newsitems

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- Former Prime Minister Constantin Mitsotakis who died nowadays in Greece, leaves a Legacy whose real main points are, in fact, both of Historic value, as well as much More Topical and "Spicy" than most Establishment's members would dare acknowledge, despite several routine hommages, etc., filling the mainstream Medias Today as far as he's concerned.

The most Important is that CM served as Prime Minister of an exceptional Government almost of "National Unity", which associated Together almost All Political Parties, (from his own, Center-Right ChristianDemocrats/EPP of "New Democracy", up to ...even the "Communist" Party, included, etc), Focused mainly in the Fight against Corruption, which had become a Vital Necessity, already back on 1990-1993, after a Decade of "Socialist" PASOK's former Governments during the Eighties, which had been notoriously filled by a Growing Series of big Scandals about Money, massive Clientelism, Cronyism, Oppression and abuses against Dissidents, even elimination of some critics or investigators, etc.                                                        

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                In fact, that infamous Big "DEBT", which still Hampers EU Member Greece Today, bothers all Europe, and Risked to provoke even a Euro-Zone's Crisis, often exploited by some Foreign Anti-European forces in order to attempt to Undermine and/or Slander the European Integration process, hade Started since that Crucial Period, i.e. from 1981 onwards. I was mainly due to former "PASOK" Governments excessive Clientelistic abuses, which brought a Huge, DisProportional Number of counter-productive Cushy Job Holders into the payroll of the State and the wider Public Sector, far Beyond what its thin Economic productive basis could support.

This was notoriously Hidden, Disguised under a Goldman Sachs' SWAP, through 1998 - 2002, i.e. when Greece entered EuroZone, even UnPrepared, in exchange of Accepting Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, pushed by Clinton, Blair, Jospin and Schroeder, Alema, etc. (all Socialists) then. Only to notoriously "Explode", at the latest, on 2009, in the middle of a Global Financial Crisis, when the accumulated Huge Debt thrown over Greece became inevitably obvious, provoking an original Shock.

But the Anti-Corruption new Governemental Coalition of 1990, was Forced to Interrupt its work, only a Few Years later, from 1993-1994, since, as an indirect consequence of the former Yugoslavia Conflicts, the Socialists of "PASOK" exploited the aftermath of Yugoslavia's Break up, in order to Hide behind a neo-Nationalist reaction as far as FYROM's provocative claims were concerned, topling that 3 Years-long, exceptional, quasi-National Unity Government.

If it had been let Free to normaly pursue its main, Anti-Corruption aim to Investigate, Reveal and Punish all Scandals and serious Abuses committed by former "PASOK" Governments and their cronies during the 1980ies, it might have played a really precious and much needed, Historic role, in unveiling various Crimes and bringing those responsible to Justice, as well as in Preventing the subsequent considerable Worsening of that Hidden "Debt" Crisis which was later exploited by some Foreign Networks, as a "weak point" in EU Integration, in attempts to Undermine all Europe, (Comp. Supra).

That exceptional, 1990-1993 quasi-National Unity Government had already kick-Started a necessary Reduction of the DisProportioante Number of Civil Servants, after a Decade of Massive, Costly and CounterProductive Clientelism by fromer "PASOK" Governments during the 1980ies, but this effort was cut short too soon.

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Constantin Mitsotakis was known for his support to EU's "Copenhagen Critera", (adopted bck on 1991, i.e. during his term in office), which should be respected by each 3rd Country wishing to become Candidate for EU Accession. It's mainly about Conditions related to Human Rights' respect, Democratic principles and Rule of Law, (which, if they were really applied, would have, f.ex., prevented Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, Sparing to Europe all those Troubles which were provoked precisely because those Copenhagen Criteria weren't seriously used in that case).

He also launched Greece's moves in order to join the Shenghen area, after supervising its entry into the EU itself.

Last, but not least, it's during Constantin Mitsotakis' Government that Cyprus lodged an official Application, back on 1990, in order to become EU Member, (something which was Achieved on 2004). It was a kind of ...Kopernician Revolution, since Cyprus' geopolitical Strategy, until then, had been much more Focused on the initial "Non-Aligned" Movement, dating from the Earlier, DeColonisation Period, marked by ArchiBishop Makarios, Naser, U Thant, Sukarno, King Hasan II, Burgiba, Zhou Enlai, Ho Chi Minh, Tito, Castro, Assad, Boumedien, Gandi and Nehru (India), etc, which represented, at a moment, about 2/3 of UNO's Member States, opposed to the Cold War Division. Strategicaly located Islands of Cyprus and Malta, subsequently left the NAM and made a pro-European U-Turn, aligning themselves with the EU.

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The President of ChristianDemocrat/EPP Parties, Joseph Daul, experienced former long-time Chairman of EU Parliament's ChristianDmocrat/EPP Group and Strasbourg's MEP, hailed "a Visionary Leader", speaking of Constantin Mitsotakis' death. EU Commission's President, Jean-Claude Juncker, experienced former Long-Time Prime Minister of Luxembourg and Euro-Group's Chairman, called C.M. a "European" and "Emblematic Figure", whose "Life was associated with important moments of EU integration".

Inter alia, it's also German mainstream Medias such as "Zeit", "FAZ", "Welt", etc., as well as Austrian "Die Presse" and Swiss "NZZ", French "Le Monde", American "AP" and "Bloomberg" Press Agency, "NYT", etc., which Published relevant articles.

The former Prime Minister had been reportedly Condemned by the NAZI Occupation to Death during the 2nd World War, and was Arrested by the Putchist regime of the Colonels, later-on, being obliged to Escape in exile to Paris during 1967-1974.

He just missed a whole Century, passing away at 99 Years old, in quite good Health, reportedly among his Family.

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C.M. is survived by his Daughter, MP. Dora Bakoyannis, former Foreign Minister and f. President of CoE Assembly's Political affairs Committee, and his Son, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, young President of main opposition party of "New Democracy" in Greece, (ChristianDemocrats/EPP : Comp. f.ex. Statements also to "Eurofora", during EPP Summits in Brussels, at ...+...).

His Party is currently credited by Polls with a 16 to 18% Advance compared to Tsipras' governing Party of the Left, but Greece is reportedly threatened by a 2020 Peak in the service of its Debt, which originated from the Early 1980ies (Comp. Supra).

 Meanwhile, most among those counter-productive cushy job holders and/or political lackeys who profited from former Clientelist Governments' (mainly PASOK) of the Past, after having abusively being paid, for many Decades, quite confortable Salaries, several Allowances, Social Security and Holliday Leaves, etc. in Permanent and Safe, Public Sector Jobs, that they didn't deserve, povoking that huge, but initialy Hidden "Debt", which grew like a "Silent Killer" between 1981-2009 (Comp. Supra), are, recently, in the process of attempting to transform that also into more or less Cosy Retirement Pensions, due to last for another 2 or 3 Decades+, without even working at all, no more, while, on the Contrary, the Productive sector of the Economy and, particularly, most Small-Medium Businesses, have notoriously Suffered a lot, being still seriously threatened with extinction, and the various Victims of the 1980ies' and further Discriminations, Abuses or even Crimes, incuding Poor People, after having Suffered a great lot all this time, have been notoriously thrown in an Unprecedented level of Impoverishment, vainly seeking for Justice to be done, at last. I.e. reaching a rare but Crucial point, where real Economic Efficiency, and Social or Moral Justice, (sometimes even merely Criminal), have, in fact, become Synonymous..

.

 So that Kyriakos, who already has a relevant Experience as former Minister for Administrative Reform, theoreticaly might, eventualy, (alone or together with others) be given a Chance, by the Greek People, to Conclude, sooner or later, his Father's Unfinished Task, even if in Harder, but more Pressing circumstances.

(../..)

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(NDLR : Headlines Photo : published by his son, Kyriakos, at his personal Website, now. 

+ 2nd Photo : From "AP" Archives, dated Spring 1990)

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*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- Moves for PanEuropean Cooperation on Human Rights' respect and European Cultural Heritage protection and promotion, starting from the Highest Level, were among the Key Measures anounced Today by the incoming New President-in-office of CoE's Highest Political body, that of its Committee of Ministers, Czech Minister of Culture Daniel Herman, in the presence of CoE's Secretary General, Thornbjorn Jagland.

- It's in Cooperation between EU Commission and the CoE that we shall Prepare the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018, stressed Chairman-in-office Herman, before saluting kindly also "Eurofora" and leaving with Czech Ambassador Emil Ruffer to Strasbourg's Airport for a Flight to Prague, as he told us.

+ He also anounced that the Czech Presidency of the CoE, (for the Period of May - November 2017), will organize a High-Level Conference, with the Presidents of ECHR and EU's Court of Justice, as well as of All the Supreme Courts of CoE's 47 Member States, on "the Binding Nature of Judicial Decisions", on June.

That exceptional PanEuropean Top Conference is scheduled for 19-21 June 2017, at Brno, i.e. the "Judicial Capital" of the Czech Republic, where is Historicaly located its Highest Court, (that ECHR's President had visited, together with Prague, when he succesfuly contributed to dissipate the last hesitations for the Ratification of EU's Lisbon Treaty).

    - This is a Key part of the Main Priorities for the Incoming CoE's Czech Presidency, which also Decided to Take Over from the Concluding Cyprus' CoE's rotating Presidency, and Continue further on, their Common Priority for the development of the "Education on Human Rights' culture, as he anounced.

    - In fact, CoE is Important for us, also because it reminds that "We Belong to the European Family of Democracy and Human Rights' culture, Herman had stressed from the outset.

    - In this regard, after refering, Earlier, to a Czech Exhibition on the Historic "Charter 77", which had notoriously contributed to prepare the ReUnification of Europe, CoE's twice elected Secretary General, Thornbjorn Jagland, (an Experienced former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister from Norway, as well as Top Member of Oslo NOBEL Peace prize Committee), clearly underlined, that, for the PanEuropean Organisation of Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, Nowadays, "the Number 1 Problem is ECHR Judgements' Execution" :

    => - "WithOut that, there is No Rule of Law, in Europe !", sternly Warned Jagland, (who had Earlier met with Herman in private).

    Today, however, the actual Chairmanship of CoE's Committee of Ministers' meetings specialy Dedicated to the Supervision of ECHR Judgements' Execution, have been taken over by the Dabnish Vice-Presidency of the CoE, (i.e. the Next CoE Chair, for the Next Period, starting after November 2017), according to a well established practice.

But, since the current Danish Ambassador, Arnold de Fine Skibsted, was among those who reportedly stayed Longer, after a CoE's Ministerial meeting in Cyprus, "Eurofora", at least, attested, that the Forthcoming Danish CoE's rotating Presidency seems to take close Care in Preparing well the foreseable Future, as an original Photo of an involved Danish Diplomate's Family, clearly indicates...

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            Meanwhile, the European and Czech Flags flew at Half-Mast, in the usual CoE Ceremony for the New Presidency of the Paneuropean Organization, at Strasbourg's Historic City Hall, (where the CoE was Created, Back on 1949), and participants, (including CoE's Secretary General, Thornbjorn Jagland), kept 1 Minute of Silence, in Solidarity with the numerous Victims, innocent Civilian People Targetted and Killed or Wounded at a popular Musical Concert in Manchester (including Children) after being Brutaly Attacked by Cowards acting as Islamist Terrorists in the UK.  

         - "Culturaly, Great Britain is absolutely a European Country !". For this, and several other resaons, including the Future of Scientific Cooperation and Research, it would be a Catastroph if it really went away, cutting its relations with the EU, warned, later this Same Day, Strasbourg University's President, Michel Deneken, who had just participated in a Meeting of the 25 Biggest Universities of Europe at Cambridge, England.

(NDLR : For other Statements by President Deneken, and his Replies to "Eurofora"s Questions, see a Specific NewsReport, at ....)

*Strasbourg/Christian Orthodox Russian Cultural Center/- Several French and other People, speaking inside EU Parliament to "Eurofora", Earlier this Week, had Criticaly commented a Paradox, which proved to be, in Fact, even much More Astonishing, in Real Practice, as we personaly saw Today, on the spot :

In the "PanEuropean Capital", as Strasbourg City notoriously Likes to be called, where 150 Millions of Russians, (added also to Serbians, Bulgarians, Romanians, Ukranians, Georgians, Moldavians, Armenians, etc, Not to mention the Greeks and several Others), are Full Members of the CoE, HeadQuartered here, in addition to their various EU Links, at the Middle of the European Continent's more than 2 Thousand Years' History of Christianism, but also Judaism, etc, Paradoxicaly, until now, there is Not even one (1) real Christian Orthodox Church, while, on the Contrary, in Addition to the already, recently Built 3 or 4 Islamic Mosques, it seems that there are even 5 or 6 More such Mosques' Projects prepared on the pipeline for the foreseable Future, according to French Médias...
Today, "Eurofora" witnessed a Rare, if not Exceptional spectacle, in this regard, (that, naively, we did not expect) :

- While the Only One (1) New Christian Church awaited in Strasbourg's Fast-Growing Population area during several Recent Years,  Remains, in fact, a mere Building Site, still "Under Construction",

on the Contrary, a Fourth (4) New Islamic Mosque has just been Completed and fully Opened this Morning, (in Addition to 5 More Mosques reportedly planned here for the Next Few Years) !

The Original "Eurofora" PHOTOS attached herewith, are Crystal-clear and very locacious, in this regard :

- Indeed, Today, the 1st Christian Orthodox Russian Church ever built in Strasbourg, (not far away from the CoE), is still a Closed and Empty Building with only its Grey Walls, but withOut even its main Cross, (expected, it was said, Later this year), surrounded by heavy Scaffoldings, where it's strictly Prohibited for Anyone  to Enter inside !

- On the Contrary, that 4rth Islamic Mosque's spacious Internal Rooms appeared Full of People inside, and All the Building looks perfectly Finished and Completed, at least since Early Today Morning, (as we Saw with our own eyes, after Visiting Both Sites).

Concerning the Christian Orthodox Russian community, (recently Growing also throughout several Surrounding French and German Villages, etc), at least for the moment, it's Only a Separate Part of the planned, Future Buildings' complex, a clean but rather ordinary 2 stores building, (Not yet furnished, nor equiped), due to serve as "Cultural Centre", which welcomed all Visitors and Officials Today, with a brief Ceremony and Tea.

- But, for fully Religious purposes, still remains Only an old ...Car Garage (sic !), DownTown, which has already served, for too Many Years, as a so-called "Church" for the Christian Russian Orthodox People, in Strasbourg's "PanEuropean Capital" !

On the Contrary, all the Huge, 3 Stores-High, Building Complex of that Brand New Islamic Mosque, appeared fully Open to several People, from Earlier Today Noon, including a Gigantic Religious Room with a Dome, whose Photo, (taken from the Interior, full of Light-bulbs, Designs, Colors, etc), pictures now at Strasbourg's unique local Newspaper "DNA".

According to Ms Ait-Sidhoum, hired by the Monopolistic Local Establishment's Left-leaning Newpaper "DNA" (now with the Same Proprietor as also "l'Alsace", etc) to cover Today's events, ..."an Incredible Buffet Lunch" awaited those "Happy Few" who had been Invited at that supplementary Brand New Mosque.

That Oligo-Monopolistic regional Newspaper of the Local Establishment obviously Tried to Hide all that, apparently in a deal with the Mayor's office, by abusing of Big and Misleading Headlines erroneously Claiming that the "Socialist" Mayor would have "Inaugurated 3 Differend Religious' Buildings in 1 Day : A Christian, an Islamic and a ...Boudhist" shrine (sic !).

But, in Fact, the bare Truth is that he Inaugurated only 1 Religious Building, ready for use : another new Islamic Mosque, entirely Fibished, while, on the Contrary, Both that Christian Orthodox Russian Church project and a small Budhist Shrine project, far away in a Forest, were Not yet Ready to serve at all Today (Comp. Supra)...

Moreover, by the way, while the Only New Christian Church on the process of being built in Strasbourg, looks Totaly Deprived of Any easily Accessible Public Transport visible on the spot, and is Surrounded only by a River Channel, a Public Garden, and various Offices, with Only a Few, Rare Family Homes,

on the Contrary, that 4rth New Islamic Mosque stands in the Middle of no less than ...Three (3) Stops for the City's Tram Network, (all served by 2 Differend Tramways, in Addition to Busses, etc), and is also Surrounded by a Large Concentration of Social Housing Big Collective Buildings, full of People, and is even adjacent to its Suburb's "Maison de l' Enfance", ("Childrens' Home").

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However, it's by Playing the Music of the ...European Anthem, (from Bethoven's 9th Symphony), that the Christian Orthodox Russians welcomed Strasbourg's "Socialist" Mayor Ries, Today, for an "Inauguration" of, at least, their "Cultural Centre"s empty rooms, (some of which had Not even finished the installations of Electricity : See f.ex. relevant original Photo)...

It's not sure, however, that Mayor Ries might have heard a Similar "European" Music, earlier Today, wen he had Inaugurted, First of all, that Brand New, and Complete Islamic Mosque...

What is Sure, is that the Local Inhabitants, in that area of the City, don't seem Satisfied at all, for what was, in fact, Imposed upon them by the Socialist Municipality, without even Consulting them, or, rather, even Worse : - Against the Consultive Opinion that they had given, according to the Legal Procedures for such kind of things :

- Indeed, Both the competent, Independent "Citizens' Council" of that Suburb, (where "Eurofora"'s co-Founder was an active Member), and the whole Local Population at large, when Consulted by the Municipality, (as it was Legaly Needed), had clearly Concluded in favour of a Different, Initial Urbanistic Proposal, which had scheduled, instead of an Islamic Mosque, to build there a ...brand New Tramway Stop, serving a Great Number of surrounding Family Homes, and symbolicaly named after the World Famous French Writer  "Victor Hugo" !

On the Contrary, a Mosque had been Initialy Scheduled at anOther Location, far Away from most Family Homes, situated near a Socio-Cultural Centre, at a Different Block.
But, Afterwards, suddenly the "Socialist" Municipality Changed its stance, and, withOut ever Consulting this time, Neither the Citizens' Council, nor the overall Population of that Suburb, now it Changes everything, and the above-mentioned Mosque is, now, "Transfered" to another, absolutely Different Location : Right in the Middle of many Family Homes, side by side with the "Childrens' Home", and ...at the exact place which had been, initialy scheduled for the ..."Victor Hugo" Tramway stop (which is Cancelled and Suppressed) !

=> I.e., instead of having a New Tramway Stop ("Victor Hugo"), Near their Family Homes, on the Contrary, that poor Local Population is now Condemned to be Obliged, each Time, to Run Far Away, (among the Rain, Snow, or Heatwave, Cars' Dangerous and Polluting Traffick, etc), in order to Try to reach some Other Tramway Stops, located Too Far Ahead, or at the Rear, becoming Exhausted and Losing Too Much of precious Time everyday... But they would have, moreover, from now on, an Islamic Mosque right in Front of the Windows of their own Family Homes....

>>> Therefore, another obvious Question arises :

- What will happen Now with the Kids and Youngsters raised and/or living in such a Suburb ? Are they, perhaps, going to be "better" Integrated into France's and all Europe' s Socio-Cultural space by ... Losing "Victor Hugo", and finding only an Islamic Mosque, in front of their nose, everyday ?...

+ Speaking, some Months ago, to Strasbourg's Press Club, "Socialist" Mayor Ries, in Reply to a relevant "Eurofora" Question, boasted that, the main Reason for which, Compared to Brussels, Strasbourg had Not so Many Islamist Terrorist Attacks at its area, Neither so Many Islamist Terrorists, as thet were found to live There, was due to the fact that it was Only Brussels which notoriously had several Suburbs "affected by a Deep and Long Islamization" in Cultural Ghettos, while, on the Contrary, Strasbourg would be "Free" of such kind of Problems, since People living here would always find a much more "Pluralistic" and Balanced Socio-Cultural ambiance in all quarters of the City... Only some Socio-Economic Factors push, here too, towards a Similar Direction, but the Policy of the Municipality would be to Resist in such risky trends, Ries had concluded, i substance.
But, this too ...Idyllic Claim has now been notoriously Slamed by Hard Facts in Recent Developments as, f.ex. those which took place at the above-mentioned Suburb :

- Already Before the Completion of that Brand New Big Mosque, a Turkish Group had almost ..."Bought a Part of Strasourg City" there, as a Local Média denounced, (Speaking of Turkish "Schools for Imams", who, notoriously, are Not Independent Religious persons freely chosen by a Community, as it generaly happens in all Other Religious Groups, But only ...Civil Servants, chosen, Trained and Appointed by the Turkish Government itself, to the point that this inevitably provoked even that "Foreign Spying" ring, recently unveiled in Germany, where Turkish Imams were found, in addition to Turkish Consuls, to systematicaly Spy over, and try to intergere in the Lives of what they tbelieved to be "Dissident" or Politicaly Opposed Citizens or Critics of the Ankara Government, provoking an unprecedented Scandal).

As for 2 Small, pre-existing Christian Churches there, inter alia, they were repeatedly and in various ways "Aggressed", according to manifold converging denonciations, to the point that the Tiny Protestant Temple diminished recently its activities, comparatively to the Past, while even a Catholic Church there, had to ...hermeticaly Close its Door, and Build a gros Metalic Fence around its Building, in order to try to Protect it, but inevitably also Keeping more and more further Away from the Local People, almost Isolated...

Meanwhile, most of the Population which used, Traditionaly, tpo live in such Strasbourg's Suburbs, was, there, Pushed to ...Emigrate elsewhere, systematicaly being Replaced by another kind of Immigrants, more and more "Parked" in a kind of a Growing "Gheto"-like situation, to the point that, f.ex., in some Collective Buildings, the Last real French Couple of People, (that of an Old former Street Cleener, who Pointed Silently but clearly towards that New Mosque, when asked why he was Leaving), has already Abandoned its former Long-Time Home, in order to Escape somewhere in the surrounding Countryside...

Political Reactions among the few still remaining "Last of the Mohicans", were very Harsh, as it can be seen also by the Voting Results at the recent 2nd Round of the French Presidential Elections, back on May 2017, in Strasbourg City : F.ex., the French Citizens still remaining at those 2 Quarters which were the Most Affected by 2 more or less New Islamic Mosques, - those in the Southern, and the Western Suburbs, had, by Far, the Worst Electoral Results : Comparatively to all other constituencies, they got, indeed, the Most Abstentions, "Blank" or "Void" Votes, and/or Leftist or Drightist Voters... As for that Quarter which has now got even a Big, Brand New Islamic Mosque just opened, at Haute-Pierre's popular area, its Latest Electoral Results are probably the ...Worst ever seen, as long as Voting exists in Strasbourg City : I.e. an UnPrecedented Degree of "Exploding" Numbers in Abstention, "Blank/Void" and/or Extreme Left - Extreme Right (particularly that) Votes, to a Level never seen before...

To the point that, even the Long-Time local "Socialist" Politician, well known here also by his Father, in a 2 Generations-long and, until now, uninterumpted Tradition, was, Sudenly pushed to ... Escape by going Away, for the 1st Time in 2 Generations, to anOther Constituency, at the Other Side of Strasbourg City, (where Nobody knows in which Shape he has left his Former Constituency, there where another Brand New Islamic Mosque was Build, Completed, and just Inaugurated)...

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But one may, legitimately, ask : - Where do all this Money comes in order to Recently Build so Many Islamic Mosques, and reportedly Plan even More (Comp. Supra) ?

- It's true that the Initial Project, at the above-mentioned Suburb, had been presented and promoted by a quite ...Sympathetic Morocco-origin Head of a Local Association, Together with whom, "Eurofora"s co-founder had Cooperated for Various Other Topical Issues of Interest to the People, inside the competent "Citizens' Council" in the Past, who had managed to get even our (and others') Support in order to Build a Mosque, according to the Original Plans (Comp. Supra).

However, after some Time, it had become obvious that this Association, composed mainly of Local People, had Not been able yet to Find here enough Money in order to Complete that Building.

A rather Similar Problem had been Faced, in the Past, even for the Creation of a 1st Christian Catholic Church at Strasbourg's "Haute-Pierre" suburb, the Majority of its Inhabitants having always been quite Poor People, and/or Students, various immigrants, (Europeans and Non-Europeans), etc.

But, that Problem had been, finaly, overcome in a succesful way, as a couple of 2 Eyewitnesses had earlier described to "Eurofora"s co-Founder : The Group of People who suppported that Project, more than 50 Years ago, had, indeed, Organized a systematic Fund-Raising Campain, whose Geographical Scope had been Enlarged also to the Surrounding Villages and Countryside around Strasbourg, until .. up to the Mountains, as they had told us. Indeed, given the Fact that Europe's Christian Roots are notoriously even Longer than 2 Thousand Years, it was Not so Difficult to Find quite a lot of People in a European Land, who would accept to Help Build a Church even for those who wanted, but couldn't yet afford to do that alone... So that, by Enlarging ths scope and Targetting well enough, a Solidarity among the People living around this Land easily raised a sufficient amount of Money in order to succeed to Build that Church, already more than Half a Century ago...

But, since the overall Situation was, naturaly, Different, in this regard, for a Minority of Muslim mainly Immigrants in Europe, soon, Despite a considerable Material and other Help already provided by Strasbourg's Municipality, (which gave Land and 1o to 20% of the Building's costs, etc), after some Years, it became obvious that the Association which had initiated the Project of that Mosque, could Not Find on time enough Money in order to Complete its Plans, so that a Semi-Build Construction had been, meanwhile, Stopped and Abandoned to the Rain, Snow, etc, without any known Ready Solution visible at the Horizon...

>>> Surprisingly, it's precisely, immediately After the January 2015 Horrible bloody Massacres of "Charlie Hebdo"'s Journalists, and several Other Civilians at a Jewish Shop in Paris, targetted and killed by a few Cowards claiming to serve the Deadly Islamist Terrorists of ISIL's atrocious BeHeaders even of innocent Civilian People, that, suddenly, Local People were Astonished to See, in that Strasbourg's suburb, a Strange Individual, apparently coming from the Arab Peninsula, and Wearing a long White "Djelaba", (Never seen Before, here, for Thousands of Years), to Rapidly have a Look at the remnants of that UnFinished Construction site, exchange just a Few Words with a small Team apparetly of that Local Association which had intiated the Mosque project, (all the Members of which were still Wearing normal European Clothes, without any Distincrive sign ever betraying in public their specific religious beliefs), and, Shortly afterwards, Run away, without losing a minute to discuss....

Later, we learned, by several well informed sources, that, in fact, it was a Representative of a Foreign, Non-European State, located Far Away from Europe in the Map of the World : that of ...Qatar !

Et, indeed, Qatar's Government would have Decided to intervene, inside Strasbourg, in order to Fund what became, Afterwards, a Brand New Mosque in one among the City's most delicate situation facing, Suburbs, as it was clearly Confirmed, later-on.

The Problem is not only that, in this case, Strasbourg Mayor Ries' declared Wish to see there a kind of "emerging, Modern European Islam", (as he had said to the Initial Team which had proposed that Mosque, -Comp. Supra-, speaking earlier, just after a short Press Conference on the spot, to Journalists, including "Eurofora"), appeared, from now on, rather Doomed, considering Qatar's reputation in favour of Islamic Fundamentalism.

The Worse, obviously is the Fact that Qatar is also, Widely Considered to have become, at least during Recent Years, a main Funder of Islamist Propaganda in the Médias, and even of Dangerous "Islamic Radicalism", as also USA's New President, Don Trump, has just Denounced in one of his Famous "Tweets"...

Moreover, it's well known that, according to several Specialized Experts' recent Reports, including many at Washington DC, it' from Qatar that come Many Foreign Funds even for various ...Violent Islamist Terrorists' armed Groups, including those of Al Queda, ISIL, Al Nusra, etc.

>>> And, Nowadays (NDLR : - Partly UPDATED), all those most Worrying segments : I.e., Qatar-Funded Mediatic Propaganda, support for Islamic Radicalism, and even for manifold Deadly Islamist Terrorists, (etc. : Comp. Supra), are Strongly Denounced even Openly, also by a Group of ...Muslim Countries, (such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, joined by Maldives, etc. who Decided to take a series of Strict Measures, such as Foreign Propaganda Media closing down ("al Jazeera"), Borders closed vis a vis Qatar, Airplanes prohibited, Ambassadors ousted, Trade with Qatar stopped, etc.

    When things have Reaches such a point, is it realy Justified, or Preposterous and Irresponsibly Dangerous, to Both provide Material Support and Legitimation or at least Cover-up, to Qatar's interference even in Europe's Heartland and crucial Funding of another brand New Islamic Mosque, in Strasbourg's too sensitive Suburbs ?  

    + Particularly when, already, a Growing Series of Recent Islamist Terrorists' brutal Attacks have cowardly Targetted and and killed a fast Growing Numbe of innocent Civilian People, Both Before, and shortly After that Controversial "Inauguration" of another again Islamic Mosque,

    including, f.ex., back on March 2017 in London's Westminster, on April 2017 at Saint Petersburg, in Stockholm, Dortmunt and Paris, and now on May and June 2017 in Manchester and anew (and worse) in London, etc....
    
    To put in a nutshell, it at least a Double Paradox, if not even a Dangerous Scandal, to Drop ...even the vivid Symbol of "Victor Hugo", (Comp. Supra),  for the sake of just another Islamic Mosque funded by Qatar !

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- EU Parliament Vote's full Results, clearly reveal the Fact that a Controversial Call to put unprecedented Sanctions against the Popular Hungarian Government of Victor Orban, isn't backed but Only by a MEPs' Minority :

Indeed, out of a Total of 750 MEPs in EU Parliament, it's only 342 who Voted for that, (i.e. Less than the Half), while, on the Contrary, 408 (i.e. an Absolute Majority), dd NOT.

In particular, 303 MEPs Voted Against, 38 Abstained, and 67 were exceptionaly Absent from that Vote.

Almost 5 Political Groups were Against : The Biggest of all, i.e. that of ChristianDemocrats/"EPP", the "Freedom and Direct Democracy" Group^, the Conservatives and Reformists, the "Nations and Freedoms", well as most "Independents". In addition, it's even many ... Leftists, who joined them.

So that those who Voted for Sanctions came Only from the Left side of the Political spectrum : Socialists, Liberals, Greens and part of Leftists.

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+ An even Bigger Majority of MEPs did NOT Vote a Demand for EU Parliament's LIBE Committee to Officialy "Initiate the Proceedings" for an EU Council act according to Article 7(1) of EU Treaty on Sanctions in case of "Serious Threat" to EU Values, as the Left claimed :

Only a Minority of 346 (out of EU Parliament's 750) MEPs Voted that Crucial point, while an Absolute Majority of 404 MEPs did NOT.
Indeed, 311 MEPs prefered to Vote Against, 29 Abstained, and 64 MEPs were Exceptionaly Absent.

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The main New Accusations by Critics against the popular Hungarian Government of Victor Orban, (who has Won all Recent Elections (National and European), have been Triggered by alleged Measures against Controversial Multi-Billionaire Soros' private "University" that he had implanted in Budapest, as well as by attempts to make respect "Transparency" in various NGOs Funded by Foreign sources from Abroad, and to Better Monitor the Giant Influx of Mass Asyum Seekers/Irregular Migrants entering in Europe particularly Smuggled through Neighbouring Turkey, (even if Hungary already Hosts a 1st Record High Percentage of such Mass Migrants, in relation to its Native Population, with a Proportion Bigger even from that in Germany and/or in Greece), etc.

 

Already, the otherwise very Critical CoE's PanEuropean Commissioner for Human Rights, Muižnieks, has Acknowledged the Fact that Hungary has a "Thriving", as he underlined, "Civil Society" with "many Activists", but pro-Government circles have also Complained about alleged Risks for several among them to be Manipulated by Foreign circles, located Abroad.

Russia and other Countries have recently tried to Better Control or OutLaw such NGOs Funded by Foreigners from Abroad. All 3 main Presidential Candidates of the Right in France had planned, in their pre-Electoral programs and Popular promises, to Check at least Islamic Mosques funded inside Europe by Qatar and/or Saudi Arabia, etc. After the recent Berlin Massacre of innocent Civilians targetted by an irregular Migrant visiting a Controversial Mosque Funded and Controlled by the controversial Turkish Organisation IDLIB, the German Government denounced a lot of Imams controlled by Ankara's Government who are reportedly Spying on various alleged Dissidents inside Europe.

Meanwhile, Greek President Pavlopoulos, a former French-educated University Professor of Law, replying recently to MEPs' Questions at CoE's Parliamentary Assembly, denounced the fact that, Opposite to Real Refugees wo would be "Easy to Integrate" in Europe, Turkish Smugglers are Sending also many Irregular Economic Migrants and even several Thugs or even Criminals, as he said, urging the EU to Help the Greek Authorities in "Distinguishing" between those Different groups in real Practice.

While it's also a notorious Fact that several among Paris' Deadly ISIl's Terrorists had been Hidden among so-called Mass "Refugees" who enterer EU Member Greece through Turkey, a recently Growing Number of various kinds of Brutal Aggressions against innocent Civilian People by Thugs throughout Many Countries in Europe, that they massively infiltrated via Turkey. But Ankara Government's frequent Threats to unleash even More Massive Irregular Migrants' waves towards Europe, if its Demands are Not Satisfied by the EU, could have been a Lethal Blackmail for Europe's image and reality, if several Western Balkans' Countries, after Hungary and later Austria, etc., hadn't Succeeded, in the meantime, to practicaly Close the "Balkan Route" for massive Human Smuggling into the EU.

However, (and despite a growing Popularity of at least some among Victor Orban's policies, not only in  Europe, but also in the USA, etc), curiously, many Socialist or LIberal circles suddenly, started to Target and systematically Harass Hungary, particularly during the End of former US President Obama's term (2013-1/2017), withOut even Accepting a Compromise (with Critical but Measured moves) offered this week by the Head of ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group of MEPs in EU Parlliament, Manfred Weber.

On the Contrary, they Rejected, earlier Today, not only an Alternative Draft Resolution tabled by Weber on Hungary for this purpose, but even 2 Key Compromise Amendments that he had presented meanwhile, and which could have easily find a Majority of MEPs ready to Vote for them, in a much more United Eu Parliament

=> In such conditions, it's obviously Unlikely that EU Council might ever find at least a required "Qualified Majority" to Yield to such controversial desiderata pushed Only by a Smaller than expected Number of MEPs of the Left only (Comp. Supra). 

(./..)

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