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Home arrow newsitems arrow CFE/Democracy Panel/Day 1: EU Chair Slovenia Minister to Press(+EF): For a Pluralist Debate

CFE/Democracy Panel/Day 1: EU Chair Slovenia Minister to Press(+EF): For a Pluralist Debate

Pisac ACM
24. 09. 2021.

 cfe_demo_panel__slovenia_eu_minister__ebs__urofora_400_01

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- KickStarting "the Most Popular" Citizens' Panel in the Coference on Europe's Future (CFE), as EU Parliament's Coordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, had called it (See: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/eppressheadtoefoncitizenspanels.html + Statement to "Eurofora" at: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/cfeverhofstadtoefcitizensmaychange.html, etc), i.e. that on Democracy, the Young EU-President-in-office, Slovenian Minister on EU Affairs, Gasper Dovzan, in a Message for the Press, including "Eurofora", called, Today in Strasboug, for "a Substantial Debate", where "All Views" should "be Included", in order to "Establish Dialogue".

    - He was, in fact, Referring to what the Experienced, Twice EU Council's President (2008 + 2022), Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, had Stressed, in his Press Conference at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, last July, together with the latter's Head, Italian MEP David Sassoli, i.e. that "We (EU) want All Voices to be Heard in the Debate on the Future of Europe", Because "only on this Basis will we be Able to Find Common Ground Ahead", (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/euheadjansafordialogue.html).

    - "All Political Views, are Legitimate and Equal", Because "they are Part of a Democratic Process", "Part of a Debate that is Necessary for me, Even if we doN't Agree" on some points, Jansa had stressed from the outset in the Plenary, to the MEPs. -*

    - And Now, with the Conference on the Future of Europe", "We (EU) have to Open Spaces for Different Opinions, and, at the End, Find Common Grounds". Because, "If we Exclude, from the Beginning, it will Not lead to Positive Results". So, since "September, at least one Panel will have Discussions on Different Ideas. This will be the Beginning of a very Frank Dialogue between Various Political Forces", Jansa had announced. And "this Will Continue in the Future", because "Progress canNot be stoped !", he had Vowed.

    + In fact, Now "We Want that the whole Debate Moves really at the Substance", Added Today the Key EU Minister, Gasper Dovzan. - "Over the Summer, the Organisation (of the Conference) has been Ameliorated, and Now we are really Seing the Substantial Debate, with the Citizens at its Center".

    - "I Hope we'l Continue at this pace, and, at the End, we shall see the EU Institutions take these Proposals, Coming from the Citizens, and Seriously consider how to Improve European Policies, to the Benefit of Its Citizens and of course its Businesses". Because "I Hope we ll Close the Gap between European Citizens and EU Institutions, and Bring European Citizens Closer to EU Institutions, and, at the same time, the EU Institutions Closer to European Citizens", Dovzan wished. Since "Our Future is a European Future, and there is No Other Future for European Citizens than inside the EU", he stressed.

    => That's why, "We (the Slovenian EU Presidency 2021) have put the Conference on the Future of Europe, at the Center of our Priorities".

    + And "the Conference on Europe's Future is an Important Process", that "we Want to be as Open as possible, and... All Views to be Included. That is why we are Working also towards Establishing Dialogue, withIn the Conference", but "Also Between the Conference and ...some Other Stakeholders, who might not be Officialy Included", "such as the Partners from Western Balkans, and some Other Interest Groups. (Because) "it's really very Important that All Views are Included", the Co-Chair of the CFE Added, at this September's End.

    + "At the same Time, we (the Slovenian EU 2021 Presidency) are Preparing a couple of Events, in our Home Country, like the Bled Strategic Forum, (etc), where we offered a Platform for Both European Leaders, but Also Civil Society, and Business Representatives", he Announced, for an EU Process due to Develop Further until the End of this Year, and the Beginning of the Next (2022), when France takes over the Rotating EU Presidency, coinciding with the Time Scheduled for Conclusions.

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

cfe_demo_panel__day_1_mef_dovanmizaprava_slov__eurofora_400 

    >>> Nowadays, European People "Need to Fight for the EU" to be "Peaceful and Connected", "Strong Outside, and more Inclusive + Flexible Inside", the Slovenian EU Presidency's Minister stressed in the CFE's Plenary, providing a Wider Overall Picture.

    => Threfore, "Our Priorities are the Conference on Europe's Future, EU Resilience, Green and Digital Transfomation, Security in EU Neighbourhood, and Enlargement (at the Western Balkans)", he described.

    - On the "Conference for Europe's Future", we (EU) Need some Light for Next Year (2022), and "this Panel", concerning "the Foundations of the EU", relates also to "Citizens' Confidence on Institutions", through "Rule of Law, with Respct, Objectivity, and Participation", etc. So, "we (EU Council) shall Listen to Your Recommendations", he Promised.

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press_briefing_euparl_cfe_24.9.2021_eurofora_400

+ Meanwhile, in a "Press Briefing" where "Eurofora" was Invited, Earlier Today, Organizers stressed that such EU Citizens' Panels were "UnPrecedented" events, because 3 EU Institutions Work Together in them (EU Parliament, Commission, and Council), added to EU "Citizens' Involvement", as well as to their Aim to "Produce Concrete Results, in Panels' Recommendations for the Plenary which will make Proposals" for EU Reform.

This 2nd Citizens' Panel includes Democracy, Rule of Law, Values, and Internal Security, on which Participants would present their "Vision and Dreams", take into account also Other People's relevant Publications at the Conference's Web "Platform", as well as "Top Experts' Input", pursuing by Discussions between them, Before chosing Final "Topics and Streams", (in Addition to Electing 20 "Ambassadors" for the Plenary of the CFE). Most of that done in "MultiLinguism", allowing People to Speak in their Mother Tongue.

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

>>> However, it was a Surprise to attest that, for the 1st (and may be Unique) Time, Despite the Notorious Big Popularity of those Issues (Comp. Supra), and their objective Importance for Nowadays' Europe, (since, inter alia, in fact, Any eventual Progress in EU Integration, should be accompagnied Also by More Democracy for EU Citizens, in order to Work well, (as Many Top EU Politicians had Already Aknowledged, since a Long Time Ago : F.ex., inter alia, Also the Franco-German couple Wolfgang Schäuble, currently Buntestag's President, and Joseph Daul, then President of the Biggest European Party : that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP, at a landmark Event hosted by the CoE in Strasbourg : See ..., etc),

Nevertheless, Exceptionaly, there was ...Not Any Question at all Raised by at least 1 Journalist, at the End of this Briefing, (Even if it was Transmitted Also by Video-Conference via "Webex" Invitations to the Press) !...

=> It's true that "Eurofora" (who Followed most of it) had an Exceptional Health Problem, and was Surprized by a Last-Minute announced Change of the Usual Timing, from Late Evening to Early Noon. But What happened to All Other Collegues ?

Was that Event a "Victim of its Success" ? I.e., perhaps some Organizers thought that a so Popular Issue as EU Democracy (Comp. Supra), did Not Need to be Boosted vis a vis Journalists, so that it was Left to be the Only one among 4 Panels, withOut Any Link to EU Parliament's Plenary week, Neither to anOther adjacent Big EU Event, (as f.ex. the forthcoming "EYE" Mega-Gathering for Young People here, Scheduled Near the 3rd Panel on Natural Environment and Climate ?

Or was it Something Else ?

 

(../..)

 

("Draft-News")

 

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 politkovskaya_gongadze_adali_400

Hu Jia's prize brings SAKHAROV's wife to "EuroFora" on murders of Journalists Politkofskaya, Gongadze and Adali :

- Elena Bonner : "All Journalists' murders must be fully investigated", without Double Standards.                                                                                    

During a special Mega-Event to celebrate 20 Years of SAKHAROV Prize for "Freedom of Thought", attributed in 2008 by EU Parliament to jailed Chinese Cyber-Dissident Hu JIA, the move was reinforced by strongly criticizing the persisting impunity in three cases of Journalists' Murders, such as POLITKOVSKAYA in Russia, GONGADZE in Ukraine, and ADALI in Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus.

Any bureaucratic doubt about whether Cyber-dissidents like Hu JIA might have, or not, a right to be protected as all Journalists must be, particularly when they take risks to search, find and publish original and critical News on issues of general interest to the society, could not resist to the emotion provoked by the message of his Wife, Zeng JINYAN spectacularly transmitted at a big screen in EU Parliament's hemicycle :

- "The most important and most interesting thing he did was to ... say the Truth :.. to write about the phenomena he observed... He never stopped Publishing.. on websites, so that the Public could learn about the reality .. and understand it.  In my view, this has been his greatest contribution", stressed the young wife of the jailed man, eager to cite also the cases of other critical journalists who faced various kinds of "harassment".

 - "Welcoming all those who have suffered for defending Human Rights", EU Parliament's President, German MEP Hans Gert POETTERING, who had invited to Strasbourg all former Sakharov prize-winners from various Countries throughout the World, said that "China needs Europe, and Europe needs China : A great nation" with which "we want to have a good relationship", "association and ..friendship". "But we are never going to stop our fight for Human Rights, and No Government can expect this from us".

    - "It's impossible  to achieve goals of Peace, if Human Rights are left out. In fact, Peace and Human Rights are intrinsequaly linked", added POETTERING.

    It's in this spirit that MEPs adopted, on Thursday, a Resolution denouncing that "the criminal
investigation and trial following the murder of (a) Journalist ...raises serious concerns with regard to transparency and respect for the rule of law", when a "brutal killing has not yet been fully investigated and solved in a satisfactory way".

    The text refered to dissident Journalist "Anna POLITOVSKAYA", a critic of Tchechen conflict, killed some years ago in Moscow, where Russian Authorities have found, arrested and are currently judging two executants, while also searching to arrest also a 3rd one, allegedly escaped in Belgium. But they have not yet found the instigators.

     Similar texts were adopted recently also on dissident Ukranian Journalist Georgiy GONGADZE's murder, for which Ukranian Authorities have at least found, arrested and condemned 2 executants to 12 and 13 Years of jail, but not yet the instigators. For that purpose, they recently accepted an International Experts team to participate to the investigations.     

But, it's only for the Murder of dissident Turkish Cypriot Journalist ADALI, in the occupied territories of Cyprus, that Turkey has NOT yet found ANYONE responsible, and even claimed recently inside CoE that it would be "impossible" to do so !    

These astonishing differences exist despite the fact that ECHR condemned alike Ukraine and Turkey with 2 Judgements on the same year : 2005, for the murders of  Journalists GONGADZE and ADALI, strong critics of Corruption in Ukraine, and of Ankara's policies on mass-influx of Turkish Settlers in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus, respectively.    

Regarless of that, CoE's Committee of Ministers, who is entrusted with the duty to supervise execution of ECHR's judgements, has just asked Ukraine's Government to reply to further questions on Gongadze's murder before March 2009, while Turkey, curiously, got a longer postponement for answering questions on Adali's murder, until June...   

A comparison of these cases, raises serious questions about Double Standards :

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

On TRANSPARENCY :
--------------------------
    On Gongadze's murder, CoE's body speaks even about the participation of
"an INTERNATIONAL group of Experts" in the Investigation, (f.ex. of "Tape Recordings"), accepted by Ukraine.
    On the contrary, on Adali's murder, CoE is obliged to repeatedly ask (for a 2nd
time) Turkey whether, at least, it informed the victims' Family, or not...
------------------------------
- On EFFICIENCY :
-----------------------
On Gongadze's murder, CoE formally "recalls that the Committee (of Ministers) ..URGED the Ukranian authorities.. to TAKE ALL NECESSARY INVESTIGATIVE STEPS TO ACHIEVE CONCRETE and VISIBLE RESULTS in the INVESTIGATION, aimed at the Identification of the INSTIGATORS and Organisers of the Murder", and "STRONGLY INVITED the Ukranian Authorities to provide information on the PROGRESS IN THE INVESTIGATION", before MARCH 2009.

But, on Adali's murder, on the contrary, CoE's body merely .. "took note" of the "arguments presented by" Cyprus, which denounce the absence of any proof of new "investigation" by Turkey. Following Turkey's own suggestion (!), it simply "noted" that there is "no limitation period" for "any new element" to "lead potentialy (sic !) to a Re-Opening of the Investigation". Without saying who might find any such "new" fact, since Turkey stoped searching... It also POSTPONED the issue until .. JUNE  !
-----------------------
 - On the PUNISHMENT OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE :
----------------------
 -  On Gongadze's murder case, Ukranian Authorities already arrested and condemned, at least 2 suspects, to 12 and 13 Years of jail. And on Politkovskaya's murder at least 2 suspects are judged, and a 3rd one "wanted".

On the contrary, on Adali's murder case, the Turkish authorities simply claim that "it had not been possible to obtain new .. information .. on the basis of which criminal charges could be brought against ANY person" !...

Moreover,  a LETTER sent by Turkey ...2 Years after CoE's 2006 call to re-investigate anew Adali's murder case, is totally EMPTY of Facts ! As Cypus' Delegation denounced earlier, Turkey's Letter ONLY CLAIMS that a "New Investigation" was made without any result, but does NOT even cite ANY FACT to prove it :

F.ex.,on the crucial issue of the "MOTIVATIONS" behind Adali's murder, noted by ECHR, Turkey MERELY CLAIMS that "all allegations  were investigated; without result", but OMITS ANY FACT TO PROVE IT !..(It doesn't even remind which were these "allegations").. .

+ On ECHR's astonishment that the Turkish Occupation regime didn't produce any "BALLISTIC REPORT" on the Shots which murdered Adali, Turkey again repeats, 12 years later, that, still, even until now, "it  was not possible to obtain the BalisticReport"...

- As for the astonishing absence of key-WITNESSES' Testimonies, denounced by ECHR, Turkey agains repeats various pretexts avoiding to reveal anything, (Fex. that a person "left" the Occupied Territories  "on 2002", or that another witness was heard, but without revealing nothing of what he said, etc).

Turkey obviously "FAILS TO MEET THE CRITICISM made BY THE COURT" for lack of any efficient Investigation in Adali's case, concluded Cyprus' Government.
---------------------------------------------
Replying to our Question which COMPARED these 3 outstanding cases of "JOURNALISTS MURDERS", Adali, Gongadze and Politkovskaya, in order to avoid "Double Standards" by asking from Ukraine and Russia more than what is asked EU candidate Turkey, many European personalities were critical /

They criticised Ankara's recent claim at the CoE to stop investigating, because it would be "impossible to find anyone" responsible for the 5 bullet shots which killed Kutlu ADALI in front of his Family Home, contrary to the other two Journalists' murders, where Ukraine and Russia at least arrested the executants, searching now for the instigators :
----------------------------------

imag0103_400

    - "Where was that ? In Turkish Occupied Cyprus ? WITHOUT ANY DOUBT : Any murder of Journalist should be investigated in full ! All these Murders must be investigated !", replied the famous SAKHAROV's wife, Elena BONNER to our question on Adali's case, compared to Gongadze and Politofskaya.

    Elena Bonner spoke us EXCLUSIVELY shortly after being honored by the President
of EU Parliament on the occasion of 20 Years of her husband's SAKHAROV Prize.

    A strong personality, Sakharov's wife even had to struggle against an anonymous EU staffer who, astonishingly, tried to stop her speaking when h heard our question on "Turkey" (!) : - "Please, let me translate, she continues
speaking, don't stop us !", had to cry Sakharov's daughter, (a Journalist
herself), who was translating her mothers' reply, (obliged to speak louder to
make her voice heard despite the harassment).. (= + Audio Proof !)

    Earlier, Elena Bonner also fustigated "Double Standards" at another case, on
Western countries' attitude vis a vis Kosovo and the Kurds : -F.ex. "You have
recognized a few 400.000 Kosovars as an "independent" country, but you still
deny that to 30 millions of Kurds in Turkey !", she denounced.
-----------------------------
    - "This (ADALI's murder) is an issue which should be pursued by the Committee
for Human Rights. That's why we have one, and it's its duty to examine cases of
Journalists' murders as the one you referred to. You should bring the case in
front of that Committee", suggested in reply to our question on Adali, EU
Parliament's President, German MEP Hans Gert POETTERING.

    - "It's impossible  to achieve goals of PEACE, if HUMAN RIGHTS are left out :
in fact, Peace and Human Rights are intrinsequaly linked", added POETTERING.
--------------------------------------
    + "For us (European/International Federation of Journalists) it's clear :
Whenever a Journalist is Murdered, the Investigation should continue until
those Responsible are found !", replied earlier to another question on ADALI
EFJ/IFJ's Secretary General, Aidan WHITE.

    Speaking as a matter of General Principle, White asked us for "concrete data"
on the execution of ECHR's judgement on Adali case, in order to "look at it in
depth" and "make a formal statement", in comparison with the other Murdered
Journalist case, also pending at CoE's  Ministers for completing its execution,
on Ukranian Gongadze.
----------------------------------------------------
     From EU Rapporteur on Human Rights, vice-President of EU Parliament Liberties' Committee, MEP Giusto CATANIA, we were told that, since there is an ECHR judgement in both Adali and Gongadge's cases, "Turkey must naturally execute the judgement and make a full and efficient investigation, until those responsible for the Journalist's murder are found and punished".

    Even if "we (Catania's "EuroLeft" Group) support Turkey's EU perspectives, this does not mean that Ankara should not behave properly. On the contrary, it means that they have to meet tough conditions, particularly on Human Rights", was added on the occasion of Adali's murder case.

    Moreover, "since you raise the issue of Mr. Adali's muder as a part of a Series of Journalist's murders, including fex. Gongadze, Politkovskaya, ao., tthen we (EU) could also act together with CoE's Commissioner on Human Rights, Thomas HAMMARBERG, it was suggested.

    - "We (EU) must step up efforts against the problem of IMPUNITY : Real Peace cannot exist without Justice",  stressed also this week at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, French Minister on Human Rights, Mrs Rama YADE.
------------------------
                     

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