Anti-Corruption + pro-EU, Greek former Prime Minister dies, leaving Key+Topical European Legacy
*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.
-----------------------------------
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.
------------------
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.
-------------------------------
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.
(../..)
--------------------------------------------------
***
(NDLR : Headlines Photo : published by his son, Kyriakos, at his personal Website, now.
+ 2nd Photo : From "AP" Archives, dated Spring 1990)
***
Main Menu
Home Press Deontology/Ethics 2009 Innovation Year EU endorses EuroFora's idea Multi-Lingual FORUM Subscribers/Donors FAQs Advanced search EuroFora supports Seabird newsitems In Brief European Headquarters' MAPs CoE Journalists Protection PlatformBRIEF NEWS
- 00:00 - 02.06.2021
- 00:00 - 18.10.2020
- 00:00 - 19.06.2020
- 00:00 - 18.05.2020
- 00:00 - 20.04.2020
- 00:00 - 02.02.2020
- 00:00 - 09.12.2019
- 00:00 - 27.11.2019
- 00:00 - 16.11.2019
Popular
- Yes, we could have prevented Ferguson riots says World Democracy Forum's Young American NGO to ERFRA
- Spanish People Elect CenterRIGHT Majority with 1st Party and Total of 178 MPs (6 More than the Left)
- Pflimlin's vision
- The European Athletic "Dream Team", after Barcelona 2010 Sport Championship Results
- Source Conseil d'Europe à ERFRA: Debatre Liberté d'Opposants à Loi livrant Mariage+Enfants à Homos ?
- Head of BioEthics InterGroup, MEP Peter Liese : "Embryonic stem cell research reaching its END" !?
- Spain: Jailed Turkish Terror suspect with Explosive,Drones,Chechen accomplices stirs Merah+ Burgas ?
- UN Head Ban Ki Moon at CoE World Democracy Forum : - "Listen to the People !"
Latest News
- EUOmbudsmen Conference 2022: Digital Gaps affect People's Trust threaten EF Project on EU Future ?
- French Election : Black Out on Virus, but Obligation for Fake 'Vaccines" Challenged
- Both French Presidential Candidates point at "Humanism" in crucial times...
- France : Zemmour = Outsider may become Game Changer in Presidential + Parliamentary Elections 2022
- PACE President Cox skips Turkey Worst (Occupation) case compared to Russia (DeMilitarisation) query
Statistics
Visitors: 56531301Archive
Login Form
Other Menu
Facing a 70% Abstention threat in 2009 Election, EU endorses EuroFora's idea for Citizens' debates on crucial EU decisions !
- Different views on "Europe's Future", should be debated among Citizens at June 2009 EU Elections, thanks to political Parties' "Manifestos", says EU Parliament's Report
A main idea, initiated and promoted by EuroFora's founders since 1997: the vital need to develop European Citizens' democratic right to actively participate in multilingual debates on EU decisions, is formally endorsed by the EU from 2009 !
The move is a key attempt to overcome "catastrophic" Polls which warn that only ...30% of Citizens are ready to vote in the forthcoming June 2009 EU Election ! This was revealed by EU Commission's vice-president, in charge of Communication policy, Margot Wallstrom, during a "hot" meeting of EU Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education, during the December 2008 Strasbourg session.
Wallstrom faced criticism, but also suggestions from various MEPs, naturally worried by Abstention threats which herself found even "worse" than in 1999 or 2004...
A Report on "Active Dialogue with Citizens",examined at the same time, presented some useful practical tips, on "facilitating Interviews"; etc., but also a potentialy important call to "incorporate the conclusions of ...debates...into (EU) policies, and take into consideration the expectations that Citizens have of the EU when deciding". An amendment even implies that Citizens' participation in debates on EU decisions is a democratic "Right".
More importantly, it finds that a Debate "on the Future of Europe", (as French President Nicolas Sarkozy has asked since 2007), would be a good idea " for the 2009 European parliamentary Elections", because "clarifying the political differences between the EU political parties would help citizens to identify themselves with, and choose between various concepts", for which "all parties (should) present their Manifesto".
A "Joint political declaration on Communicating Europe in Partnership", co-signed by "the European Parliament, Council and ... Commission", confirms that they "attach the utmost importance to improving communication on EU issues", by "enabling European citizens to exercise their right to participate in the democratic life of the Union, in which decisions are taken as openly as possible and as closely as possible to the citizens, observing the principles of pluralism, participation, openness and transparency".
This should "enable Citizens to exercise their right to express their views and to participate actively in the public Debate on European Union issues", while also "promoting the respect of multilingualism". In this regard, EU confirms its "wish to develop synergies with national, regional and local authorities as well as with representatives of Civil Society".
It's since 1997 that a group of EuroFora's founders have officially presented a pioneer Project (then called "EIW", for "Europe in the World"), which aimed to develop Strasbourg's "Polyphonic music", by providing "Interactive information", on "main issues ... during the Decision-making process of European Organizations which engage in Transparent and Public Democratic Debates"
This should be done, inter alia, by "exploring the potential of New Communication Tools (mainly Internet)", as well as classic-form debates, the 1997 EIW pioneer project's anounced in its "Synopsis". It was formally "accepted for evaluation" by EU Commission in Brussels in order to be examined for a grant in the framework of the "Research/Technology/Development (RTD) Programme in the field of Information Technologies", then called "ESPRIT", as a "Best Practice Pilot Project".
But the vital, urgent Political need for EU to search new, efficient ways to reach the People and interact with European Citizens, was really felt in Brussels and elsewhere only after the unprecedented in History 1999 and 2004 Majority Abstention in EU Elections, followed by 3 "NO" in Referenda in France, the Netherlands and Ireland, on 2005 and 2008...
In this New Political Landscape, we prepared a new, actualised and more developed version of our initial idea, in a simplified and more efficient form, thanks also to a large Experience accumulated during many years of EU/CoE/UNO Press work and Multi-lingual debates, with the New project "EuroFora" :
On 2006 we presented in Public its main lines during Questions/Replies that we raised at two Press Conferences by EU Commission President, Jose Baroso, and mainly EU Commission's vice-President, in charge of Communication policy, Margot Wallstrom, together with EU Parliament's vice-president, Alejo Vidal-Quadras, in Strasbourg, (Videos available), and we reminded it at various brief contacts with Commissioner Wallstrom in 2007 and 2008.
Meanwhile, a new Text was also presented for "EuroFora" Project mainly to certain Political and other personalities, at European, National or Regional/Local level, mainly in 2007, but also in 2008..
Now, after the unexpected 2008 Irish "NO", and before the 2009 EU Elections, which are due to be of exceptionally crucial importance for Europe's Future, the moment has obviously come to launch that project, progressively, but in real practice.
Whoever really cares for Europe and its Citizens is welcome to join, in one way or another. Only anti-European, anti-democratic, obscure or ignorant groups might oppose or attempt to "steal" and deviate the main idea.
But European Citizens, incited by enlightened political leaders, are those who will finally write the real History.
Polls
SMF Recent Topics SA
- Record Hospitalisati... (0) by Breadman
- How Many Infected by... (1) by Thunderbird
- Real Cause for Europ... (0) by Breadman
- Interesting Australi... (0) by Aurora
- Plus de mRNA Faux-&q... (0) by Aurora
- EU: Lukashenko as E... (0) by WKalina
- Why NATO in Ukraine,... (0) by Geopol
- Afghanistan's key : ... (0) by Thunderbird
- Anti-Pass Demonstrat... (0) by Aurora
- Veran - Fioraso : Mê... (1) by JohnsonE