newsitems

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- EU Parliament's unexpected, last minute Majority (286 - 279) Vote supporting Asylum in EU Countries for World Famous Citizens Web Freedoms' Defender, Edward Snowden, to Protect him from Threats of Extradition to the USA, certainly strengthens PanEuropean CoE's already clearly expressed Support, earlier in Strasbourg.

    But the Question whether both these 2 Converging Moves could impact, or not, the recently launched American Public Debates on the forthcoming 2016 US Presidential Election, which can be of Decisive Importance for that Topical General Interest Matter, initially appeared Uncertain, or even Unlikely, as has told "EuroFora" COE's Rapporteur Pieter Omtzigt, a mainstream ChristianDemocrat MEP from the Netherlands.

    However, also some Other interesting Converging Developments, both in Europe and in America, might, Add even more Fresh Impetus to this Growing Trend, able to hopefuly facilitate, sooner or later, a Positive Compromise Solution, that some (even among the best) might still think rather "Tabou", until now, (See Infra)...

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In particular :

    According to the Full Text of the Amendment adopted Today by EU Parliament's Plenary in Strasbourg, MEPs call "to Drop any Criminal Charges against Edward Snowden, grand him Protection, and ... Prevent Extradition or Rendition by Third Parties (f.ex. the current US Government, of outgoing President Obama).

     This should be done "in Recognition" of Snowden's "Status as WhistleBlower and International Human Rights Defender", MEPs stressed now.

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    + Today's EU move mutualy Adds Strength vis a vis the PanEuropean Organisation for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law : CoE's previous Resolution, adopted Earlier this Year in Strasbourg, which also "Calls on CoE (47 : including Russia) Member States", as a matter of Principle, "to "Grant Asylum ... to Whistle-Blowers Threatened by Retaliation in their Home Countries", under certain conditions

    ++ While also "Calling on .... the United States of America to Allow Mr Edward Snowden to Return, withOut Fear of Criminal Prosecution, under Conditions that would not Allow him to Raise the Public Interest Defence". (USA have, indeed, a Special Status at the PanEuropean CoE, with Rights and Duties, since 1995/6).  

    +++ Moreover at another CoE Resolution, adopted Previously in Strasbourg, also on "Mass Surveillance", the PanEuropean Assembly's MEPs Criticized what they had called, then, "the Reluctance of the competent United States authorities and their European counterparts to contribute to the clarification of the Facts, including their Refusal to attend hearings organised by the (CoE's) Assembly and the European Parliament" on that Topical Issue.

    That CoE's Criticism included also "the Harsh Treatment of Whistle-blower Edward Snowden", which "does Not contribute to Restoring mutual Trust and Public Confidence", as MEPs Warned.

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Larger Political Support than Initialy Expected
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    Today's EU Parliament's Move kick-started with a Surprise from the outset a Long sesssion of Voting into a quite Comprehensive Resolution on Monitoring overall developments about controversial "Mass Surveillance" practices, particularly when they are exerted ove "EU Citizens".

    The crucial Amendment ("No 10") had been tabled by the vice-President of EU Parliament's Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs' Committee, (aka :  "LIBE"), Jan-Philipp Albrecht from Germany, of the "Green" Group, and was adopted after a Hard Political Fight, with a final Majority of 286 against 279 Votes, (while 73 MEPs abstained).

    Significant of a really Hard Fight on this Vote, which apparently Continued even .. Afterwards, was the Exceptional Fact that the Initialy Anounced Results, (a "Tight" Majority of Only 285 to 281), was, Shortly Afterwards, Rectified, in their Final Version up to that Clear Majority of 286 to 279, and 73 Abstentions, when a Surprizing Number of ...Nine (9) MEPs, from various Political Groups), asked to make several "Corrections" to their Votes, transfering them towards +4 More "Yes", against Only +1 More "No", (and +4 More Abstentions)..

    The Real Supporters of that move obviously represent a much Larger Political Spectrum of EU Parliament than its Initial fans, since, in order to Succeed to attract an Absolute Majority of 285 Votes, it was obviously Necessary to get much More than the "Greens" and the Liberals, as well as the "EuroLeft" Groups Votes only, (which, taken all Together, don't go beyond just 171 votes : So that, Mathematically, even if 14 "Non Aligned", 39 "Europe of Nations and Freedom", and 45 "Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy" MEPs might have Added their Votes, the Total wouldn't have passed a 224 Minority result only, Unless at least 61 More MEPs from the mainstream ChristianDemocrat and/or Socialist Groups didn't Contribute by adding also their own Votes. Without forgeting also 72 MEPs who Abstained, allowing that Amendment to pass :

    => i.e. at least + 133 MEPs more, taken even among the 2 Biggest, mainstream Groups, Christiandemocrats and Socialists, (if not British Conservatives, etc)...

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CoE's Rapporteur to "EuroFora" on Impact to US 2016 Presidential Election :
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    Experienced PanEuropean CoE Assambly's Rapporteur both on "Mass Surveillance" and on the Need to Protect "WhistleBlowers" for Human Rights/Democracy, including Snowden, Dutch ChristianDemocrat MEP Pieter Omtzigt, speaking earlier to "EuroFora", expressed, however, his Regrets for the fact that any, even Full and/or PanEuropean Support to the cause of General Interest for all Citizens in Democracy that Edward Snowden serves, in his view, at least as things stood until recently, apparently  - "wouldn't be an Issue for the 2016 US Presidential" Election, as he bitterly but realisticaly Replied to a relevant Question that we had raised..

    - F.ex., "Because, in fact,  both Frontrunner Candidates of main Political Parties don't seem yet ready to accept anything Less than the "Patriot Act"'s Measures, some of which might affext Civil Liberties and Freedoms often on a Controversial manner, the Dutch MEP, (who has recently organized several Hearings with Snowden by Tele-Conference from Moscow to the PanEuropean CoE's Headquarters in Strasbourg), Explained to "EuroFora".

    - Omtzigt, invited by "EuroFora" to be more Specific, made it clear that he Meant, by that, Jeff Bush and Hillary Clinton", indeed, then, Top Candidates for  the Conservative and the Democratic Party, respectively.

    But, Recently, things have quite Changed, in this regard : Among the Top Conservative Candidates for the 2016 USPresidential Election, Jeff Bush remains, certainly, always important, but has been notoriously outpassed in Polls by Donald Trump, Carson, Cruz, Rubio, etc., while experienced Huckabee and others follow at close distance. Almost at the Same Time, among Democrat Party's Top Candidates, Hillary, even if she still remains, most of the times, 1st in Polls, nevertheless, Chuck Todd and, particularly, Bernie Sanders, are notoriously Catching Up, More and More Quickly, to the point that several experienced US observers already point at Sanders. So that US Politics, at this moment, have apparently become, at least in at a muh Greater Extend than, initialy speculated, quite Unpredictable..

    >>> Much more Important : BioEthical, Christian, and other "Values" Issues (f.ex. on controbersial "Same Sex Mariage", Sales of Human Parts from Aborted Embryos, Genetic Manipulations on Human Embryos, etc), have Recently become  Crucial in US Politics as Never Before in History, among almost All Top Candidates of the  Conservative Party, which is widely tipped to Win the forthcoming 2016 USPresidential Election,  (at the End of this 2nd Term of Outgoing President Obama, from the Democratic Party),

    almost at the Same Time, that a Series of Christian, Family, Grassroots Citizenship, "Tea Party", and various other "Conservative Values" oriented NGOs, had reportedly been Targetted by the Obama Administration, even for Undue Discrimination in "Surveillance", allowing to Spy and gather many Delicate Personal and/or Collective Data from them, without any clear Legal Basis, adding also another Scandal, inevitably InterRelated to the latter...

    => In Consequence, given also American People's well known Traditional attachment to Individual Liberties, a New US President from the GOP Party starting on 2016, would, probably, be much More enclined than in the Past,  towards being quite Critical against eventual Abuses  of Unjustified and even Politicaly Motivated "Surveillance" of Citizens.

    And, therefore, normaly Closer to American WhistleBlowers who Risked their Career and Personal Freedom in order to Try to Defend Citizens' Rights and Democracy, as  Snowden.

    Something that, already, some among the moost outstdanding American Web Freedom NGOs' Leaders have already asked, earlier at the CoE, particularly speaking with "EuroFora" and other Journalists in Strasbourg, when they observed their Surprise and Sorrow for the fact that EU Countries hadn't yet provided (NDLR : Neither explicitly refused, at least for most of them), any Asylum to a World-Famous and Popular Whistleblower as Edward Snowden, while Russia has done so.
    

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- Curiously, EU Parliament-supported, and unique European Army Headquarters Officers  "EUROCORPS" body, is "not (directly) represented" yet, as such, at the Urgent EU mini-Summit, exceptionaly convoked for this Sunday in Brussels by EU Commission and Council Presidents, Juncker and Tusk, in order to deal with serious issues notoriously raised by the currently continuing Massive Irregular Immigrants/Asylum Seekers inflow, mainly through Turkey via Greece and throughout the Western Balkan Countries up to Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria, towards particularly Germany and other EU Countries, including on how to materialisze EU Leaders recently clearly expressed Wish to Safeguard EU's External Borders, as it results from what the New EUROCORPS Press Office Chief, Colonel Dalmau, told "EuroFora".

    And this, despite the Fact that EUROCORPS, founded by a Pioneer Franco-German move as early as already since 1993, and Headquartered in Strasbourg, with the Participation Todoay of both Juncker's and Tusk's Countries, Luxembourg and soon Poland, as well as Spain, the Netherlands, etc, including a Liaison Officers' Networl extending aksi to Greece and several other EU Countries, even partialy to NATO ally Turkey, etc, has been officialy earmarked from the start also as a Possible EU Instrument destinated to become able to Help Europe Face even various "Humanitarian" Crises, (f.ex. Natural/Man-made Catastrophes, Epidemics, Massive Irregular Immigration inflows, etc), while, in Addition, having, during Recent Years, been Trained to Master also Complex "Multi-Modal" Operations, able to join and Combine Together, Air-Space, Sea and Land Activities, as, f.ex. those that would be obviously Necessary for an eventual action to Help Tackle the issue of EU's External Borders' guard.

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    Meanwhile, after Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastien Kurt's initial question about "What is doing Greece's Army for the Protection of its National and EU's common External Borders" around the Aegean Sea, in front or Turkey, and various relevant Decisions taken, among others, also by Bulgaria (which has also Terestrial Borders facing Turkey), Hungary, et-c., and recently Slovenia, where even ...Military Tanks were seen Facing a Huge Mass of Thousands of irregular Immigrants/Asylum Seekers from Turkey attempting to cross also that EU Country's National Borders, (See PHOTO). Therefore, the Questio obviously became Today  much more Legitimate, and even Urgent, than in the recent Past, why EU doesn't use an available European and Multi-National, seerious and responsible Tool, Officialy Destinated, Equiped and Trained in order to Help Ensure both Security and Humanitarian Operations (Comp. Supra), as the Strasbourg-Headquartered EUROCORPS ?

    Dalmau, questioned by "EuroFora", did Not Deny that such an action might be, indeed, Technicaly Possible to accomplish, for EUROCORPS, Neither Excluded that it might, eventualy, be Requested to do so by the EU in the foreseable Future.

    - But, the New "EUROCORPS"' Press Service's Chief carefuly Replied to a relevant "EuroFora"s Question by pointing at the Fact that: -"This is a very Sensitive Issue", as he said.

    However, he didn't exclude, neither denied that "EUROCORPS" could have the required Capablities to Protect an EU's External Border while also securing Humanitarian operations, f. ex. as that of a Massive Influx of Refugees and/or other irregular immigrants which might raise both European Security and Human Rigts' Values issues.

    - Instead, he carefuly but Kindly proposed to Discuss that issue with "EuroFora" better Next Week", i.e. just after that Exceptional mini-EU Countries' Summit in Brussels, scheduled for this Sunday, immediately Followed by EU Parliament's Next full Plenary Session in Strasbourg, from Monday to Thursday included.

    + Meanwhile, PIO's Chief clarified that a reported reference to "EuroCorps" at a BBC News Story related to the current Mass Irregular Immigrants/Asylum Seekers' inflows, did Not, in fact, involve the real "EUROCORPS" body Headquarted in Strasbourg, but, perhaps, "rather a kind of Policy or Activity" referred to by that News-Reporting : - "I was very much Surprized, when I saw a mainstream Media such as BBC speak about "EuroCorps" in relation to that". In fact, "it shouldn't be about us", he told "EuroFora".

    => To be Precise, and Fair to our BBC Collegues, perhaps, after all, the Right Wording might, eventualy, prove to be, sooner or later :  -"Not yet !"...

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    Meanwhile, according to converging Official and/or Press reports, Most among those More than 750.000 Irregular Mass Immigrants who have already Entered inside the EU this year, mainly through Greece from Turkey, .. doN't even ask for any Asylum, while 2/3 of them are Not even Syrians, and more than 33% of "Syrian Passports" that they present are "Fake", at the same time that "ISIL"'s Extreme Islamic Terrorists boast to have already started to Infiltrate in Europe Thousands of "Submarine" Djihadists, up to Germany's Bavaria, whose JHA Minister had Denounced that "We don't even Know Who are they, and Where they are", while strolling around EU Countryside, Cities, etc, with several Public Transport Networks often "Jammed" or Totaly Blocked, (f.ex. as recently around Munich, etc), Several Historic and Pittoresque European Villages almost Crashed in their everyday life by Thousands of various Asiatic Immigrants (curiously more than 95% Practicing Muslims, with almost all Women Scarfed, several bearing Total Burka), and even certain Great Cities accross Europe already Saturated, outpassed, their Capacities exhausted, while there is also serious Concern to Prevent a Socialy and Moraly Catastrophic Risk of Negative "Competition" to the Detriment of more than 12% of EU Citizens in average obliged to live Under the threshhold of Poverty, in addition to a still Too High Unemployment rate and Notorious Problems of Socio-Cultural "Integration". An obviously Dangerous "Mix", into which, any Real Political Refugees would feel practicaly "Crashed" by such a Huge, indiscriminate and Heterogeneous Mass...

    Today, after German Chancelor Angie Merkel's recent Trip to Neighbouring Turkey, French President Francois Hollande is now visiting EU Member Greece, at EU's External Borders, (NDLR : Both Countries being Founding Members of EUROCORPS), just before the forthcoming Mini-EU Summit in Brussels for the EU Countries affected by the "Balkan routes" of Mass Irregular Migration/Asylum Seekers, (Comp. Supra), which takes place at the Eve of an EU Parliament's Public Debate precisely on that Mass Immigration flows Crisis, in the anounced presence of both EU Commission and EU Council's Presidents Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk, during the Full Weekly Plenary Session, next Tuesday in Strasbourg.

    + At another among the Latest relevant Developments, during the ChristianDemocrats/EPP Party's (the Biggest in EU Parliament) Congress, this week in Madrid, Spain, 2 adopted Resolutions ask for the EU to "offer Safety and Humanitarian assistance as close as possible to the places of Origin, by creating safe zones and initial reception centres in Third Countries, where the Asylum procedure can already be initiated", as well as to "grant additional Financial Resources for FRONTEX, EASO and EUROPOL", (eventualy due to be Supported also by the Creation of an EU's "CoastGuard") , while "Asylum" should "be requested an,d examined at EU's External Borders, or, Preferably, Outside of the EU", also by "Creating Information and Facilitation Centres in Third Countries, with the Competence and Capability to Treat Requests Outside of the EU", and "Hotspot" Facilities/Processing Centers in Neighbouring Countries, where Migrants will be Swiftly Identified and Registered upon Arrival, and Asylum Requests can be Processed", so that "Registrations should be made Before their Entry into Schengen" area, allowing "a Clear Distinction between Legitimate Asylum Seekers, and Irregular immigrants, to be made", "if possible", in a way according which "Refugees and Economic Migrants should be Separated, Before their Arrival in the EU"

    - The "Model between Spain and Morocco should be used as a Positive Example", add those EPP Resolutions, which natufraly Start by stressing from the outset that, in order to have its "External Borders Guarded and Protzected", the "EU to reinforce its External Borders by stepping up border Controls both at Sea and on Land, in the Southern Mediterranean, the Aegean Sea and along the “Balkan route” to Prevent illegal Crossings".

    Indeed, Spain, (Country of origin for Colonel Dalmau and all the current rotating Leadership of EUROCORPS), is also famous for Not having faced almost None Serious Incident of Irregular Mass Immigration/Asylum Seekers at its Southern, Mediterranean Borders towards Morocco and all the African Continent, (the Biggest and Poorest in the World, which faces also Deadly and Destructive Conflicts, including against Extreme Islamic Terrorism, from Nigeria and Mali, up to Kenya and Somalia, as well as in Tunisia; Libya, etc). Among the main Causes of that Astonishing Phenomenon, (which obviously is Contrary to what  was going on, until recently, in Italy, and maibly  this year in Greece), should be also both the Fact that Spain has already Build (as Hungary, Bulgaria, etc), a solid Fence over its Southern Borders, while, in addition, Morocco Authorities are reportedly Protecting EU's External Border from potential Tresspassers and/or Smugglers.

    Contrary to what Turkey notoriously does, at the Other side of EU's External Borders, facing Greece, where, according to many converging Inetrnational Press Reports, Turkish Smugglers gain ...Millions € with many Tens of Ships, Boats or Donghys filled with Irregular Immigrants each Day, and even by scandalously Selling ..."Fake" Life-Saving Jackets to Poor Asylum Seekers threatened to Drown, (as at least 2 British/American mainstream Media already denounced, with Proof from original on the spot Videos) !

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    Until Now, according to the available information, only one (1) Person (of Afghan origin) has Died from a (reportedly Accidental) Fire of Soldiers, at the Turko-Bulgarian EU External Borders, during a Collective illegal Trespassing. While, on the Contrary, at least 71 Immigrants have atrociously Died by Cold and/or Asphyxia, while closed in a Smugglers' Lorry tresspassing between Austria and Hungaria, and many Dozens are still being Killed, until Today, including even Women and Children/Babies, during Failed (and/or Sabotaged) Attempts to cross the Aegean Sea from Turkey's Coasts towards Greek Islands, (mostly on Turkish Smugglers' shaky donghys), etc.

    Why shouldn't EU urgently use EUROCORPS' Capacities, also vis avis Humanitarian Crisis (Comp. Supra) in order to Both Start Protecting, at last, efficiently its External Borders, and Save Human Lives ?

*Strasbourg/Press Club/Angelo Marcopolo/- Invited by "Eurofora" to react on the latest 2015 Horrible Crimes' Findings about Greek Cypriots gone "Missing" since the Turkish Military Invasion and Occupation of part of Cyprus, including, f.ex., Last SaterDay's Burial of a Baby found Killed, together with his Mother and other Family Members, their remains Hidden in a Mass Grave, the experienced President of CoE's PanEuropean Assembly of the Organisation for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, Anne Brasseur, from the Governing Liberal Party in Luxembourg, which currently Holds the rotating EU Council's Chairmanship (for the Period of July-December 2015), stressed, in substance, that ECHR's well Established case-law on the need to Find and Punish all those Responsible for so Serious Violations of Human Rights, should be Applied, particularly on such grave Crimes, while National MEPs have a Duty vis a vis CoE to Push their Governments to do so,  and this could be Monitored by the CoE in Strasbourg, so that Criminals should be Condemned, because in certain cases, as these, ECHR Judgements are not yet respected, (See Infra).

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The Baby burried last Saterday, had been Just Born on 1974, and had lived only 6 Months when it was Killed and his Remains thrown and at a Mass Grave, Hidden for 41 years, until it was recently found by UNO's CMP in the Turkish - Occupied Territories of Cyprus still controlled by Ankara's Military, Together with its Mother, a Young Woman then aged 25, and her Younger Sisters, two Girls aged 11 and 19, as well as her own Mother. The Baby, Andreas Kyriakou, hadn't enough Time to be Photographed alive, but his tiny Pacifier/Dummy was found at the Mass Grave, together with remains of Parts of the Clothes of the 4 Murdered Women, some obviously showing trails of Brutal Violence. According to several EyeWitnesses the Killed Young Mother was Holding her NewBorn Baby in her Arms, when they Disappeared while Trying to Flee Military Attacks of the Approacing Turkish Army that Invaded Cyprus, after Mortar Fire obliged the Family to be Separated, and the 6 Montss old Baby was found by UNO's Experts Wounded by a Bullet in his Foot before being killed and thrown to a Mass Grave at the Road between Nicosia and now Turkish Occupied Famagusta, where the Identification of their remains (a few Bones, etc), was recently Confirmed, earlier this year (2015), by a DNA Verification method.

Nothing is yet known in public about what exactly Happened to them, and who might be Reponsible for those Horrible Crimes against Defenseless Civilians (1 Baby with his Mother, 2 Girls and tehir Mother : Comp. Supra). By a Tragic Irony of the sort, the Father of that Baby, who was then accomplishing his Service aty the Army, returned Safe Back Home, where he just found that all his Family had gone "MISSING", and more than 4 Decades later that they had all been Killed, despite of the fact that they were just 2 Defenseless Civcilian Women, 2 Girls and a NewBorn Baby. ECHR has repeatedly and clearly Condemned Turkey for the Tragic Loss of Lives of many Greek Cyperiot "MISSING" People, and for Inhuman/Degrading Treatments vis a vis their Families, by Refusing for yearss to really Inform them on what had happened to them whenever they fell in the Hands of Armed Turkish Troops, in a Series of landmark Judgements published in Strasbourg mainly since 2001 and 2010, which were also more Recently confirmed and clarified by an exceptionaly Important ECHR Great Chamber Decision of 2014, which underlined Turkish Governments' Responsibilities according to CoE's Human Rights Law.

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"EuroFora" had raised a "Double" Question, on two Topicaly related aspects :

    Concerning the Execution of ECHR's Judgements and PACE's capacity to help ensure that they will be Respected by Member States, (an isssue Recently debated anew by the PanEuropean Assemly last September in Strasbourg, when its Plenary adopted a new Resolution), "EuroFora" observed, as a matte of General Principle, that, contrary to some quite Fatalistic views, which claim that CoE's bodies wouldn't have sufficient means to impose ECHR Judgements' respect, in fact, PACE had a potentialy important Tool, consisting in the Responsibility of MEPs from a Country Condemned by the ECHR, to strive to Convince their Government that it must abide by the Court's rulings. A series of possible Sanctions against totaly recalcitrant MEPs were available for PACE to eventualy use them, at least in certain serious cases, Selectively and with adequate Flexibility, given the existance of various such possibilities, we suggested. (as a Previously adopted PACE Report, Drafted by an Experienced former Chairman of its Legal and Human Rights Committee, ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Christos Pourgourides, a Lawyeer from Cyprus, had already Highlighted, indirectly but obviously, in the Past).

    + In this Context, "EuroFora" reminded, f.ex., ECHR's well Established Case-Law which clearly asks, in all cases of Serious Crimes,  to Search to Find and Punish all those Responsible, and pointed at a Concrete Case of a persisting Failure for Turkey to abide by  ECHR's Judgements, in particularly Dramatic affairs, as, f.ex., that of Greek Cypriot gone "MISSING" since the 1074 Turkish Miltary Invasion ans still persisting Occupation of part of tha Island, among whom, recently (on 2015), even a Baby aged only a few Months, Together with his Mother and other Members of their Family, were found Brutaly Murdered, and their remains Hidden inside a Mass Grave, before being Burried last Saterday. But, CoE's Committee of Ministers, who has the Duty to "Supervise the Execution" of ECHR's Judgements by the Condemned States, had notoriously Limited the scope of its demands vis a vis Turkey in the cases of Cyprus' "MISSING" People, already since 2007-2008, only into Finding if merely they were Dead or Alive, i.e. leaving the Question of Justice for even Later-on, (while crucial Evidence may have been Destroyed or Lost, meanwhile, Victims' Families and/or the Criminals no more alive, etc). More Recent attempts to Change that Controversial Practice, hadn't yet yielded Results. "Don't you think that something should be done in order to ensure the Full Respect of ECHR's case-law, about Justice being done, at least in such cases of Horrible Crimes, so that the Survivants can have a Reconciliation and Live Together anew, without being Afraid that such Crimes might be ever repeated in the Future again ?", (an obviously Important Factor also for Cyprus' Peaceful ReUnification), we asked Brasseur.

 

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    - "As you know, in addition to the Committee of Ministers' supervision (of the Execution of ECHR's Judgements by the condemned Member States), we (CoE's Parliamentary Assembly) have also a Mecanism of Monitoring, and we adopted recently, two Weeks ago, a Report also on ECHR Judgements' implementation", PACE's President reminded from the outset, in her Reply to "Eurofora"s Questions.

    + "Moreover, you are speaking about a well-Established ECHR's Case-Law, and which remains still fully valid until Today", she observed, about the responded States' obligation to Search to Find and Punish all those Responsible for Serious Crimes/Human Rights' Violations.  And, in this regard, "you evoked certain Specific Cases of "MISSING" People".

    - "CoE's Parliamentary Assembly has already played a very Important Role in various kinds of such issues :" F.ex. "we had a Report by (Swiss Liberal MEP, former Attorney General and Chairman of PACE's Legal/Human Rights Committee) Dick Marty, on Trafficking of (Human) Organs", (harvested from the Bodies of People gone "Missing" f.ex. more recently during the Former Yugoslavia's Wars, at Kosovo and/or Albania, with the Complicity of a Turkish Medical Network, etc).

    -"At that period, Many thought that Dick Marty was Exagerating, and that such things didn't realy Exist, or that there wasn't any Proof. But, afterwards, it was, Unfortunately, Found that this was, indeed, Real !", Anne Brasseur reminded, (speaking of the Same PACE Rapporteur who had also made a Reoprt on Cyprus' "Missing" People, (for whom, a Different, American Magazine had also suggested, some Years ago, on the alleged basis of certain Testimonies attributed to other former Prisoners, that, at least some among them might have been Abused as "Guinea Pigs" for Secret Bio Warfare, atrocious Deadly "Tests" on Human beings, at a Turkish Laboratory, back during the 1980ies, but, even if such kind of possible abuses might, perhaps, help to explain thestill on-going Mystery of that Massive "Disappearance" of so Many People from Cyprus, nevertheless, nobody hasn't yet undertaken to seriously Investigate that Hypothesis until now : Comp. a relevant Interview given to "Eurofora"'s co-Founder by CoE's Rapporteur Dick Marty on such a possibility, not excluded a priori, which was published then at "TCWeekly").

    - "Moreover, we (PACE) have also made a Report on <<Secret Prisons>>, which was also found to be right, in a not so distant Past", President Brasseur added, reminding also another landmark Dick Marty Investigative Report, which had initially captivated the Interest of many International Media dealing with the Wider so-called issue of "CIA Reddition Flights", rightfuly suspected to have taken place shortly after 9/11. (Something similar might, probably, had happened also with at least some among the Greek Cypriot "Missing" Persons, particularly those for whom there is already sufficient Evidence that they had been, almost certainly or most probably, initialy kept in certain Turkish Prisons of Asia Minor, but afterwards Disappeared without leaving any visible trail behind them : Such "Secret Detentions" Hypothesis, which obviously canNot be Excluded a priori,  are one of the reasons for which both the Families of Cyprus' "Missing People", and, later-on, the CoE's Committe of Ministers itself, have repeatedly Urged Turkey to Open to impartial Investigations all its relevant Miltary and Prisons' Archives, until now, mostly in vain)...

    - "So, as Parliamentarians", CoE Assembly's "MEPs, we have extensively worked" on such kind of issues. +"But you evoked also a Differend Question, which is MEPs' role vis a vis their National Governments", the PanEuropean Assembly's President went on in her Replies to the above mentioned "EuroFora"s Questions, also on MEPs' own Responsibility on convincing their own Governing Parties to abide by ECHR's Judgements).

    - "Here, I must say that one of the main Roles of Parliaments is, indeed, to Check the Governmnent", Brasseur agreed, as a matter of Principle, with the main thrust of "EuroFora"s 1st query, (Comp. Supra).

    - However, "sometimes, in many Countries, the MPs of the Governing Majority, consider themselves as mere Supporters of that Goveernment, and all Others as Opponents of the Government", criticaly observed, on this point, PACE's President, smiling.

    - "But, the Role of any Parliament is, precisely, to Monitor the Government, and this Check shouldn't, a priori, have any Negative meaning", she pointed out. - "That's why, almost in every (National) Parliament, there is, f.ex., a special  Committee for the Control of the Execution of the (Annual) Budget, and, in my Country (Luxembourg), I used to Chair it, in order to see whether one of the most Important Laws adopted, as that of the National Budget, was correctly applied by the Government",  Brasseur noted.

    => - "In fact, this has Nothing to do with being in the (Political) Opposition, or in the (Governing) Majority : As Parliamentarians, we must all wake up, assume our duties, and fully play anew our Role to Monitor the Executive Power :  I think that a Lot of Work  awaits for us (MEPs) in this direction !", she stressed, (basicaly agreing with at least the Basic Principle of "EuroFora"s above-mentioned suggestion : Comp. Supra, at the eve of an important Trip to the nearby Geneva-based International Inter-Parliamentary Union : IPU).

    >>> - "So, if we (CoE) Succeeded to do so, for the Parliamentarians who come here (in Strasbourg), it wouldn't be just a matter of Voting only here, "For" or "Against" something, but also to push for the Decisions taken here  by the (CoE's PanEuropean)Assembly  to be endorsed also back Home in their Countries", underlined PACE's President, in line with what "EuroFora" had precisely suggested, the matter including, obviously, also PACE's Annual Report and Resolution on the Execution of ECHR's Judgements (Comp. Supra) :

    - In this regard, moreover, "in several (CoE's Member) Countries there is a Commission, or a specialized sub-Committee for Legal matters, which Monitors the Execution of ECHR's Judgements, inside the concerned Country. There are even certain Countries which have a Transversal (Horizontal) Commission which Examines All (National) Laws also from the point of view of their conformity to the PanEuropean Convention of Human Rights", Anne Brasseur observed.

    - "And there, I think that the Role of (National) Parliamentarians (particularly those who are also MEPs at the PACE) is Huge, really Huge, in what they have (the Duty) to do !", she concluded.

    => - "As for the cases that You ("EuroFora") have Cited, (about the Latest Revelations concerning Cyprus' "Missing" Persons : Comp. Supra), even if I am not a Judge, nor a Government which might Condemn anyone, however, finaly, when Crimes have been committed, all those Responsible for them must be Found", President Brasseur Stressed.

     -And, in any State functioning according to the Rule of Law, there are efficient (Institutional and Legal) Tools in order to Condemn them", . That's why, it's up to Politicians not to Intervene in the (Criminal) Investigations, but to Push so that Full Light can be shed", particularly on such Horrible Crimes.

 - But, "in Certain Affairs, one has the Impression that it's Not done at all !....", the Experienced President of CoE's PanEuropean Parliamentary Assembly, Criticized in Conclusion of her Reply to "Eurofora"s Questions on Horrible Crimes recently Revealed in certain cases of "Missing" Greek Cypriots gone, "Missing" since the Turkiish Military Invasion,, (as those of a whole Family, included 3 Women and a Girl, found Dead, followed even by a Baby and its Mother, their remains Hidden in a Mass Grave, who were Identified and independently re-Burried at a special Religious Ceremony, with many Officials and People, last Saturday, on October 10, 2015 : Comp. Supra).

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- For the European Federation of Journalists' Secretary General, Ricardo Gutierrez, speaking to "EuroFora" after an Interesting Debate at CoE's PanEuropean/International, 2 Days-long, Conference on "Press Freedom and Democracy", a real Journalist is not an individual who holds a "Press Card", but a Person engaged in Practicing Good Journalism and who respects main Principles of Press Deontology, as he stressed, in substance, in Reply to our Question, after  various Media-Experienced Experts, Officials, Press NGOs, Journalists, etc, had tjust taken the Initiative to Highlight that issue's current actuality.

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

    + By a significant, Symbolic Coincidence, e was speaking, almost at the Eve of the 30th Anniversary of the Official Proclamation, by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, as early as, already back since 1985, that, at the Modern Era of PC, Internet and other Huge Socio-Political Changes, the very Notion of "Journalist" must be revived and Re-Defined anew, in a much more Substantial way than in the Past, (See Infra).

    ++ Moeover, Gutierrez main View appears Strongly Supported, and Further Developed, also by a Landmark, comprehensive Article, just Published at the Latest CoE's Book on "Journalism at Risk" (ed. October 2015), by the Experienced Director of Ethical News Network, and famous long-time Secretary General of the International Federation of Journalists, Aisan White, (who had already spoken with "EuroFora" on this issue, as early as since at least 2010 : See also Infra).

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    - Ricardo Gutierrez, who already holds a Solid Experience from "the Written Press", after having "Worked during 23 Years for the (Belgian, French Speaking) Newspaper "Le Soir" mainly "in Brussels", spoke to "EuroFora" in the framework of a larger Interview on "Freedom of Expression and Democracy", (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/unfreespeechrapporteurkayaonrisksofbillsonradicalism.html )

    Invited by "EuroFora" to react on some Interesting Interventions made Earlier, during CoE's Interational Conference on Freedom of Expression and Democracy Debates, f.ex. from a Latvian Expert, mainstream Member of CoE's Commitee on New Media and Information Society, who even cited a landmark, Historic Decision of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, (See Infra), but also UNO's Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression, Dr. David Kaya, etc, EFJ's Seretary General appeared quite Positive, even if he approached the main Issue progressively ;

    - At First, indeed, Gutierrez simply Noted the Fact, as a matte of General Principle,  that "the Potential (of Freedom of Expression) should not be Focuse only on (Traditional) Journalists, but Everyone should be Protected, in fact, any Writer, we are OK about it", he agreed.

    + Further on, Gutierrez became more Specific, when "EuroFora" reminded in some more concrete detail the main thrust of the IACHR's Historic Legal Opinion on the very Definition of Journalism (See Infra), as well as the recent Fact that, f.ex., during the latest Deadly Massacte by ISIL's Extreme Islamic Terrorist BeHeaders, of a manly pro-Kurdish Popular Demonstration for Peace in Ankara, where Bombs had atrciously Killed or seriously Wounded Dozens of Civilian People, the only one to manage to have and publish a unique Video shpwing the Events, was a Non-Traditional Media using an On Line Website, which, even if it might have Acted as a Real Journalist and Considered itself to be a Normal "Media" like others, nevertheless, obviously had Not yet any Formal Recognition by the Turkish Authorities, equivalent to that of Traditional Journalists of the Old Establishment, and, therefore, could be Exposed to Dangerous Risks : In this case, f.ex., even of its Reporter's Life and/or Physical Integrity, since he/she obviously Risked to be Wounded or Killed by the 2 Bomb Explosions that he/she Filmd, even without having any worthy mentioning Legal Protection, equivalent to Traditional Journalists, who found and used, afterwards, that Unique VideoNews, while Comfortably Citting at their ArmChairs, at a Safe Office, quietly drinking their Coffee...

    - "The (only relevant) "Difference between a (Traditional) Professional Journalist and a (simple) Blogger is that the Journalist should follow some Ethical Rules", EFJ's Secretary General resumed from the outset, n Reply to "EuroFora"s above mentioned Question.

    - On the Contrary, "a (Simple) Citizen can Lie, why not ? Nobody would Blame hm for that. An (Political) Activist can Lie", while "a Journalist canNot. That's the (main) Difference",  Gutierrez underlined in particular.

    However, on this point, after "EuroFora" reminded Experienced Director of Ethical News Network, and former long-time International Federation of Journalist's Secretary General, Aidan White's recent Publications about Protecting alike Traditional Journalists of Old Media of the Establishment, and New Media Reporters who have Engaged themselves into Practicing Journalism in full Respect of main Press Deontology Principles, (See Infra, in extenso),    

    as well as the Scandalous Fact (partly Responsibe of the notorious Contempt that a Majority of People feel recently about Established, Old Medias, which hae Lost their Credibility in many Countries, both in Europe and in the USA, etc), that, often, some  Employees are given, by some obscure Bureaucrats, a so-called "Press Card", in fact, more on the basis of ... Fiscal Interests, (f.ex.to be Simply .. Paid by a Business named as "Media", and/or to empocket Most of their Money, each Month, from such a Business' payroll, etc), than according to the Content of what they are really doing in everyday Practice, (which might be, sometimes, even Ridiculously Irrelevant to real Journalism, f.ex. simple Secretariat or Technical job, a mere Copy and "Radio-TV Presentation" of Other Journalists' Original Work, etc), i.e. on Criteria of Real Journalism, such as Intellectual (i.e. Original and/or Investigative News Production), Sociological (f.ex. Risks Taken in order to Inform Society at large on Important Issues, otherwise Covered up), and Ethical, (i.e. Press Deontology, etc) Characteristics of what they are actually Producing on Important Topical Issues which Affect People's Lives and need, therefore, to be Clarified in a Pluralistic way for the General Interest of a Democratic Society, (i.e. near ECHR's well established case-law on Freedom of Expression which is the only relevant Human Right protected by the PanEuropean HR Convebntion's Article 10) :

    - "This is quite well known, I Agree with You" on this point.  - "That's why I also Agreed wit that (CoE's) Debate, on the Definition of Journalism, which has just taken place", inside the PanEuropean Organisation's 2 Days-long International Conference on Freedom of Expression and Democracy (See partly Infra), EFJ's experienced Head reacted Positively.

    => - "A Real Journalist is Not someone who has been given a "Press Card". It's a person who actualy Does a Good Journalism", in Real regular Practice, the Experienced Head of the European Federation of Journalists stressed in a Crystal-clear way.

    - In this regard, indeed, "there are several People who do Not hold a Press Card, but are actualy Practicing a real Journalism, who are Doing a Good Work of Journalist, Respecting the Principles" (of Press/Media Deontology), while, at the same time, there are also Some Holders of "Press Cards", who don't even Follow the Principles of Journalism, who are Not Ethical, who don't respect Press/Media Deontology", Gutierrez topicaly Denounced.

    >>>-  That's why, "for me, a Journalist is Not someone who holds a "(Press) Card". It's a Person who is engaged in Exercising that Craft, while taking into Consideration the Ethical Rules of that Work, and mainly its Deontological Rules", EFJ's Secretary General concluded in Reply to the above-mentioned "EuroFora"s Question.

     + "This is in line both with the Anglo-Saxon Vision" of Journalism and Media, wile also, "absolutely", Fitting "ECHR"s Case-Law", Ricardo Gutierrez noted in addition.

-----------------------------
A landmark Legal View officialy expressed by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights "Unanimously", on the Definition of Journalism :
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Meanwhile, indeed, CoE's Committee on Media and Information Society's Member from Latvia, (who Chaired the EU in the 1st Half of this Year, from January to June 2015), after participating as Expert in "last week's International Conference on "Ending Impunity for Crimes against Journalism", which took place "at the Headquarters of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in Costa-Rica", ("in the Presence of the Inter-American Court's President, even of the African Court for Human Rights, only our ECHR's President was absent", as he noted), made an Astonishing observation, during CoE's debates  :

- In fact, "a Problem that we (EU and CoE) Face Today, had been Settled almost 30 Years ago", by "the Advisory Opinion No 5, of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, decided already since 1985" (i.e. almost at the Beginning of PC and Internet's spread in Modern Society) :

>>> - "Journalism canNot be Confined only to those who are formaly named as such", by one or another Traditional Bureaucratic body, under more or less Controversial Criteria, "But now extends", in Modern Society, "also to Other NewsReporters, according to that Pioneer Decision of a prestigious International Human Rights' Court.

=> - In Consequence, Today, an adequate "Re-Qualification was not only Desirable, but also Necessary !", he stressed.

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

    Indeed, that Historic Decision, taken "Unanimously" by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights,  strongly Condemns, inter alia, any "Compulsory Licencing of Journalists", (f.ex. the Requirement of a so-called "Press Card" exclusively attributed only by a Corporatist or State body, as a Monopolistic "Association", etc, similar to that notoriously Restrictive and often Arbitrary System Abused by some in France, etc., and recently Decried by several Journalists who even ... "Burned their Card" inj Public !), because it found that it's clearly "Incompatible with the .....Convention on Human Rights".

    + Moreover, in the Same way, f.ex. a Law which claimed also to Restrict even the Notion of "Practicing Professional Journalist", Only to an individual  "for whom (the) work", of a "principal, regular or paid occupation ...to practice his profession in a Daily or Periodic Publication, or in Radio or Television News Media, or in a News Agency", (i.e. without even bothering to see at all what CONTENT should have this "occupation" - SIC !!!...), "represents his/her Principal source of Income", (i.e. precisely as some notorious Corporatist Systems try to impose as another Restriction), was also "Unanimously" Condemned as "Incompatible with the .... Convention on Human Rights", at this same landmark Decision of the IACHR.

    - Because such Controversial Measures "Deny" to the Victims, Excluded by those Restrictions, "Access to the Full Use of the News Media, as a Means of Expressing Opinions or Imparting Information" to the Public, as the Judges of that International Human Rights Court explicitly Denounced in Conclusion.

     - "Journalism canNot be equated to a Profession, that is merely granting a Service", f.ex. only "throught those who are Enrolled in a certain Professional "Colegio" (Corporation)", "because", in fact, "Journalism is the Primary and Principal Manifestation of Freedom of Expression of Thought, .... which is an Inherent Right" of a person, "and has a Double Dimension  : Individual and Collective", including Both "the Right of an Individual to Express himself Freely, AND that of Society as a whole  to Receive Information", so that any "Violation" of that, Threatens also "to Deprive Society of possible Sources of Information", affecting "a CornerStone upon which the very Existence of a Democratic Society rests", since "it's Indispensable for the Formation of Public Opinion", and "a Condition sine qua non for the Development of Political Parties, Trade Unions", etc., and "the Means that Enable the Community, when Exercising its Options, to be Sufficiently Informed", given the Fact that "a Society that is Not Well Informed, is Not a Society that is Truly Free".

              +  That's why, the very "concept of Public Order in a Democratic Society, requires the Guarantee of the Widest possible Circulation of News, Ideas and Opinions, as well as the Widest Access to Information by Society as a Whole", and "is not conceivable without Free Debate, and the possibility for Dissenting Voices to be Heard", since, f.ex. in Europe, the very "Purpose of ... the Convention" on Human Rights "was .. to establish a Common Public Order, of the Free Democracies of Europe, .... Safeguarding their common Heritage of Political Traditions, Ideals, Freedom and the Rule of Law", as the IACHR furhermore observed.

    => In consequence, "Journalism is the Primary and Principal Manifestation of Freedom of Expression", and "the Thing that Journalists do, involves, precisely, the Seeking, Receiving and Imparting  of Information", since "the PRACTICE OF JOURNALISM ...Requires a Person to ENGAGE (Him/Herself) in Activities that define or embrace the Freedom of Expression", so that "the Professional Journalist is not, nor can he be, anything else, but Someone who has Decided to Exercice Freedom of Expression in a Continuous, Regular" way.  As for "the Circumstance, Whethern, or Not, that Right is Exercised as a Paid Profession, canNot be deemed Legitimate in Determining whether (a) Restriction" might be acceptable, since "that's Not a good enough Reason to Deprive Society of possible Sources of Information". "Unlike Journalism", "the practice of Law or Medicine, that is to say, the Things that Lawyers or Physicians do, is Not an Activity Specifically Guaranteed by the Convention" on Human Rights, and, therefore, it could be Restricted,  for "Reasons ... that May... Justify Compulsory Licencing of Other Professions", but canNot be invoked in the case of Journalism, because .... this could Violate the Basic Principles of a Democratic Public Order", (Comp. Supra), IACHR Distinguished.

---------------------------------------
CoE publishes "Journalism at Risk" Book : 

- Big Challenges pushing to a ReNaissance ?

+ A landmark Article by Aidan White

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

    The main thrust of such a Move was, by a Timely coincidence, reminded, reVitalized and Further Developed in an Interesting Book just Published by the CoE, in October 2015, and promoted these Days, on the occasion of this Week's PanEuropean/International Conference on Freedom of Expression, under the Heading of "Journalism at Risk"  : "Threats, Challenges and Perspectives", which mainly aims to "Tackle the Threats" that "Journalism faces Today f.ex. by "Censorship, Political Pressure, Intimidation, Job Insecurity, Attacks on the Protection of Sources", and other, "many Differend Challengfes" and "Issues surrounding the Role of Journalism in Democratic Societies" of our Modern era, particularly "when High-Quality, Independent Journalism is More Necessary than ever", according to the Official presentation by CoE's editors themselves.

    Inside it, among 10 Contributions from various Media Experts, including an Introduction by the PanEuropean Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muiznieks, (Comp. other, recent Muiznieks' Topical Statements to "EuroFora", earlier this week, f.ex. at : .....), CoE's New Book on "Journalism at Risk", includes also a landmark, long Contribution by Experienced Aidan White, currently Director of the "Ethical Journalism Network", and World-Famous former long-time Secretary General of the Brussels' based "International Federation of Journalists, during more than 24 Years, as well as Founder of the "European Association of Journalists", one of the Biggest and more Active in the World.

     Titled : "Ethical Journalism : Inspiration for a Responsible Communication in Europe", this Aidan White's Article advances towards an Interesting Direction, at which "EuroFora" had already pointed, and briefly but topicaly Discussed both wih himself and other key personalities of the World of Media in Europe, particularly during the first Collective "Sittings of Journalism", organized together with main Press Associations, Editors, Journalists, Experts, Politicians, etc, initialy at the PanEuropean CoE in Strasbourg, as early as already since back on 2009 and 2010, etc.

    It was mainly about Today's Need to clearly ReDefine Real "Journalism", by partly New and More Substantial Criteria, which go directly into the Heart of the Matter, the Specific and more Noble, Social Function and Mission of Real Journalists, without limiting that, no more, only to some Old, Bureaucratic, Formal and Inadequate Criteria, which had become Inadequate in Modern Society, and linked with a well-known "Crisis" of Traditional Media throughout the Wold, both Economicaly, but mostly by grossly Failing to keep the Trust of the People in nowadays Democracies, where most Traditional Journalists are now notoriously considered to be Corrupted, Stupid, Misleading, and/or Subordinated Lackeys of an Anti-Democratic Establishment, full of Manipulation and Deceipt, which Today Hinders Modern Citizens' adequate Information, and has also become largely Useless, given also the New Technological possibilities for Free Access to News Reading and/or Making, as well as the generaly Higher Educational level of many Citizens than what it used to be in a Remote Past.

    In fact, it's also, at least partly, about the Need to ReVive the Original Spirit of Pioneer and Noble Journalism of Good Old Times, Bypassing a Notorious and Dangerously Anti-Democratic and Counter-Productive Decline, which has led to a scandalous Waste, Manipulative and often even Oppressive Misbehavior, while also trying to Explore and Seiize the Huge, untapped yet, Potential that a Creative and Productive use of New Communication and Information Technologies of the Modern Era have made Possible, for the First Time in History, mainly by remplacing Gutenberg's Printing Machine, with nowadays InterConnected Electronic Networks.

    In this regard, a Real Journalist, deserving at least an elementary Protection of basic Freedoms, particularly nowadays, is no more someone who simply gets, or not, a so-called"Card" by a Few Bureaucrats, mainly attesting that he/she would be Subordinated to an "Owner" of a Printing Machine Business Conglomerate, which might be still called, according to Old Criteria "a Press Company", and more or less Paid with the Money of exclusively that "Boss", mostly Regardless  of what he/she really does in fact. But, on the Contrary, a Person who is Defined mainly by the Content and the Quality of his/her Regular Activity, Dedicated into Searching, Finding, Elaborating and Presenting to the Public Original Informations about New Developments which may seriously affect People's Lives and the General Interest of the Society at large, in a way which strives to really and voluntarily Respect at least the elementary Principles of an Independent, Transparent, Fact-based Truthfulness, Investigative, Serious, Substantial and Fair "Press Deontology". (Among many others, Comp., f.ex. also : http://www.eurofora.net/deontology.html ; http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/digitalpress.html ; http://www.eurofora.net/brief/brief/webmedia.html ; http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/pflimlinmitterrand.html ; http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/coehumanrightscommissioneronwebmedia.html , etc).

    In other Words, to put it in a nutshell, (by using some well known and Inspiring references from the European and even World-wide Classic Civilisation), such Real Journalists are much more Motivated by the Noble Passion of a "Prometheas"-like Spirit, resolutely dedicated into Finding and Bringing the "Fire of Knowledge" to the People, even at the Risk of their own Freedom and/or Well-Being, as also by that of a Marathon Victory's "Aggelos" (i.e. a Messenger serving to Anounce Important News), who may even Sacrifice his/her own Life in order to Timely Bring to the People a Message of Vital and Urgent Importance for all, (f.ex. that an Ennemy Army is approaching and that they must Protect themselves Fast in the Acropolis' Castle, according to the Famous events of Ancient History). It would certainly be possible, and perhaps even better Illustrated, if we added some Equivalent Images f.ex. from Jules Vernes' Books, and/or other Writers.

    On the Contrary, at any case, in this sense, a Real Journalist is Certainly NOT someone like a ... Clerk of a Shop owned by a Corrupted Trader, or a Lackey of some Unscrupulous Politician searching to Manipulate People in order to get Elected by Treaching, Neither a Bore repeating banal Copies of Others' recipes on how to make People fall Asleep, and Never a mere Cynical Liar Aggressing other People in order to Harm them for some Obscure, Dark and Selfish Interests, (whatever Money he/she might have been promissed to be paid by a Thug, ...to say it harshly, but clearly).

---------------------------    

    - All this Fits quite well with the Fact described by Aidan White, in his above mentioned Article in the latest CoE's Book, (Comp. Supra), as, f.ex., the existence, Nowadays, of "Increasing Calls, from within Media, for a Fresh and InVigorated Vision of Journalism's Future, Based upon ReVival of the Spirit of Mission and Values". Because, he is Convinced that, at any case, "the Future of Journalism ...will Depend on its Ability to Serve the Public Interest, and to nourishthe Ethical framework in which a News is Reported"; (See : "Journalism at Risk", p. 200 and 220).

    + F.ex., in this regard, among various other concrete Cases, White cites that of even "one of Britain's Leading Political Journalists, (who) Dramaticaly and very publicly Quit his Job", "Accusing the Management of Censoring Stories", (f.ex. "about (a) Bank -leading Advertiser of the Newspaper- which was Caught up in a .. Scandal). Tellingly, be Broke the Story on a current affairs News Website" ! (Ibid, p. 208).

    A recent "Report" on "Untold Stories" yet, about "How Corruption and Conflicts of Interests Stalk the NewsRoom", "covering 18 Countries", and "Launched on March 2015" by "The Ethical Journalism Network", following the above mentioned affair, "Opened up a Debate about these Problems", including, f.ex., how Traditional "Business Models .. based on Good Journalism", were "Undermined", Contrary to "Those who see Media as a route to Profit or Political Influence", with plenty of "Dark Arts... everywhere", "Deals with Advertisers to carry Paid-for material Disguised as Honest News", "Reporters accepting Bribes", "Hidden ... Dodgy Practices", "Betrayal of Ethical Principles", "News Media Overwhelmed by Political and Corporate Interest groups", "Irregular Payments", "a Culture of Dependence on Political and Corporate <<Friends>>, that makes it increasingly Difficult to Separate Journalism from Propaganda, and Impartial Reporting from <<Public Relations>>", etc. "Although the Major Threats come from Outside Media, with (some) Governments, Unscrupulous Politicians,", etc, neverheless, "also ...many of Today's Media Owners ...Buy into Journalism ..mostly to Promote their Own Businesses and Political Agenda", so that "Journalism is Compromised by Politicians and Owners", particularly there "where Media are on the Front Line of Tough Political Battles", (f.ex. on "Turkey", etc), while, f.ex. "in Ukraine, the practice of Paid-for Journalists is a tool Routinely Used by Politicians at Election Time", as that International Report found.

    => In such conditions, "the Weakening of Public Trust to Journalism", was obviously an unavoidable "Consequence"...  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     >>> - In order "to Build Public Confidence, Journalism must Connect with its Audience, and Make itself Accountable" for any eventual "Mistakes", i.e. "Journalists should embrace Self-Regulation, as a way of Strengthening the Work they do", Urges Aidan White, (ibid. p. 204). + More Widely, for all the above-mentioned reasons, (Comp. Supra), - "Creating New Structures .... and Focusing on Quality (of Content),  can Inspire the New .... Journalists, .... Committed to Values, ... to Enhance and Strengthen Journalism and Media Content", while also  tackling "the Ethical Challenges" which "emerge" from the "Creation of such a New Broad Movement", he rightfuly Hopes, (ibid. p. 203).

    - Because, meanwhile, in fact, "Journalism has become a More Open Profession", thanks to New Communication Technologies and other Socio-Political Developments. "These Developments are Encouraging Signs of a Move Towards a Fresh Vision for Journalism, accross Europe", and probably the World, also encouraged by several "Initiatives to ... Support for (what could be Named as) Public Interest Journalist".

    - "In Today's Media environment there is Much Debate about Who is a Journalist, and, therefore,... entitled to the Protections that should be Granted to People carrying out Journalistic Work, such as Protection of Sources, ... Pubic Interest Questions", etc. "This is an Important Question, and by No means Academic",  observes the Experienced Aidan White on October 2015, i.e.by an extraordinary coincidence, at the ..30th Anniversary of that Historic Inter-American Court of Human Rights' Decision of 1985 (almost at the Beginning of PC's and Internet's spread, etc), which described as Journalists those who have Decided to Dedicate themselves in Engaging to a Continuous and Regular Practice of Journalism, i.e. into Seeking, Receiving and Imparting Information about News in order to Express themselves and Inform the Public at large about Issues of General Interest for the whole Society, (Comp. Supra).

    >>> - "Increasingly, the Term "Journalist" is used to include All those who Regularly Engage in Collecting and Disseminating Information to the Public, with a Journalistic purpose", i.e. "People ... who (even if they are "Not Members of a professional body", and/or "Not Employed by a Media", etc, nevertheless) "commit what might be Called <<Acts of Journalism>>", White underlines, in this regard.

    - "Traditionaly, Journalists had been Defined (merely) according to their Employment by a Media Organisation", (i.e. Not by the Content, the Method, nor the Aim of their Productive Activities) , "by Affiliation to a" Trade "Union", or by completion of" a Specific "Training", as a kind of "Craft, with 2 Personalities : The ...Workers, in .. Employment as Part of a Media Brand, Working in a Team Dedicated to a Mission Defined by an Owner (of Media Equipments) or Management", Reminded White.

    + "EuroFora", as any careful reader, can, obviously, note, here, also the fundamental Fact that, while Back in the Past of Gutemberg's Printing Machines, all NewsMedia needed a Capitalist with enough Money to Buy an efficient Printing Machine, large Quantities of Printing Materials (i.e. Paper, Ink, etc), a Big Building to keep all that inside, and able to Pay also for the Necessary, then, Physical Transport of many Printed NewsPapers, for their Stockage and Offer to Distribution in various places, as well as to Care for the Massive Return of Non-Sold Copies, etc, so that any NewsMedia Worker was Inevitably Subordinated to "an Owner" of such Means of Production, the Use of which was, indeed,  "Defined" exclusively by that "Owner" and/or "Management", (as White pointed out), on the Contrary, Today, in the Modern Societies of Widely Developed Internet Networks, and more and more Powerful Digital Personal Computers, Tablets, SmartPhones, etc., naturaly, that Old Division became Obsolete, and those 2 Last Roles, often Useless, if not Parasitic and, in fact, even Counter-Productive, since any really "Skilled and Creative Workers" can, from Now on, Produce and Disseminate NewsMedia Informations withOut Needing at all, No More, the InterMediation of those supplementary personas, who have become, more or less superfluous, unnecessary, ByPassed and Historicaly Condemned by the very Progress of New Communication and Information Technologies, which allow to Modern Journalists to Search and Find, Design and Publish, as well as Disseminate to the Public the Results of their own Work, withOut needing, no more, anyone among those Old, seless and Costly Intermediaries, (and, in Consequence, also None among those above mentioned Relations of a Past which has Vanished or became Redudant, (Except, perhaps, for Coordinated NewsMedia Work, f.ex. specialy for Global Press Agencies, unless they use, innovate and develop further the Original Idea of the "Associated Press", which has notoriously been Destroyed by the Old System)...

    In other words, as also another Writer, Contributing in that Same COE's Book about "Journalism at Risk", Eugenia Siapera, from Dublin University's School of Communications, puts it : - At one stage in History, the Pioneers' '"Pure News", or "Literaly Journalism" of "the Men of Letters", when, often, "until the 19th Century, Newspapers were mainly <<One-Man-Bands>>" (Sic !), with the Cost of Founding f.ex. a Weekly staying still at about 690 £, had been Replaced, later-on, by "Traditional Industrial Journalism", where, for the First Time, "Journalists operated as Waged Labourers",  and "an Hierachical Model of Organisation of Journalistic Work" was imposed, together with "Fragmentation" and "Division", particularly between "Conception" and "Execution", etc, which strived to "Apply the Labour Model of Work to Journalism", resulting in Lowering its original Standards and Quality, while also Skiping the Focus from "Pure News' Content" (Comp. Supra),  to attempts to Affect or even Manipulate Public Opinion by a kind of Mass "Dealers of Public Opinion", etc, (i.e., obviously approaching the recently Denounced Corruption, Untrustworthiness, Lack of Independence, etc. that Aidan White Denounced in his own Paper: Comp. Supra).

    But, nowadays "Digital Journalism", may "Drasticaly Change" that situation, inter alia, including by the emergence, f.ex. of "a Multi-Skilled, Multimedia Professional", a "BackPack" Journalist, able to "Produce News through the Equipment in his/her Backup", the notorious Failure of "Pay per View" News at the era of Internet, Social Media, Twitter, etc., and of People Committed to "Open Journalism" at the Web, a Growing Debate between "Enterpreneurial Journalism" and "Public Interest Journalism", (the Potential of Both having been unleashed by Extensions of the Web and of PCs/SmartPhones, etc), Faster "Fact-Checking" for Accuracy than in the Past, the Disappearance of Old "Time Deadlines", "Multi-Media, InterActivity, Connectivity and HyperTextuality", as well as "Users' Participation" and "Social Media"e (including Quality Forums, etc), may Change seriously the Way that Modern and Future Journalists would Produce News, both Individualy and Collectively, and Open some New Horizons for Journalism/News Publishing, which have not yet been Explored enough.

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    => In addition, according to Aidan White, "Many Now argue that ... who Publishes Information on Matters of Public Interest, in this Context (i.e. "Regularly Engaged" in that activity, which includes also "Searching" such Information, "with a Journalistic Purpose", etc : Comp. Supra), "should Benefit from the Protection and Legal Privileges given to ...Journalists, including Protection from Censorship and undue Interference, the Right to Publish in Safety and Security, and the Right to Protect the Confidentiality of Sources", etc. "The ... Intention to Publish in the Public Interest, and Attachment to -and Recognition of- certain Fundamental Ethical Values", (Comp. Supra), will become Increasingly Important to Ensuring that Legitimate Protection is provided to everyone who should be Entitled to it (Traditional, and Non-Traditional Journalists included) ... Acts of Journalism in Good Faith are Worthy of Protection", resumes White in Conclusion, on this key point.    

    In fact, "Ethical Journalim has Always been at the Heart of Notions of <<Professionalism>> in Media", and "has always been reflected in the creation of Codes of Conduct for Journalists" in various "forms of Self-Regulation" he added. Today, "Journalism covers an Information Community much Wider than the Traditional(y) ...recognized Media Professionals". Because "it can include" all those "Engaged in the Dissemination of Information in the Public Interest", so that "Journalism Combines Free Expression with a Commitment  to Professional and Ethical Standards". Moreover, "Journalism has a Public Purpose to provide, as Honestly and as Independendly, as possible, Accurate and Reliable Intelligence for the Communities it Serves".  (ibid, p 197)                 

    - '"What makes Journalism, and the Work of People from Traditional and Non-Traditional, Public Interest Communications, Distinct from (Simple) Free Expression", is "the Discovery of Truth", "In the Framework of Press Freedom" : And "the Core Importance of Press Freedom is that it is embedded in Discussion, in which Differend Opinions are not only Expressed, but also Tested in Open Debate", advanced further White, with an Interesting Insight.  Real "Journalism and Media" are "Guided by Core Ideals of Mission, and Aspiring to Standards and Values". This "Distinction is Increasingly Relevant in the Age of Social Networks and OnLine Communications" : "Journalism ... is  .. a Constrained Expression, Framed by the Ethics of Journalistic Mission : Truthfulness, Independence, Accountability, Fairness, and Respect for Others". I.e. "a Commitment to Voluntary Restraint, that is Not Commonly found accross the Modern Information Landscape, and Would Not be .. acknowledged (at all) by many Bloggers or Users of Social Networks", as he Clearly Distinguished.  

    => - "But, for (All Real) Journalists to be Able to exercice (that kind of) Self-Restraint (Comp. Supra), they Must be Allowed to Work Free from Pressure and Intimidation" : - "The Need for Creating a Secure, Pressure-Free Environment, is Essential", through the "Defence and Promotion of High-Standards of Human Rights" applicable to all of them, Aidan White stressed, (ibid, p. 198).

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    In conclusion, "EuroFora" is Grateful to CoE's Services which have Graciously given us Timely a Copy of that very Interesting and even much more Comprehensive, big New Book on "Journalism at Risk", Free of Charge, as for all actively interested Journalists, (which can also be Downloaded from the Internet, for  just 26 €, at : http://www.coe.int/documents/2323735/12210592/Journalism+at+risk.jpg/869aca32-040c-4b44-b9cf-d4e5ea2547fb?t=1443716150000