE Assembly's Rapporteur on Human Rights' Defenders, German ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Holger Haibach, even if the most Normal thing to do would obviously be to seriously examine Adali's Murder in the framework of CoE Assembly's long-time Rapporteur on Journalists' Safety and Freedom, Chairman McIntosh (comp. supra).   

    Meanwhile, the President of CoE Assembly's Legal and Human Rights' Committee, experienced ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Christos Pourgourides, speaking to "EuroFora", agreed that in the context of his forthcoming New Report on ECHR Judgements' Execution, the issue of Adali's non-elucidated Murder, in relation to which, Turkey was strongly condemned by ECHR,  should, normally, be raised and seriously discussed, together witr all other outstanding cases of Journalists' Killings throughout all CoE's Member States (including f.ex. at Nortrhern Caucasus, in Russia,  inside Turkey itself, etc), particularly after the recent Positive developments on the Gongadze murder case (See supra), "as a matter of General Principle", and in order to avoid "Double Standards".

    But, according to the latest available information at our knowledge, Turkey remained the LAST CoE Membe State with outstanding, and not-implemented yet, ECHR Judgements Condemning for Grave Violations of Human Rights,  which still persists to fail to agree a Date for a Monitoring Visit by CoE's Rapporteur on the Execution of ECHR's Judgements, as President Pourgourides himself acknowledged in reply to an "EuroFora"'s question...

EU's need to urgently invest in Science and Innovation for Growth in a Competitive Economy, and EU Foreign Policy's definition by EU Governments, monitored by MEPs, figured high at the exceptional meeting of all EU Commissioners chaired by President Barroso, together with French Prime Minister Fillon, who met also with EU Parliament's President Buzek from Poland, and out-going EU Council's Chairman, Spanish Prime Minister Zapatero, in EU Parliament at the eve of important MEPs' Votes on landmark issues, such as f.ex. the creation, for the 1st time, of an European External Actions' Service, i.e. EU's Diplomacy vis a vis the rest of the World , later this week in Strasbourg.                                                                                                                                

Speaking afterwards to Journalists, including "EuroFora", Barroso observed from the outset that "an important" encounter between the "Group of all EU Commissioners" and the Prime Minister of France "took place at EU Parliament's Headquarters in Strasbourg", and that this met a current need for "EU Institutions to work more efficiently", including "with EU Member Countries' Governments, particularly during the present situation" of Global Economic Crisis, "which needs to pool all positive Energies together".

-  "Hailing French Government's recent decision to start a Reform of the Retirement Pension's schema", EU Commission's President said that "such Reforms are Important not only for France, but also for the whole EU in its entirety, becausee they translate our stance on (the need to augment EU's) Competitivity : Europe must become more Competitive : When it faces very Strong Competitors, it's obvious that, if we want to ...safeguard  our Social Model, we must adapt it, and modernize it", as he said.

 - Now, "we (EU) are in a stage of Recovery, but it's still Fragile. That's why our common Aim is to consolidate this Recovery. After obtaining at the G20, at Toronto, what we (EU) wanted :  EU aims to relaunch Growth inside Europe and create Jobs, with the 2020 Strategy". But, "in order to create this Growth, we need to restore also Trust, by committing ourselves to Structural Reforms, favorable to a Financial Stabilty. That's what we defended at Toronto. It's not just about spending less, but, what counts above all, is to Spend Better", he pointed out.

- "To succeed, we need a better Coordination between (EU) Member States, linking together Budgets, MacroEconomic Policies and Structural Reforms. EU Commission is now working on ameliorating EU Economic Governance, whose Key stone remains the Respect of Common Rules and the Community method", EU Commission's Head ...auto-promoted his own organization... - "We presented, last week, a ToolBox for the implementation of our May (2010) Proposals, aiming at Stabilizing the Growth and Stability Pact, rectify the MacroEconomic Imbalances, and establish a Solid Framework for Crisis' Management. On the 2020 (Economic) Strategy, we (EU) are already entered a period of Concretisation,  and, during the Next Months, EU Commission will present new flagship Initiatives for Jobs, Innovation and Industrial Policy", he anounced.

- "We also thank France's strong support for an EU Economic Governance", on which "we (EU Commission) have presented some proposals, and hope to make progress during the forthcoming Months. We (EU) must advance both in Economic Coordination and in Financial Regulation, as well as into deepening the Internal Market", Barroso equilibrated. "We both believe, together with the French Prime Minister, that this is necessary in order to relaunch Growth and realise EU's Potential in the World". Because "the efficiency of our (EU's) relations with our main Economic Partners (fex. USA, Japan, China, Russia, Africa, etc) are a key element for a success, for which we (EU Commission) are working in cooperation with our Member States", Barroso concluded.

- Fillon thanked from the outset "EU Commission and its President for their invitation to discuss together, both the Financial Stabilisation and the Structural Reforms, as well as France's Priorities for the modernization of European policies on Research and Growth" :

- "It's a Symbolic Day, because, at the same moment that I was presenting to EU Commission France's efforts to reduce its Deficit, in particular on 2011, back in Paris the Budget's Minister was presented that plan to the National Assembly, which will have to vote, as well as the Senate", he observed.  It's "a very important effort to reduce for  -2% of GDP our Public Deficit, i.e. some 40 Billions € in 2011, half of it by lowering Public spending , and half with new revenues".

- "But, at the same time, I insisted on the absolute Necessity, in parallel, to continue to Invest in sectors able to produce Growth", stressed Fillon. "Because "nothing would be Worst than to treat all Public Spending in an uniform way, and to provoque another halt of Europe's Growth", Fillon warned.

- "That's why it's necessary to continue efforts for Growth, for the creation of an (EU) Economic Government", as well as" for a better coordinations of Budgetary policies inside EuroZone in order to ensure the Long-term Credibility of our Currency, and to deepen the Internal Market". "But, as Mario Monti proposed in his recent Report, this should be done in the framework of an effort to harmonize Fiscal and Social Policies, in order to reduce the differencies in Competitivity" among EuroZone Member Countries", he pointed out. (Comp. former EU Commission's vice President, Professor Monti's statements to "EuroFora" earlier, already sent to Subsrcibers/Donors)..

- "Moreover, we (France) insisted on the Priority to be given to (Scientific) Research, and into supporting (Technological) Innovation", because "this is one of Europe's weaknesses, due to the Dispersion of its policies" until now, so that "we (EU) have to do a greater effort to Invest rare financial resources on Strategic Priorities for European Economy's Future", Fillon concluded.

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- A question by a Journalist observed that "EU Parliament prepares to vote on the creation of EU's External Action Service", and asked "if there were some Limits which mustn't be bypassed, and, if, after 6 Months of existence, the new Institution of an EU Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, with (British Socialist) Mrs Ashton, did augment EU's visibilitty Worldwide, ensuring thet EU speaks with a Stronger Voice than before, or not ?"

 - For EU Commission's President, Barroso, "Baroness Ashton spend a lot of her Time to prepare the EEAS", and "this wasn't easy". But "She has all my trust, and deserves the same from all EU Member States", because "she took over 3 pre-existing jobs : She chairs EU Council's Foreign Miniters' meetings, which were previouly chaired by the rotating EU State's presidency, she is EU's High Representative as previously (the Spanish Socialist) Xavier Solana, and she's also EU Commission's vice-President, in addition to the current preparation of EEAS, which needed many Negotiations with EU Pariiament and Member States", Barroso tried to explain as far as Ashton's "Agenda overload" was concerned.

- Moreover, "we are just at an Initial Stage in the implementation of EU Lisbon Treaty", Barroso also observed. "It's too early yet to take stock about how EU Institutions will evolve", he estimated. At any case, "a Treaty, cannot, by itself, settle all the issues : Much depends on how it will be developed by the Men and Women who support this project. That's why I always insist on the need for Member States to support EU Institutions and EU High Representative, who needs it, in order for the EU to become really able to speak more and more with one voice in the World", Barroso advised. 

- "We (France) struggled for the existence of a Voice which represents Europe" in the World, reminded Fillon. "We agree with, and support the proposals made by the (EU) Commission" on the creation of EEAS (after a Compromise between EU Parliament, Commission and Council, due to be voted later this week in Strasbourg by MEPs).

-  In fact, "we wish that this (new, Foreign Policy EU) Service will not be just another Commission's service, but a real Innovation, an Added Value which should be supported. In other words, this (EEA) Service should progressively allow the Harmonization of all EU Member Countries' Foreign Policies", Fillon ambitiously observed.

- "EU Parliament's demand to be able to Monitor" the EEAS, "is something Natural, since in all Democracies the Parliament must check the activities of the Executive" power, he pointed out.

-  "And, at the same time, there shouldn't be any Confusion : There is an EU's Foreign Policy which is DEFINED in the framework of EU Council" (i.e. by EU Member Countriies' directly elected Governments), "and supported (embodied) by the (EU's) High Representative (i.e. now Ashton). We (France+) are obviously Vigilent for the(se) Rules to be respected, so that the "Red Line" that (the Question) evoked will not be crossed" over, he warned. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
    Fillon timely made that important point speaking at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, while MEPs were preparing their Final Votes on how EU's External Action Service will be created, shaped and monitored, just one or two Days later this week..

    EU Parliament's Spokesman and Press Director, the experienced Jaume Duch - Guillot from Spain, exceptionally opened this July 2010 Session by drawing the attention of all Journalists to the fact that Lisbon Treaty, which had notoriously created several New EU Institutional Tools, (fex. a permanent "EU President", an EU "Foreign Minister" and an "External Actions Service", stronger EU Parliament's "Co-Decision" Powers, Member States' '"Reinforced Cooperations", EU Citizens' "Initiative", etc), had not made it crystal clear how exactly these New EU Tools should work in real, everyday practice, from the point of view of the "Balance" of Powers between the main EU Actors : EU Parliament, EU Council and EU Commission, so that several compromises had to be hammered out among them in order to arrive at workable solutions.

    Democratic Balance and Legitimacy of EU Institutional changes emerging from EU Lisbon Treaty obviously needs, whenever there is a Concentration of Power and/or the creatiion of a New Body (as, f.ex. the EU External Action Service, EEAS, with a huge Budget, "20 times that of UK's Foreign Office", as a British MEP said, and many Thousands of Staff, etc), to equilibrate that step by another, parallel and synchronous move, developing closer Links to EU Citizens, via f.ex. more Transparency, Information, Participation, Popular Votes and Democratic Elections, etc.

Otherwise, the already dangerous Gap notoriously existing between EU Institutions and EU Citizens would inevitably reach risky proportions which would put into danger the entire European Project, instead of succeeding to stimulate People's active and enthousiastic support for Europe's democratic development.

All this naturally points towards the need to find innovative ways to augment the role of EU Parliament and EU Council, more closely cooperating together in the immediate Future, because Elected Governments and MEPs are the only Actors inside EU Decision-making mechanisms who are Directly linked to EU Citizens' Votes and Democratic Elections' accountability and legitimacy. EU Commission's input is obviously valuable, and even necessary when it really stimulates the emergence of a consciousness for real EU General Interests, but, as things stand, (i.e. without any Direct Election legiimacy) it cannot replace at all the crucial importance of EU Parliament and EU Council, both directly elected and democratically acciountable to EU Citizens.
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Surprisingly, the only 2 questions that a group of other French journalists wished to raise inside EU Parliament in Strasbourg, after an Exceptional Collective meeting between all EU Commissioners with the Prime Miniter of the country, were only about a obscur Franco-French so-called "affair" suddenly provoked this same day by a "Socialist" Media (astonishingly benefiting from Financial support by the current Center-Right Government !), recently specialized in Personal Aggressions, Harassment, Rumours, Accusations, Smear campaigns, etc., (even for supposed acts dating many Years ago or even a Decade in the Past) against some key Ministers, the President of the country, etc.

To "EuroFora"s suggestion to at least link any local issue with France's European policy, in order to hope to have some interesting News for EU-interested Media, the only 2 Journalists supposed to represent .. all (!) the National French Press (sic !), exclusively allowed to raise questions, refused, claiming that "EU issues" should be raised only by EU Commission related Brussels Press, i.e, droping Strasbourg (ARTE TV and EuroFora's HQ) or Lyon (EuroNews HQ) or Berlin or London or Rome or Warsaw or Prague or Madrid or Stockholm or Athens or Wien or Lisbon or Helsinki, or Riga or Budapest, a.o. headquartered Media, even those specialized for Decades to European News, to an obviously counter-productive and undemocratic waste basket...

Fortunately, another Journalist had, at least, the good idea to advance in the direction advised by "EuroFora" and other present EU Journalists, by raisining 2 EU-related Questions, which gave Prime Minister Fillon at least a chance to express France's stance on some Topical EU issues, (Comp. supra).
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- Meanwhile, to a question by a French Journalist asking about an eventual resignation oif a Minister, not because of his Policies, but just because a "Socialist" Media had again launched against him this Morning some new and unproven Personal Accusations on allegations going back to the Past, and if this had even .. "weakened the President" of the Country (sic !), who has notoriously won both 2007 Presidential and Legislative Elections as well as 2009 EU Elections, Fillon replied sharply :

- He observed from the outset, that this was part of "a Serial" made of various, successive Personal Accusations "started by a (Socialist) Media which made a .. Profession out of (personal) Attacks against (France's) President of the Republic", provoking legitimate "Doubts" about that Media's "Impartiality", as he observed.

 - But, "since the beginning of this "Serial", we have never found any proven Fact : Not even one !", Fillon denounced. - "So, we never had any reproach whatever to make against that Minister, and we didn't find any error, whatever, that might have been committed by him", he observed.

- "Thus, after those who initiated this Series of Slandering saw that they just can't stand, as an Official Report of the Financial Inspection is due to attest soon, therefore, they start now to try to re-orientate the focus on another, differend issue, which is that of the Funding of Political Parties !", Fillon pointed out.

- And that, "by abusing of a well known method : " F.ex., "an Anonymous individual, who is on conflict with her former Boss, who makes statements to the Police Yesterday Night (i.e. precisely at the eve of French Prime Minister's exceptional Meetings in EU Parliament in Strasbourg !), and immediately rushes to make also Public Statements to the Press, launching a long series of accusations without any proof,, which, according to the concerned Minister, are entirely baseless", he criticized.

- "We are facing Slander" and "Systematic attempts of Destabilization", the Prime Minister of France denounced. But "we shall not be Intimidated by such kind of methods !". On the contrary, "those who are abusing of such kind of a ManHunt, who launch such a series of Defamations, should wonder if they still have any kind of Conscience", he concluded.

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Such Time consuming, diverting questions probably were one of the reasons for which Fillon had to cancel another scheduled Press point after his subequent meeting with EU Parliament's President Jerzy Buzek, due to chair, immediately afterwards, an important Plenary Debate between MEPs, obliging him to leave from Strasbourg, but not wiithout saluting briefly with a smile "EuroFora" a.o. on his way to Pari.

 

    - "Last but not least, Europe seems rather doing well" in Global matters, "since, now, there are at least 3 out of 4 Chances for a European Team to win the 2010 World Football Championship", France's Prime Minister sportly had added earlier, winning large smiles around him, including by Barroso from Portugal, obviously pointing to the fact that Spain, Germany and the Netherlands had succeeded to qualify for the semi-Finals of the 2010 "Mundial" at South Africa...

    However, his earlier brief meeting with out-going EU chairman in office, Prime Minister of Spain, Zapatero, despite its friendly character, certainly didn't aim at all to pre-judge about the Spanish team's chances to win, or not, the 2010 trophy, before the 2014 Poland and 2016 UEFA championships in France..

    But Fillon could have even added : - "4 chances out of 4" for Europe, because the 4rth Team qualified : that of Uruguay from Latin America, has the particular character to be, in fact .. the most "European" in the World, since its Population is astonishingly composed by more than ... 96% by People originating from various European Countries, (such as, f.ex. Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Greece, Estonia, Poland, Lithuania, Bulgaria, etc. as well as Switzerland, Russia, Armenia, Ukraine, etc) ! An obviously interesting, unique situation also about EU Integration, since all these European origin people have been living together, marrying among them and giving birth to Children concentrating more and more ethnic Europeans united all together...

***

Out-going EU Chairman in office, Spanish Minister for EU Affairs, Diego Lopez Garrido, speaking to "EuroFora" after a debate on the Conclusion of the January - June 2010 Spanish EU Presidency at EU Parliament's Constitutional Committee, late Monday Evening in Strasbourg, stressed that, on the most far-reaching New Institution since the December 2009 entry into force of EU Lisbon Treaty : the EU Citizens' New Right to lodge a Legislative Initiative, even if a basic "Consensus" was initially found inside EU Council, despite some controversies, nevertheless, there are still several Outstanding Issues which remain yet to be solved, and, in particular, "on the Admissibility" of EU Citizens' future moves.
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- "We have achieved a (certain) Consensus" (inside EU Council), at least on main Principles, the Spanish Minister observed, obviously referring to a recent EU Council's partially controversial debate and decision, taken at nearby Luxembourg, to forward an initial Draft hammered out with EU Commission, to EU Parliament for Public Debate and Vote.

- However, now "this Question should be developed by the (incoming) Belgian EU Presidency" (7-12/2010), Lopez Garrido acknowledged, particularly after the Objections and Critical Observations made eben in Public by several EU Member Governments' representatives at EU Council, including, among many others, also France, Germany, Lithuania, etc. (V AGG Notes).

 - On "EuroFora"'s Question, asking him to explain :   - "Which are the Points which should be worked out most of all ?", the experienced out-going EU Chairman-in-office clearly replied  : - "Mostly on the Admissibility", as he said in conclusion of his 6 Months-long efforts in this area.
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Indeed, there was "a Debate on Admissibility" of EU Citizens' Initiative inside EU Council, where EU Member "States were diverging" in their views. "But, finally, they agreed" on a 1st Draft, Lopez Garrido  observed previously.

Earlier he stressed that EU Citizens' Initiative was "the most Important Change introduced by EU Lisbon Treaty", and observed that, despite some initial disagreements, after EU Commission presented a 1st, initial compromise Draft, an Informal EU Council "finally adopted it with only 1 (one) Country voting against : the Czech Republic, (while other EU Countries made some Critical Observations on certain points which remain to be solved), so that the ball is now at the field of "EU Parliament; at- the moment, for Debate" and vote.

 - "At the moment", according to this Draft, " it's possible for EU Citizens, if they gather at least 100.000 Signatures, to request from EU Commission to declare the Admissibility" of a Popular Initiative,. And it's only possible for EU Commission to refuse its Admissibility if an EU Citizens' Initiative obviously stands out of its Legal Competences, he observed.

However, the Spanish EU Minister didn't seem today as Ambitious as he was in the Past, when he initially had declared to "EuroFora" that he hoped for EU Citizens' Initiative to start being prepared "in 1 (one) Month" ! (See :relevant "EuroFora"'s publication at the beginning of 2010) :

- Indeed, now, Lopez Garrido told EU Parliament's Constitutional affairs Committee that he finds "Ideal" if "a 1st Reading in EU Parliament" takes place "within the (incoming) Belgian EU rotationg Presidency"; i.e. between July and  December 2010.

In other words, EU Citizens' Initiative risks to be practically postponed until mid 2011 or even later-on, towards 2012..

Because, usually, a "1st Readinng in EU Parliament" is followed by a return to EU Council (via EU Commission) for a new internal Debate and may be anew Vote among EU Member States' Governments, before a Final, 2nd Vote by MEPs, followed by a Trilateral EU Governments - Parliament - Commission signing of the New Legal Instrument, probably somewhere in Srtasbourg in the foreseeable Future.

 However, EU Parliament's Constitutional Committee had recently scheduled to examine an initial 1st Draft from its Rapporteurs, experienced MEP Alain Lamassoure, former EU Minister of France and current Chairman of EU Parliament's Budget's Committee (EPP/ChristianDemocrat), together with Hungarian Socialist MEP, and vice-Chairwoman of the Constitutional Committee, Zita Gurmai, during its Next Week's meeting, on Monday, July 12. 

(NDLR : See. also NewsDrafts already sent earlier to "EuroFora"'s Donors/Subscribers also on several other issues surrounding recent Developments on EU Citizens' Initiative, including EU Rapporteurs Lamassoure's and Gurmai's,, as well as of EU Commission's vice-President, in charge of Inter-Institutional affairs Sefcovic' s statements to "EuroFora")