Bratislava EU-27 Summit Conclusions: Focus on Citizens' expectations, Franco-German duo, and More...

 

*Bratislava/ 1st EU-27 Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- After a prolonged infight on their Final Conclusions, EU Heads of State/Government finaly Agreed to leave the Hilltop at Bratislava's Spectacular Castle, Later than scheduled, while the Franco-German couple was already Starting a Joint Press Conference at a Press Room located elsewhere, closely followed by Members of the Visegrad Group of EU Countries, and the main, EU Institutions' (Council, Commission, etc) "official" Press Conference, i.e. both Practically and Symbolicaly renversing the usual order of such meetings in the Past.

 

Astonishingly (but Logicaly, after all), the Officialy Agreed Joint Communiqué Urges the EU to "Focus on (EU) Citizens' Expectations", and Finds "Most Important" of all, to "Improve Communications with Our Citizens", to whom, EU-27 Leaders promissto (while advising, however, also to "Challenge Simplistic Solutions of Extreme or Populist Political Forces", as it says)...

But, at the Same Time, EU-27 Leaders "Commit" themselves to "Offer to our Citizens, in the upcoming Months (i.e. in the run-up to March 2017 Anniversay of 60 Years of since EU had been Created, at Rome), a Vision of an attractive EU they can Trust and support".

Meanwhile, however, EU's 27 are "Determined to Find Common Solutions, also regards Issues where we are Divided", the Bratislava Summit Declaration, Honestly but Voluntaristicaly stresses. That's why, the EU Heads of State/Government decided to give "Priority, Here and Now, to show Unity and Ensure Political Conrol over Developments, in order to Build our Common Future", as they said.

 --------------

 
Experienced, not only German but also f.ex. Italian and Other European Journalists, met at several occasions by "Eurofora" at various PressRooms frequently accross Europe, ensured us that their Perception of German Chancelor Angie Merkel's stance vis a vis some Critical Voices (particularly of the "Visegrad" Group of EU Membef Sates, etc), on Certain Topical Issues, (such as, f.ex. Mass Migration through Turkey, Islamistic Extremists' Terrorist Threats and Infiltration, added to Islamistic Radicalisation, Some Lobbies' claims to Enlarge the EU even to certain Non-European 3rd Countries, -mainly Ankara, etc,- EU's Historic and Cultural Identity, etc), would be Taken into Account, Examined, Discussed and Solved, mainly by Finfing Ways to Forge Common Positions, for the sake of Europe's Future.

Simply Because "In the aftermath of the wars and deep divisions on our continent, the EU secured peace, democracy and enabled our countries to prosper. Many countries and regions outside still only strive for such achievements. We are determined to make a success of the EU with 27 Member States, building on this joint history.  The EU is not perfect but it is the best instrument we have for addressing the new challenges we are facing. We need the EU not only to guarantee peace and democracy but also the security of our people. We need the EU to serve better their needs and wishes to live, study, work, move and prosper freely across our continent and benefit from the rich European Cultural Heritage", the Bratislava official Declaration of 27 EU Heads of State/Government reads.

 

+ In their exceptionaly Joint Press Conference, German Chancelor  Angie Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, (who spoke, also exceptionaly, Earlier than the EU Institutions' Representatives, i.e. EU Council's and EU Commission's Presidents, Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker, respectively : AnOther sign of the Bratislava Changes...), appeared Keen to show that the Franco-German duo was Willing and Able to  Fill the Gap left by UK's forthcoming Departure after the BREXIT Vote:

Indeed, Both Merkel (who Spoke 1st), and Hollande, underlined the Fact that Most among the Concrete Proposals made in Today's "Bratislava Summit Declaration", had been widely Inspired by their own Previous Suggestions, made at Paris' Elysée Palace just 1 Day Earlier, (on Thursday, September 15), as well as by a Draft Plan presented by EU Commission's President, Jean-Claude Juncker, already 2 Days Earlier, (on Wednesday, September 14), in a landmark "State of the Union" Speech, at EU Parliament's Plenary Session in Strasbourg, (See "Eurofora"s NewsReport at : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/junckercallsstatesandcitizenstobuildtogetherabettereurope.html).

This included a 3 Main Points' Structured, now nick-named "Bratislava Road Map", Series of Targets and Measures, successively Focused into Dealing with, and Settling the Mass Migration and Security/Defence Issues, the Economy, and Young People, etc.

But it's also True that, at least for Some "Hot" and Topical Key-Issues, certain more or less Important UpDates, Changes and/or Additions, either of Wording, (which can already have a Politicaly interesting, Symbolic Value), or even of Substance, Emerged just during this Bratislava 1st EU-27 Summit, revealing probable last-minute Compromises, New Contributions, and/or Synthesis.

In this regard, it's not for nothing, that, f.ex., Embattled Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban, (a Key Figure also of the "Visegrad" Group of Central-Eastern EU Countries), was seen by "Eurofora" and others, inside the Bratislava's Castle, (where the Summit's Negotiations between Heads of State/Government took place), eager to Hold the "Declaration"'s paper on his way out of the Meeting place, Reading its Final Version and Commenting various points with his assistants, apparently Absorbed by that unusual exercice...

Thus, f.ex., among others, the "(Mass) Migraton and External (EU) Borders" Issue wasN't initialy placed as the No 1 in the List of Priorities Fixed by the EU-27 Summit, neither in the Juncker Draft, nor in the Hollande-Merkel Draft (of September 14 and 15), even if it was Present, in one way or another. But, Now, at Bratislava's Castle, the Final, official "Declaration" of the EU-27 Countries chose to Start by that "Hot" Issue, stressing, right from the Begionning, that EU will "Never .. allow Return to unControlled Flows of last year (2015), and (Moreover, intends to) Further Bring Down the Number of Irregular Migrants", in Addition to "Ensur(ing) Full Control of our (EU's) External Borders", so that the concerned EU Countries could "Get Back to Schengen"'s Freedom of Movement for European People inside the EU, as the Situation was Before the 2015-2016 unprecedented "Tsunami" of Massive Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants influx unleashed through Turkey, via EU (and Schengen) Member Greece, almost Entirely Muslim and Non-Educated, (since Turkey practicaly Excluded Christians and/or Educated People, as it was later found out in Brussels and elsewhere, according to German and other Press Revelations)...

Moreover, Among the "Concrete Measures" to be taken by the EU, a "Support to the Countries of the Western Balkans", (who, notoriously, Succeeded to Start Sharply Reducing that Huge "Tsunami" unleashed by Turkish Smugglers etc., already as Early as since Mid-February 2016, i.e. Long Before a Controversial and UnPopular EU-Turkey Deal -notoriously obtained by Blackmail from Ankara - could Begin to Partly Enter into force, Only as Late as From the End of March-Beginning of April 2016 : See, f.ex. : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/unpopulareuvisafreefor80millionsturksuseless.html + http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/weltadoptseuroforaviewonuselesseuturkeymigrantsdealafternewthreat.html), is Now openly Mentioned (at least) at the Same Place and Level with the Controversial and UnPopular EU - Turkey Deal, as a Fully-Fledged (and, from Now on Officially Endorsed by the EU-27 Summit) Legitimate Defense Means to Stop that unprecedented, abrupt Mass Migration Crisis fuelled by mainly Turkish, Pakistani, a.o. Smugglers, etc., which almost Immediately started to provoke Deadly Islamic Terrorism, Mobsters' Brutal Harrasments assaulting defensless Women even Young Girls aged only 14 y.o. or Young Boys aged 10 y.o. from Real Refugees' Families, (etc). 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
In Addition, the simple Word of European and/or National "Cultural Heritage" Appears in Good Place at Today's "Bratislava Declaration", while it was Absent from the Elysée and/or Strasbourg Speeches of September 15 and 14 (Comp. Supra), with the only Exception of the September 13 Letter of EU Council's President Donald Tusk addressed to EU Heads of State/Governments, (which had Dared Strongly Denounce also several Other "Hot" Problems recently Affecting European People's Lives, initialy raising, however, the eyebrows of some Establishment Figures, who Criticized it vainly : See, f.ex. : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/tuskdramaticletterforbratislavaeusummit.html ).

However, the subsequent "EU External Borders' control" and "Defence", Economy and "Digital" High-Tech boost, "Young People"-supporting Measures, (etc), were more or less Present in almost All relevant Drafts, Speeches and Statements made Earlier by the Franco-German Couple, and/or the Presidents of EU Council/Commission, as well as in the Final "Bratislava Declaration", due to Outline the Main Points of the Action to be Urgently Taken in order to Start Meeting the Biggest Chalenges in the Following Months.

 

As for German Chancelor Angie Merkel, Replying to Press Questions, she claimed that, in Bratislava's Negotiations between the 27 EU Member States, - "We Spoke about All Issues, with an Open Spirit".

However, as French President Hollande stressed, also in Reply to such Questions, the No 1 Priority seems to be elsewhere : "After the BREXIT Vote in the UK, "it has become even More Important" than ever, "to show that France and Germany are Ready to Move Forward", he confirmed.

But, at any case, that "Bratislava RoadMap Plan", adopted Today by the 1st Post-BREXIT EU-27 Heads of State/Governments Summit, is just "a First Step in a very Long Road" Ahead, as Chancelor Merkel realisticaly Warned in fine, just after having also Confirmed, however, the EU Leaders' Will to "Hear the Concerns of our (European) People".