
newsitems
EU Parliament President Tajani to EuroFora : -"Dialogue with Citizens is On-Going"

*Brussels/EU Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- Replying to our Question on "Eurofora"s project for Debates between EU Citizens and MEPs before Important Decisions, during his Press Conference, just after speaking at the EU Summit in Brussels, where Heads of State/Government are due to examine also Europe's and particularly €uroArea's foreseable Future, the experienced EU Parliament's President, former Twice EU Commissioner, Top MEP and f. Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, stressed that MEPs' "Dialogue with EU Citizens" is an "On-Going" Issue, particularly in the run up to the forthcoming May 2019 European Elections.
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- "Mr. President, You are very Kean, as you said also earlier in this Press Conference, about what EU Citizens feel as Important Issues. Don't you think that Now, that Preparations for the 2019 Elections have Started, it would be Interesting to have, in Parallel with the Debates - and probably also in order to Help in/Add to those Debates - that you'll organize with the (EU) Heads of States, also other Debates, - if possible, in a quite shoft and easy (simple) way - with the (EU) Citizens and MEPs, about the Most Important Issues that you have in (EU) Parliament'"s Agenda ?, "Eurofora" asked Antonio Tajani.
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- "On the (EU) Citizens : As You know, in (EU) Parliament, this Dialogue with Citizens is On-Going !", President Tajani stressed from the outset, in his Reply to "Eurofora"s Question, as a matter of General Principle.

- Because, already, "the European Parliament organizes a lot of Meetings with Citizens", at Various occasions :
- F.ex., inter alia, "in All my Visits to (EU) Member Countries together with the Conference of Presidents (of MEPs' Political Groups), we organize Meetings with the Citizens".
- Thus, "during my Recent Visit to Cyprus, I organized a Meeting with the Students, in the "House of Europe", in Cyprus, in Nicosia", he reminded.
+ "And, during our Visit to Bulgaria, for Paving the Way to the New EU Bulgarian Presidency (for the period of 1 - 6/2018), the European Parliament organized a meeting at the University, for Exhanges of Views, between the Conference of the Presidents (of MEPs' Groups) and the Citizens", he added.
- On this occasion, there were Direct "Questions and Answers, withOut any (Intermediary) Network".
- It was, indeed, "a real Debate : Free Questions - Free Answers. This is a New System for Better Communication", President Tajani observed, smiling, apparently Satisfied by such a Formula, (i.e. recognizing and appreciatiing the Value of Direct Debates between EU Decision-Makers and EU Citizens on Important Topical Issues, Before chosing one or another Solution).
+ Moreover, "the (EU Parliament's) Communication System is Also Organizing a New System of Communication" : In particular "Meetings with the most Important European "You-Tubers", (at the Web) for a Better Communication with (EU) Citizens".
++ And, in fact, "We are using the Parliament's Election Campaign (preparing the Horizon 2019) to explain our work, in order to Reduce the Distance between (EU) Citizens and the European Institutions", he concluded, as a matter of overall Principle.
+ In Addition, spontaneously reacting to an "Eurofora"s suggestion for EU Citizens-MEPs Debates "Before the Plenary Sessions", on the most Important Decisions affecting their Lives and/or Society at large, President Tajani appeared Ready to Advance even Further Ahead :
- Even if it's (naturally) impossible to invite all EU Citizens during the Plenary sessions", nevertheless, "we Invite the Most Important People, and we are Using the Plenary for Meetings with the Citizens, (f.ex.) on Tourism, on Africa, etc. There are a lot" of such Topical Issues open for Dialogue during the Plenaries, he concluded, leaving room for more eventual adequate moves on this key point for "Eurofora"s project, (See also Infra).
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+ In this regard, the Fact that "Eurofora"s 1997-2017+ Project for Regular Public Debates between EU Citizens and MEPs before EU Parliament's Plenary Sessions' Final Decisions on the most Important Issues which affect their Lives and/or Society at large, is meant (already from its inception : almost at the "Birth" of the Web in the 1990ies) to be realized, in practice, mainly via Internet Forums easily connecting the concerned people by Digital means, withOut Need of "Invitations", physical "Meetings", etc., i.e. in the Simplest possible way, (as we Evoked also in our Question at Today's Press Conference : Comp. Supra), is due to be Discussed with President Tajani also by EU Parliament's experienced Long-Time Press/Media Head and New Director of Communication, Jaume Duch from Spain, as he told us.
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++ Meanwhile, concerning Technical Aspects of "Eurofora"s Project about Web Forums at the eve of the most Important EU Decisions, (Comp. Supra), EU Parliament's Secretary General, the experienced Klaus Welle from Germany, who was Present at Today's Press Conference, made to "Eurofora" an Interesting Suggestion to Use a Practical "Ap." recently prepared by EU Parliament's Scientific Research section, which precisely, helps to Highlight the main Issues due to be Discussed and Decided at Each Forthcoming Plenary Session.
Welle has already presented, some Years ago, as well as more recently, an Interesting General Strategy on the development of Internet's various Actors' Potential for MEPs' outreach to EU Citizens, and has already Discussed such Issues Previously with "Eurofora" (See, f.ex., among others, also : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/euparliamentsecretarygeneralonmayelection.html + http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/euparliamentsecretarygeneraloncitizendebatesbeforedecisions.html , etc) also (working closely Together with President Tajani from January 2017) in view of the forthcming European Elections of 2019.
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+++ Earlier in Strasbourg, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker's special Advisor, and Experienced former Chairman of the Biggest, ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group in the 47 Member Countries-strong PanEuropean CoE's Parliamentary Assembly, as well as f. Minister-President of the Flamish Region in Belgium, Luc Van den Brande, speaking to "Eurofora" during a meeting organized by the University of Strasbourg on Practical ways to Enhance "Horizontal" EU Democracy, did not exclude, but, on the contrary, found possible and interesting to eventually put in real practice a method as that which is suggested by "Eurofora"s project, certainly about Parliamentarian Decision-Making, but, perhaps, even on at least some among EU Commission's most important Decisions : - "Why not ? May be. We shall See", Van der Brande, carefully but positively, Replied in substance, after making sure about the main elements of the proposed schema in practice, (See : ...).
Van den Brande naturally spoke, on those occasions, also about his relevant Report on "a New Opportunity" for "Reaching out to EU Citizens", (that he has shown to "Eurofora"), which was written on October and Published on November 2017 by EU Commission in Brussels, but Discussed also in Strasbourg, including certain very Interesting Key Points able to Usefully Interact with "Eurofora"s project, largely Facilitating eachother, while both serving one and same General European Interest and Democratic, Topical Aim, (Comp. : ...).
**** Meanwhile, "Eurofora" had an occasion to Highlight the Topical Importance of developing EU Politicians - Citizens' Debates on main Decisions also with the President of EU Commission, Experienced former Long-Time Prime Minister of Luxembourg and f. €uroGroup's Head, Jean-Claude Juncker himself, during a Meeting at Offenburg, in Germany, Together with Chancellor Angie Merkel, for the 75th Anniversary of Long-Time Finance Minister and Now Parliament's President in Berlin, Wolfgang Schäuble, (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/schaublejunckerandmerkel.html), just after an interesting mention on such issues made by Juncker at his "State of the Union" Speech on September 2017 in EU Parliament in Strasbourg, almost in Synchrony with new French President Macron's landmark relevant speech for forthcoming Debates on Europe's Future with EU Citizens, symbolically made at the Historic Birthplace of Democracy,on Athen's Acropolis' hill at the Pnyx, (Comp.: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/macronatthehistoricsourcesofdemocracy.html +...)
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EU Parliament President Tajani to "Eurofora": For Solution on Cyprus, withOut Turkish Army

@Brussels/EU Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- Replying to an "Eurofora"'s Question at his Official Press Conference at EU Heads of State/Government's Summit in Brussels, EU Parliament's President, Antonio Tajani, on the occasion of a recent CoE's Committee of Minsters' Decision on ECHR Judgements' Implementation, clearly Confirmed bis that EU supports Cyprus' President Anastassiades' efforts for a Peaceful ReUnification of the Island with No More Turkey's Foreign Troops.
A recent Deadlock on UN-sponsored Talks and a Multilateral Poliical Conference at nearby Switzerland for the Solution of Cyprus' Isse, reached a Deadlock, interrupting the process, mainly because of Ankara's Refusal to Withdraw its Invasion/Occupation Army from Cyprus, and its Insistance on Unilateral Military Intervention Claims, even for the Future.
+ Now, it's also in the Context of a Recent CoE's Comittee if Ministers' Decision on a landmark ECHR's Judgement Condeming Turkey for persisting Massive Violations of Human Rights of Greek Cypriot Refugees/Displaced Persons, that gave a New, supplementary Occasion to stress EU Parliament President's stance on that Key Issue, as a matter of Princiole.
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- When you were visiting, recently, Cyprus, CoE took an Important Decision in Strasbourg, while supervising the Execution of ECHR's Judgements: It Raised Questions to Turkey about what it named as "UnLawful Sales and Exploitation of Greek Cypriot Refugees' Homes and Properties" in the Territories of Cyprus stll Occupied by Ankara's Military, Hindering them to Return (See: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/coeoncyprusrefugeespropertyexploitationbyturkey.html). Shouldn't this be examined by EU Parliament Next Year (2018) in the context of its Annual Report on EU - Turkey Relations ?
- In Fact, EU Parliament's President Antonio Tajani, in his Reply, Advanced Further than the above-mentioned "Eurofora"s Question: Instead of merely Reducing or Trying to more or less Avoid the "Unlawful Exploitation" of Greek Cypriot Refugees' Homes and Properties Traped in the Occupied Territories, where their lawful owners are still Hindered to Return or, at least, have Access, by the Opposal of Ankara's Foreign Invasion/Occupation Military, it's Better to Free them from such a Trap, by, at last, convincing the Turkish Foreign Army to get and keep Out of EU Member Cyprus:

= Indeed, President Tajani, clearly stressed that he was "We Need progress foran Agreelment" on "Cyorus" issue, "but WithOut the presence of Turkish Army in that Part of the Island", which has been Occupied by Ankara's Foreign Military Invasion of 1974.
- "I Support the Moves of (Cyprus') President Anastassiades, to Boost an Agreemenr", confirmed EU Parliament's President, concerning the UN sponsored Talks for a Peaceful ReUnification of the Island.
- "But, as I've said, WithOut the Turkish Army in Cyprus", the Experienced EU Parliament's President, who has served also as former Foreign Minister, Top MEP, and Twice f. EU Commissioner reiterated in Conclusion of his Reply to "Euroforz"s above-mentioned Question, during hus Press Conference at EU Summit in Brussels.
-"These problems are on the Content of the Agreement" on "Cyprus", he added.

- Concerning the Additional concrete Point of the forthcoming, new EU Parliament's Annual Report on EU- Turkey relations, included in "Eurofora"s Question, (Comp. Supra), Tajani stressed, Earlier, as a matter of General Principle, that EU Parliament is always interested on Human Rights issues, and particularly regarding Turkey, obviously implying that the inclusion of serious Topical Developments on such matters in that EU -Turkey Report, would be Natural, and the Right thing to do.
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("DraftNews", as already send to "Eurofora"'s Donors/Subscribers earlier. A more accurate, full Final Version, might be published asap.)
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EU Parliament Sakharov Prize co-winner Ledezma to EF: Unity+Hope for Freedom+Peace in Venezuela

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- One of the 2 Leaders of the co-Winners of EU Parliament's Sakharov for 2017, (all Oppressed Dissidents to Maduro's controversial regime in Venezuela), f. Caracas' Mayor Antonio Ledezma, (an Experienced Politician with Long career at various Top Jobs, from Parliament to Senate, etc), who has just Escaped from that Latino-American Country where he was under various forms of Arrest for Many Years, in an Interview to "Eurofora", stressed the Need for "Unity" and "Hope" in order to achieve peacefully "Freedom".
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- "Eurofora" initially asked Ledezma if he thought that National Political Unity might be Possible in Venezuela, despite, or rather because of the various exceptional Hardships that its Population is Facing nowadays.
- "It's not just Possible, but also absolutely Necessary !", Ledezma immediately reacted to "Eurofora"s above-mentioned Question.
- Since "it's with Unity that we can Find a Solution".
- "This will make possible for Venezuela to get Free from that Tyranny"
- "And, for that purpose, an Agreement is needed".
- In order to "Dissipate any Doubts and Reach a Convergence in the Criteria", he Highlighted.
- "Because we (the Opposition) are currently Dispersed, and it's a method of the Tyranny to <<Divide and Rule>>".
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- "Eurofora" also Asked Tedezma whether he found possible to broker a Political Agreement between the Opposition and the current Government.
- "We have Tried, in a process of Dialogue, already some Time ago".
- "But, Unfortunately, they (Madero's regime) Abused of our Good Faith, according to which we had organized those Discussions", he replied.

- Indeed, "the Citizens of Venezuela were Deprived from their Rights, from Possibilities to Act as Citizens", he concluded on this point.
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- "If an International Pressure is exerted adequately, do you think that a National Government for Political Transition might be accepted (by all involved) ?", "Eurofora" asked Ledezma in fine.
- "That would be a Legitimate Aim" to seek.
- Indeed, it's by exerting Pressure that Venezuela may Free itself from this Everyday Tyranny", he Briefly reacted, without going to further concrete details.
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- "Despite Everything, are you Optimist that you may Succeed to Find a Peaceful Solution ?", "Eurofora" asked, in Conclusion.
- "As Winston Churchil used to say, the only thing to do is to remain Optimist : Never Lose Faith and Hope !"
- "And those who struggle for Venezuela must be animated by such a Hope", Ledezma concluded, with a smile.
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But he stressed, Earlier, speaking at a Meeting with Families of the Prisoners among Venezuela's Opposition, (to whom EU Parliament decided, this year, to Award is Annual "Sakharov" Prize for "Freedom of Thought", via its President, Antonio Tajani), that, unfortunately, given the current situation, we cannot say that we are "Glad" to be in Strasbourg, since the Events still going on in Venezuela, keep as "Sad".
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- Indeed, as the other Leading Co-Winner of the 2017 "Sakharov" Prize, National Parliament's President, Julio Borges, described later-on, at EU Parliament's Plenary, among others, "Malnutrition affects Most Children", the People of Venezuela have generally "Lost about - 10kg each" recently, there is an "Urgent Need for many Medical Drugs", (etc), But, "instead of Bitterness", we "must Not Lose Hope", and "will Not Stop Fighting, until a Real Change and Democracy" is restored .
- In fact, Venezuela is a Country with Rich Natural Resources, (as Oil/Gas, etc), where "Sums 10 Times the UN Budget" have been wasted during a regime with Corruption and even links to "Drug Dealers transporting Cocaine to Europe", etc, (a quite Long-Time Traffic that CoE's Experts had noticed from Wider Latin America areas, via Turkish Smugglers ,, etc, as they had told Journalists in Strasbourg in the Past, including "Eurofora"s co-Founder), Ledezma added.
>>> However, the main point is that - "Freedom is as Vital as Oxygen !", Antonio Ledezma stressed also at EU Parliament's Plenary, ensuring that Dissident People seek "Not Revenge, but Justice".

=> EU Parliament's President, Antonio Tajani, criticizing Out-goin President Maduro's recent Decision to Exclude main Opposition's Candidates in the Forthcoming Presidential Elections, stressed, inter alia, mainly the Need for "Free Elections, with the Participation of All, so that the People of Venezuela can Decide its Future"
EU Parliament's Plenary gave a Standing Ovation to all the Families of Political Prisoners of Venezuela's Opposition, which includes a large variety of tendencies, both of the Right and of the Center and Left.
Curiously, for a Successor of "Progressist" former Venezuela President Chavez, some had pushed under various pretexts, Maduro, these Days, to Visit the controversial ...Turkish President Tayip Erdogan, in the traditionally Oppressive Turkey, for the 2nd Time in a row during this Autumn 2017...
(../..)
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(NDLR : Most = Fast Translation in English from Spanish, via the French language. Original = Available).
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EUParliament Food Safety Committee vPresident Javor to EF(+373 MEPs): Health Risk in Kebab Chemical?

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo(Partly UPDATED)/- EU Parliament's Environment, Health and Food Safety Committee's vice-President, "Green" MEP Benedek Javor, speaking to "Eurofora", strongly Condemned an attempt to Legitimise the use of Chemicals suspected to provoke Cancer and/or other Health Problems mainly in "Kebab" Meet, Against which Voted, afterwards, also a clear Majority of 373 MEPs in the Plenary session of this week in Strasbourg, (See Infra).

Even if, for Procedural Technicalities, that subsequent Move isn't reportedly enough yet (allegedly because of a Required "Qualified Majority") in order to automatically Stop a Controversial EU Commission Draft Regulation threatening to Openly Allow the use of such Glyphosate in "Kebap" and other such street shops, largely used by unwarned People, nevertheless, the Serious Doubts provoked by Conflicting Technical Expertises, and a partial Lack of Transparency, should, normally, Dissuade from Exposing EU Citizens to "UnKnown" Risks, without a Serious, in Depth, and Transparent Scientific Assessment, he pointed out in substance.

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Particularly when it comes almost at the Same Time that Cancer new illnesses have already Reached More than 716.000 per year, and are expected to Augment considerably, from 3,6 Millions up to 4,3 Millions during the Next 2 Decades, as Professor Josef Puchta, of the German Center of Research on Cancer DKFZ, has just anounced, according to Press Reports. To the point that, Worldwide, several People start to Wonder what really happened with all those Millions and Millions € of Public and Private Funds spend in Genetic Technologies during recent decades, allegedly "for the Fight Against Cancer", withOut any known notable positive Result, since Deaths, instead of being Reduced, on the Contrary Persist and even Augment Further...
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- Concerning, particularly, "Phosphoric Acid" and other Doubtful Chemicals destinated to ordinary Meat Food, such as "Kebab", etc., for which EU Parliament had Decided to Debate and Vote a Resolution during this week's Plenary Session in Strasbourg, "Eurofora" asked vice-President Javor, if he really believed that this was a particularly "Important" Issue, taking also into account the Fact that such Foodstaffs were very Largely Consumed by People who are Unaware of the various possible Health Dangers.
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- "I think that it's an Important Issue", vPresident Javor stressed from the outset, in Reply to "Eurofora"s above-mentioned Question
- "It's not only about Glyphostat, not only about Food Safety, but it's also about Transparency and Accountability of the (EU) Institutions", in general, concerning particularly such matters of Human Health and Nature, he warned, pointing at a Wider scope.
-"The Problem with Glyphosite is that we don't exactly Know the Effects of that"
- ".. EFSA tells us that it's Harmless, it has no Cancerogenic effects, IAT say that there Are !"
- "But it shows that there are Adverse Effects (Facts ?)
=> "It's a Scientific Debate, which should be Solved in a Scientific Way"
- "But EFSA does Not Publish some of the Studies which were used for its Conclusion that there is No Cancerogenic effect of Glaphosyte".
- "And some among those Studies that they used, are Studies coming from the MONSANTO (notorious Multinational Bio-Tech. Corporation from the USA, known for its "Hard" Stance to Impose and spread Genetic Manipulation of Plants/Animals, World-wide, f.ex. Corn, GMOs etc)
=> "So, we have Reasons to Question the Reliability of those Studies"...
>>> - "So, I think that a 1st, and most Important, Start for the Dialogue, would be a Will to Make the relevant European Procedure much more Transparent and Accountable, and for Other Issues" too, he concluded.
+ For that purpose, vice-President Javor told "Eurofora" that, already, he had "Met with the (EU Justice) Court"s representatives, Earlier Today
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(+ UPDATED) During the subsequent Vote; at EU Parliament's Plenary, a Big Majority of 403 MEPs Voted Yes, or Abstained, on a Resolution Asking to Stop that Risk. Only a comparatively Small Minority of 272 Voted Against such a Resolution, which "Oppose(d) the adoption of the draft Commission regulation", and "Calle(d) on the (EU) Commission to Withdraw the Draft Regulation".

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Without initially mentioning explicitly Cancer yet, that important Resolution Warns, f.ex., also about "Cardio-Vascular Diseases", that such Chemicals "may impair Bone Health", and/or provoke various Other "Far Reaching Public Health Implications"
Such possible Risks could have a Wide Impact on Many People's Health, since "by means of derogation after derogation, the use of Phosphates as Additives has been approved in More and more Meat preparations, thereby legalising usage", while "Phosphate additives have been and Still are being illegally used in frozen Vertical Spits (f.ex. "Kebab", etc) in several Member States", as EU Parliament's Resolution Denounces.
Moreover, "Frozen Vertical Meat Spits ("Kebap", etc) are destined for the Out-of-Home sector" (f.ex. Street "Kebab-Shops"), and "that means that Consumers are Not Informed about the use of phosphates as food additives in these products, since they are Not Labelled" at all...
Therefore, EU Parliament's Resolution also "Calls on the (EU) Commission to effectively Verify that Member States adequately enforce current Union Legislation pertaining to the use of Food Additives in Meat preparations".
And that crystal-clear Majority of MEPs also Remind the Fact that, according to EU Law (article 6 of Regulation EC No 1333/2008), "a Food Additive may be included ... Only If, on the basis of the Scientific Evidence available, it does Not pose a Safety Concern to the Health of the consumer at the level of use proposed", as a matter of General Principle.
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CoE Questions Turkey on UnLawful Exploitation of Cyprus Refugees'Property+Warns Measures in 9 Months

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- 47 Member States-strong (including Russia) CoE's Top Political Body, its Committee of (Foreign) Ministers, officialy Raised Questions to Turkey about "Complicity" to "UnLawful Sales and Exploitation" of "Greek Cypriot" Refugees' "Homes and Properties" in the "Part of Cyprus" which is still Occupied by Ankara's Foreign Army, 43 Years after the 1974 Turkish Military Invasion of the now EU Member Country's Northern Territories, and Warned the Turks with "Measures", if they do Not "Address the Issue" in 9 Months Time, i.e. Before "September 2018".
+ Meanwhile, in Addition, the PanEuropean Organisation for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law's Ministers also "Firmly Insisted, once again, that the Obligation to Pay the Just Satisfaction Awarded by the European Court, is UnConditional", and Called "the Turkish Authorities" to tell what "Steps" they took "for the Payment" due since several Years.
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>>> It's Already during More than ... 35 Years Now (1992-2017 !), Starting as Early as since 1992, that the PanEuropean/International Community has been officially informed by the CoE, inter alia, also for Massive and Continuous Violations of Human Rights of Greek Cypriot Refugees/Displaced Persons, obliged to Flee the Turkish Military Invasion/Occupation of the Northern part of the Island since 1974, (i.e. about 20% of the Total Population of the Country), when the PanEuropean Organisation's Committee of Ministers authorized, for 1st Time, the Publication, in Strasbourg, of a "Hot" Report with the Conclusions of the European Committee on Human Rights, (which was, then, Key part of ECHR's Mechanism), that had, in fact, been Adopted since the 1980ies, (but held "Secret" until 1992, by the Opposition of a Turkish lobby)...
+ Followed ECHR's landmark Judgements Condemning Ankara's Government on 1994-1998, initially at the individual Case of a Woman Refugee/IDP, Tina Loizidou, (Comp. Loizidou's statements to "Eurofora"s co-Founder, Published then at "TCWeekly" or "PIO/CNA"), and afterwards at the InterState case "Cyprus v. Turkey" of 2001, concerning also All G//C Refugees/IDPs, (Following an Historic, 1st ever, Public Hearing of the Parties in Strasbourg on 1994 : See "Eurofora" Co-Founder's Publication from the spot, then at "PIO/CNA").
Since then, and After Various Other ECHR's Judgements on Similar Cases, particularly between 2006 - 2010/2013, concerning Mainly the Concrete Ways through which this Strasbourg Court's case-law should be Applied in real Practice, (which had, Meanwhile, become also an International Legal Standard, as attested, among others, also by the Landmark Report of UNO's Expert, Professor Pineiro, published by the UNCHCRefugees, Together with the UNHCHRights and UNSGeneral at nearby Geneva : Comp. "Eurofora" UN Top Legal Expert Pineiro's Statements to "Eurofora"s co-Founder, Published then at "TCWeekly": ... + ..., etc), ECHR's Great Chamber issued its Latest Important Judgement on this Issue on Spring 2014, when Euro-Judges mainly Denounced Strongly "Any ...COMPLICITY in Any UnLawful Sale and Exploitation of Greek Cypriot Homes and Property in the northern part of Cyprus", as long as the still Continuing, Massive Violations by Turkey of Refugees/Displaced Persons' rights had Not Ceased, (See, "Eurofora"'s NewsReport at : ...).
>>> Today, this key Point is officially at the Base of CoE's Committee of Ministers' Latest Decision on that Issue, Published Now, which Also Reminds the Fact that the above-mentioned, Landmark ECHR 2014 Judgement clearly says that "Any" such "possible Permission, Participation, Acquiescence or Otherwise Complicity" in that delicate matter, is blatantly "Not Consistent" with "the Conclusions of the Main (ECHR) Judgement(s)", on GreekCyriot Refugees/IDP, and particularly its 2001 Judgement (Comp. Supra).
Indeed, during all this time (1992-1994-2001 - 2017), as it was Denounced officially Earlier by the Government of Cyprus, in a Memorandum send to -and Published by- the CoE on December 2017, "Turkey has peristently failed and refused to take measures to suppress the unlawful sale or exploitation of Greek Cypriot Homes and property in the Occupied areas", where, "because of the Continuing Denial of Access to their properties, the Displaced persons have Lost all Control over, as well as the Possibilities to enjoy their land", by a "physical Exclusion of Greek Cypriots" from the Territories Invaded and Occupied by Ankara's Military :
=> Thus, "the Extent of the Illegal (Economic/Estate) Development of (Violently Usurpated) Property in the Occypied Areas, in Recent Years (2001 to 2007) has been on the Rise", reminded nowadays Cyprus, citting also relevant "Evidence of this", Already "Previously .. submitted ... to (CoE's) Committee" of Ministers, as well as the Fact that "its Accuracy has Not been Disputed".
- F.ex., among others, the Extent of that "illegal development in the Occupied areas covered, approximately, 107 sq. KM" "in 2001", and it was Doubled : "207 sq. KM" "in 2007", "and 270 sq.KM" "in 2014". It "includes at least 85 Large and Medium scale Major (Economic/Estate) Developments", "as Evidenced by the relevant Certificates of Registration".
+ Moreover, "Data Collection and Articles in the Turkish Cypriot Press, Also show that Land Distribution to family members of Turkish Cypriot Politicians, the construction of Luxury Hotels, Land Distribution for Universities, and Large-Scale Concessions to Young Landless persons" are Continuing in Parallel, that officially communicated by the CoE text recalls.
=> So that, by adding also all this, through the Persistance of such Massive Human Rights Violations of G/C. Refugees/IDP, there is even a Threat to provoke Negative Political Consequences, because, in Fact, "Turkey is Attempting to Create an Irreversible "de facto" Situation, Permanently Obstructing the Return to Greek Cypriots of their properties in the Occupied Areas of Cyprus", it concludes.
The Way in which such a Threat operates in real practice, was Spectacularly Reminded, these Same Days, also by a Demonstration of young Cypriot Students, during the Visit of Turkey's President Erdogan in Athens, which had Chosen, as Unique Moto to call Against the notoriously Massive Import of Turkish "SETTLERS" from Anatolia in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus, (See relevant Photo), who are generally known as usually being the No 1 illegal Foreign Migrants' Group, to whom are reportedly Given also several Usurpated Greek Cypriot Refugees/IDPs' Homes and/or Other Properties, in Addition even to illegal "Passports" Massively attributing so-called "Citizenship" :
A Thorny Issue against which, Already in the Past, Both CoE's Committee of Ministers, and CoE's Parliamentary Assembly, had adopted Decisions Warning that such attempts to "Alter the Demography" of the Island, (Against which, notoriously struggled even the Turkish Cypriot Dissident Journalist Kutlu Adali, who was Brutaly Murdered in the 1990ies, resulting in a Condamnation of Turkey by ECHR on 2004), Risk to Provoke even an additional "Political Obstacle" to a Peacefull Agreement for a real ReUnification of Cyprus in the Future, (by Artificially and illegaly creating a Group of - Foreign Origin- Population with obvious Interests to Perpetuate the Division of the Country, and, finally, its Partition, in one way or another).
In Front of that, Turkey Focused its Claims mainly into Seeking to Limit, directly and/or indirectly, the Greek Cypriot Refugees/IPDs' Human Rights, more or less, Only on a partial Financial "Compensation" for what they called "Loss of Use", through a Controversial "Committee" that Ankara's protegées set up, and Unilaterally Control, in the Territories of Cyprus Occupied by Turkey's Military, while, in Addition, excessively Restricting or even Excluding the "Restitution" of Refugees/IDP's Family Homes and other Private Properties.
+ Moreover, Ankara went as Far as to dare Claim, also nowadays, (by their "Note" communicated in Strasbourg this Month) that CoE should (in their view) even ... "STOP" Monitoring the Implementation of ECHR's Judgements which have repeatedly Condemned Turkey for such (a.o.) Massive Violations of Human Rights in Cyprus, irrespectively of the Fact that almost all such ECHR's Decisions have Not Yet been Implemented, and almost all concerned Victims are Still Suffering from - and Exposed to- such Massive Human Rights' Violations !
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>>> But CoE's Top Body, its Ministerial Committee, concluding its Human Rights' Session of Winter 2017, this Week in Strasbourg, Rejected such Turkish Claims, by Asking, on the Contrary, from Ankara's Authorities to Give to the CoE "Information" on How might, eventually, be "Adressed", or not, "the Issue of Possible UnLawful Sale and Exploitation of the Properties in question", as it is stated in the relevant CoE's Decision, which has just been just published.
In particular, CoE's Top Political body, its Ministrial Committee, (which has the Duty to "Supervise" the Execution of ECHR's Judgements by the Condemned States), officially Raised Questions about the uncertain "Effectiveness" of the "Existing ... Mechanism(s)" in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus, still held by Ankara's Foreign Invasion/Occupation Army, and its "Practical Implementation" in reality.
+ Also, CoE Warned Turkey that it intends "to Assess", on the basis of relevant Facts, the "Need for Further Measures", that might prove necessary to Explicitly Ask Ankara to Take.
In this regard, Cyprus has already suggested to the CoE, a relevant Series of possible Practical Measures, that Turkey could and should Take in order to Comply with the above-mentioned ECHR's Judgements repeatedly Condemning Ankara for Massive and persisting Violations of Greek Cypriot Refugees/IDPs' Human Rights, (and, especially, ECHR's 2014 Finding : Comp. Supra), according to a relevant Note officialy published this week by the CoE in Strasbourg :
- F.ex., inter alia :
* "Cease <<Transferts>> (including, but not limited to <<Sales>>, <<Leases>> and <<Mortgages>>) of Displaced Person's Properties, withOut their Consent";
* "Cease encouraging or promoting the Sale and/or Use of Greek Cypriot Properties, in the Occupied Areas of Cyprus, withOut their Consent";
* "Halt all Constructions on Greek Cypriot Properties, in the Occupied areas, carried out withOut the Consent of the Lawful property Owners";
and, in parallel, naturally "Pay the Amounts awared by the (PanEuropean) Court in its ... Judgement of 12 May 2014", (Comp. Supra), for the Damages Already Inflicted to the Victims until then.
----------------------------------------
+ Last, but not least, by Fixing the above-mentioned Time Deadline of 9 Months, until "September 2018", CoE's Top Political Body, in Fact, gave to itself a Potentially Valuable Legal and Political Tool in order, also, to Help exert some Beneficial Pressure Towards an eventual Resumption of UNO-sponsored Talks for establishing Peace and ReUnification of Cyprus in the foreseable Future, since that Time-laps includes the forthcoming, crucial Presidential Elections in Cyprus, scheduled for the Beginning of Next Year.
The Latest Deadlock witnessed at nearby Switzerland, earlier this year (2017), despite some notable Progress previously, mainly because of Ankara's Reluctance to Withdraw its Occupation Army when a Solution might have been agreed, and Turkey's persistent Claim to have a possibility for even more Unilateral Military Interventions during an Endless Future, under that or that Pretext, which has Blocked the Process, has, indeed, in the Meantime, been Exploited by some Turkish Politicians in order to either Threaten a Definite End of that Peace Process, and/or to Ask for even More Political Concessions, Threatening to Worsen, instead of Easing the current situation.
So that even a simply Human Rights' issue, might, eventually, Help also for Peace and ReUnification, in a possible Solution of the Cyprus Issue, according to EU/CoE and UNO's Basic Values and Legal Principles.
------------------------
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Hu Jia's prize brings SAKHAROV's wife to "EuroFora" on murders of Journalists Politkofskaya, Gongadze and Adali :
- Elena Bonner : "All Journalists' murders must be fully investigated", without Double Standards.
During a special Mega-Event to celebrate 20 Years of SAKHAROV Prize for "Freedom of Thought", attributed in 2008 by EU Parliament to jailed Chinese Cyber-Dissident Hu JIA, the move was reinforced by strongly criticizing the persisting impunity in three cases of Journalists' Murders, such as POLITKOVSKAYA in Russia, GONGADZE in Ukraine, and ADALI in Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus.
Any bureaucratic doubt about whether Cyber-dissidents like Hu JIA might have, or not, a right to be protected as all Journalists must be, particularly when they take risks to search, find and publish original and critical News on issues of general interest to the society, could not resist to the emotion provoked by the message of his Wife, Zeng JINYAN spectacularly transmitted at a big screen in EU Parliament's hemicycle :
- "The most important and most interesting thing he did was to ... say the Truth :.. to write about the phenomena he observed... He never stopped Publishing.. on websites, so that the Public could learn about the reality .. and understand it. In my view, this has been his greatest contribution", stressed the young wife of the jailed man, eager to cite also the cases of other critical journalists who faced various kinds of "harassment".
- "Welcoming all those who have suffered for defending Human Rights", EU Parliament's President, German MEP Hans Gert POETTERING, who had invited to Strasbourg all former Sakharov prize-winners from various Countries throughout the World, said that "China needs Europe, and Europe needs China : A great nation" with which "we want to have a good relationship", "association and ..friendship". "But we are never going to stop our fight for Human Rights, and No Government can expect this from us".
- "It's impossible to achieve goals of Peace, if Human Rights are left out. In fact, Peace and Human Rights are intrinsequaly linked", added POETTERING.
It's in this spirit that MEPs adopted, on Thursday, a Resolution denouncing that "the criminal
investigation and trial following the murder of (a) Journalist ...raises serious concerns with regard to transparency and respect for the rule of law", when a "brutal killing has not yet been fully investigated and solved in a satisfactory way".
The text refered to dissident Journalist "Anna POLITOVSKAYA", a critic of Tchechen conflict, killed some years ago in Moscow, where Russian Authorities have found, arrested and are currently judging two executants, while also searching to arrest also a 3rd one, allegedly escaped in Belgium. But they have not yet found the instigators.
Similar texts were adopted recently also on dissident Ukranian Journalist Georgiy GONGADZE's murder, for which Ukranian Authorities have at least found, arrested and condemned 2 executants to 12 and 13 Years of jail, but not yet the instigators. For that purpose, they recently accepted an International Experts team to participate to the investigations.
But, it's only for the Murder of dissident Turkish Cypriot Journalist ADALI, in the occupied territories of Cyprus, that Turkey has NOT yet found ANYONE responsible, and even claimed recently inside CoE that it would be "impossible" to do so !
These astonishing differences exist despite the fact that ECHR condemned alike Ukraine and Turkey with 2 Judgements on the same year : 2005, for the murders of Journalists GONGADZE and ADALI, strong critics of Corruption in Ukraine, and of Ankara's policies on mass-influx of Turkish Settlers in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus, respectively.
Regarless of that, CoE's Committee of Ministers, who is entrusted with the duty to supervise execution of ECHR's judgements, has just asked Ukraine's Government to reply to further questions on Gongadze's murder before March 2009, while Turkey, curiously, got a longer postponement for answering questions on Adali's murder, until June...
A comparison of these cases, raises serious questions about Double Standards :
------------------------
On TRANSPARENCY :
--------------------------
On Gongadze's murder, CoE's body speaks even about the participation of
"an INTERNATIONAL group of Experts" in the Investigation, (f.ex. of "Tape Recordings"), accepted by Ukraine.
On the contrary, on Adali's murder, CoE is obliged to repeatedly ask (for a 2nd
time) Turkey whether, at least, it informed the victims' Family, or not...
------------------------------
- On EFFICIENCY :
-----------------------
On Gongadze's murder, CoE formally "recalls that the Committee (of Ministers) ..URGED the Ukranian authorities.. to TAKE ALL NECESSARY INVESTIGATIVE STEPS TO ACHIEVE CONCRETE and VISIBLE RESULTS in the INVESTIGATION, aimed at the Identification of the INSTIGATORS and Organisers of the Murder", and "STRONGLY INVITED the Ukranian Authorities to provide information on the PROGRESS IN THE INVESTIGATION", before MARCH 2009.
But, on Adali's murder, on the contrary, CoE's body merely .. "took note" of the "arguments presented by" Cyprus, which denounce the absence of any proof of new "investigation" by Turkey. Following Turkey's own suggestion (!), it simply "noted" that there is "no limitation period" for "any new element" to "lead potentialy (sic !) to a Re-Opening of the Investigation". Without saying who might find any such "new" fact, since Turkey stoped searching... It also POSTPONED the issue until .. JUNE !
-----------------------
- On the PUNISHMENT OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE :
----------------------
- On Gongadze's murder case, Ukranian Authorities already arrested and condemned, at least 2 suspects, to 12 and 13 Years of jail. And on Politkovskaya's murder at least 2 suspects are judged, and a 3rd one "wanted".
On the contrary, on Adali's murder case, the Turkish authorities simply claim that "it had not been possible to obtain new .. information .. on the basis of which criminal charges could be brought against ANY person" !...
Moreover, a LETTER sent by Turkey ...2 Years after CoE's 2006 call to re-investigate anew Adali's murder case, is totally EMPTY of Facts ! As Cypus' Delegation denounced earlier, Turkey's Letter ONLY CLAIMS that a "New Investigation" was made without any result, but does NOT even cite ANY FACT to prove it :
F.ex.,on the crucial issue of the "MOTIVATIONS" behind Adali's murder, noted by ECHR, Turkey MERELY CLAIMS that "all allegations were investigated; without result", but OMITS ANY FACT TO PROVE IT !..(It doesn't even remind which were these "allegations").. .
+ On ECHR's astonishment that the Turkish Occupation regime didn't produce any "BALLISTIC REPORT" on the Shots which murdered Adali, Turkey again repeats, 12 years later, that, still, even until now, "it was not possible to obtain the BalisticReport"...
- As for the astonishing absence of key-WITNESSES' Testimonies, denounced by ECHR, Turkey agains repeats various pretexts avoiding to reveal anything, (Fex. that a person "left" the Occupied Territories "on 2002", or that another witness was heard, but without revealing nothing of what he said, etc).
Turkey obviously "FAILS TO MEET THE CRITICISM made BY THE COURT" for lack of any efficient Investigation in Adali's case, concluded Cyprus' Government.
---------------------------------------------
Replying to our Question which COMPARED these 3 outstanding cases of "JOURNALISTS MURDERS", Adali, Gongadze and Politkovskaya, in order to avoid "Double Standards" by asking from Ukraine and Russia more than what is asked EU candidate Turkey, many European personalities were critical /
They criticised Ankara's recent claim at the CoE to stop investigating, because it would be "impossible to find anyone" responsible for the 5 bullet shots which killed Kutlu ADALI in front of his Family Home, contrary to the other two Journalists' murders, where Ukraine and Russia at least arrested the executants, searching now for the instigators :
----------------------------------

- "Where was that ? In Turkish Occupied Cyprus ? WITHOUT ANY DOUBT : Any murder of Journalist should be investigated in full ! All these Murders must be investigated !", replied the famous SAKHAROV's wife, Elena BONNER to our question on Adali's case, compared to Gongadze and Politofskaya.
Elena Bonner spoke us EXCLUSIVELY shortly after being honored by the President
of EU Parliament on the occasion of 20 Years of her husband's SAKHAROV Prize.
A strong personality, Sakharov's wife even had to struggle against an anonymous EU staffer who, astonishingly, tried to stop her speaking when h heard our question on "Turkey" (!) : - "Please, let me translate, she continues
speaking, don't stop us !", had to cry Sakharov's daughter, (a Journalist
herself), who was translating her mothers' reply, (obliged to speak louder to
make her voice heard despite the harassment).. (= + Audio Proof !)
Earlier, Elena Bonner also fustigated "Double Standards" at another case, on
Western countries' attitude vis a vis Kosovo and the Kurds : -F.ex. "You have
recognized a few 400.000 Kosovars as an "independent" country, but you still
deny that to 30 millions of Kurds in Turkey !", she denounced.
-----------------------------
- "This (ADALI's murder) is an issue which should be pursued by the Committee
for Human Rights. That's why we have one, and it's its duty to examine cases of
Journalists' murders as the one you referred to. You should bring the case in
front of that Committee", suggested in reply to our question on Adali, EU
Parliament's President, German MEP Hans Gert POETTERING.
- "It's impossible to achieve goals of PEACE, if HUMAN RIGHTS are left out :
in fact, Peace and Human Rights are intrinsequaly linked", added POETTERING.
--------------------------------------
+ "For us (European/International Federation of Journalists) it's clear :
Whenever a Journalist is Murdered, the Investigation should continue until
those Responsible are found !", replied earlier to another question on ADALI
EFJ/IFJ's Secretary General, Aidan WHITE.
Speaking as a matter of General Principle, White asked us for "concrete data"
on the execution of ECHR's judgement on Adali case, in order to "look at it in
depth" and "make a formal statement", in comparison with the other Murdered
Journalist case, also pending at CoE's Ministers for completing its execution,
on Ukranian Gongadze.
----------------------------------------------------
From EU Rapporteur on Human Rights, vice-President of EU Parliament Liberties' Committee, MEP Giusto CATANIA, we were told that, since there is an ECHR judgement in both Adali and Gongadge's cases, "Turkey must naturally execute the judgement and make a full and efficient investigation, until those responsible for the Journalist's murder are found and punished".
Even if "we (Catania's "EuroLeft" Group) support Turkey's EU perspectives, this does not mean that Ankara should not behave properly. On the contrary, it means that they have to meet tough conditions, particularly on Human Rights", was added on the occasion of Adali's murder case.
Moreover, "since you raise the issue of Mr. Adali's muder as a part of a Series of Journalist's murders, including fex. Gongadze, Politkovskaya, ao., tthen we (EU) could also act together with CoE's Commissioner on Human Rights, Thomas HAMMARBERG, it was suggested.
- "We (EU) must step up efforts against the problem of IMPUNITY : Real Peace cannot exist without Justice", stressed also this week at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, French Minister on Human Rights, Mrs Rama YADE.
------------------------