english french german greek italian lithuanian russian serbian spanish
Home arrow newsitems arrow EU Parliament biggest group head Daul to EuroFora: Anti-Corruption + Greek Debt: Decision December ?

EU Parliament biggest group head Daul to EuroFora: Anti-Corruption + Greek Debt: Decision December ?

Written by ACM
Tuesday, 25 October 2011

 20111025_11.57.04_400

The President of EU Parliament's greatest Political Group of MEPs, that of ChristianDFeemocrats/EPP, French MEP Joseph Daul, speaking exclusively to "EuroFora", did not exclude that the dynamics of an Anti-Corruption approach (as advised by "EuroFora" since 12/2009 : See f.ex. our NewsReport of 21/10/2011) might be considered during the currently culminating efforts to search the Right Solution for the huge Debt provoked on Greece, and related €uroZone issues, considering, on the contrary, that the question remains Open, because Facts really need a Better Analysis, including at a Political level, so that a Final and thorough decision would need more Time, in both exchanges of views, contacts and thought, so that a complete settlement of this issue might take "4 Weeks" and even be postponed, if not entirely at least partially, until the next EU Summit scheduled for the Beginning of "December"... (9/12/2011).

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

"On the matters which probably remain still open for settlement about the Debt in Greece, do you think that it might be possible to succeed to take with us at least a part of the Citizens' Movement, in order to make Real, Structural Reforms ?  F.ex. concerning the notoriously large number of individuals who got various cushy jobs in the State or the wider public sector by Nepotism during the 1980-2000 period, mainly by former PASOK's Governments, whose salaries are now paid by Greek Citizens and the whole EU, as long as they remain hired, since it's their Salary Mass which provokes problems, and now, they are even searching to get Retirement benefits !", "EUROFORA" denounced in our question to Daul.


- "In this regard, do you think that the issue of the ANti-Corruption struggle could help to attract at least part of the Popular Movement, which declares itself strongly against Corruption, for what happened in the period 1980-2010, in order to join together with those who wish Really Efficient Structural Reforms in the State/Public sector,  i.e. without cripling the Productive Economy, nor putting excessive burdens over Poor People ?"
---------------
Daul, speaking Carefuly, did not exclude anything at this moment, but prefered to wait even up to December EU Summit...


On the contrary, he revealed that he guessed, and probably understood, that the matter needs further Analysis, an overall view, and certainly a conscious Political choice of an efficient strategy :


>>> "You are right", he replied to "EuroFora", "it's (a) very complicated issue", (i.e. not only "Technical", but also Political), Daul acknowledged.

=> Therefore,  "for Greece, I'm still Waiting", the President of the biggest Group in EU Parliament prefered to say.

- This might take "3 or 4 Weeks", (i.e. almost a Month), he estimated extensively.

+ -"Because now, they are still trying to see" concrete details. So that, "with the Delegations that we have sent, the (EU )Commission and others", "I'm waiting for (further) Information" on some points, Daul added, but without revealing yet precisely what he meant exactly), "and that they give us" a thorough overview.


>>> Thus, "we (EU Parliament) shall see, Afterwards", he appeared satisfied with an at least partial postponement.

- At any case, "they (EU Heads of State/Government) cannot decide everything tomorrow" (Wednesday, October 26, at the complementary Brussels' €uroZone Summit), he estimated.

In fact,, this may take even longer than just a few "Days or Weeks" as "EuroFora" initially supposed :

- "No, in my view, this might take up to (the beginning of) Decembert" 2011, Daul surprised "EuroFora" by anouncing as plausible.

- Because, "in the meantime, there are a lot of things" to do, "such as a Report, the COOPER, and all that, etc", he added, without entering into concrete details.


=> So, "it will almost certainly be on December"s EU Summit, scheduled at the beginning of the Month, on Friday, 9/12/2011, he speculated in conclusion.


This may also give Time for more clear throughts and analysis of the situation about Greece, its real causes and the best solutions, he agreed.
--------------------                                                                                                          
In fact, Daul seems to understand that a crystal-clear "DEBATE" on the Debt provoked to Greece "must take place" :


-"Of course, we (EU) should be more proactive", he replied earlier to another Journalist's question during this morning's Press Conference. "Because "Businessmen and Markets are".

question_a_daul_400 

- "But, here, we are speaking of Heads of State/Government, who have also to find the Money needed".


- So, even if it's true that "Delays would cost us more, at the end", "however, that's the price for Democracy !", he stressed.

daul_on_debate_400


- "The EPP (ChristianDemocrat Group) never was for Dictatorship, and this Debate must take place !", Daul concluded, using an interesting formula, astonishingly close to "EuroFora"s main analysis (Comp. supra).
-----------------------------------
 - "We are living an Important moment", Daul anounced from the outset, since the beginning of his Press Conference, earlier this morning.

daulo_decided_400


-"I don't believe that there will be a Miracle tomorrow (at the Heads of State/Government Summit), even among ChristianDemocrats miracles are rare today", he joked. "But I think that we shall advance on the Plan for the way out of the Crisis".


- "It's not  €uro's Crisis, otherwise the rate of exchange from €uro to the Dollar wouldn't remain at 1,35, 1.40 or 1.80", the MEPs' leader critically observed, agreeing with several other analysts, (including, f.ex., former French President and former Chairman of EU's constitutional Convention, Valery Giscard d'Estaing : See ptrevious "EuroFora"s NewsReport with Giscard's statements).


=> The Head of the greatest Group of MEPs since the 2009 EU Elections also "saluted the work done by the Franco-German couple", and reminded an observation by German Chancellor Angie Merkel, who had noted, in this regard, that "we don't hinder anyone to make proposals. But, if others have different proposals to make, where are they ?"... "So, I think that now, (EU Commission's) President Barroso should take into account the proposals which are already on the table, examine them, and make us some Joint, common Proposals the soonest", he advised.
----------------
Meanwhile, apparently supporting the controversial stance of the unstable "Socialist" Government currently in Athens, a Journalist from Greece wanted to know whether the Criticism expressed by the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Opposition leader Antonis Samaras was muzzled, or not, by some among his pairs in Brussels :

compra_quest_400_01


- Thus, he asked Daul "if, during the last EPP meeting in Brussels, you spoke to the (Greek) Opposition Leader and if you convinced him to change his mind ?" (He obviously meant former Foreign Minister and MEP, Samaras, recently elected New President of the main Opposition party in Greece, "New Democracy", which is surfing now at the Highest rang in People's preferences according to Polls, and repeatedly called for Elections in order to change Government and Strategy in the talks with the EU - IMF Troika Experts on the Plan for the Greek Economy, in vain, given the persistent Refusal of the incubent PASOK Prime Minister Giorgos Papandreou...
 
- "We are analyzing the real situation in Greece, where we recently sent some representatives, and with whom we are closely in touch", replied Daul.


- Now, we'd better leave 2 or 3 weeks to the Experts the technical work, and, afterwards, we must react on a Political level". Because "I think that Political Decisions are needed for Greece, which must be applied".

daul_pol_decisions_should_be_applied_in_greece_400


- "And , in order to be applied, it should be done like in Portugal or Ireland, i.e. they must have a Majority in order to apply these Decisions. And we are working firmly on that", Daul concluded, (as if he meant that a Political Change, in order to find a Large and Stable Majority, might be better for Greece)..

Indeed, Daul said that at a moment when the controversial current PASOK Government has no more than only a ...3 votes thin "Majority", with one MP already warning that she will not support anew such moves, while Polls largely give a winning percentage to the main Opposition, the ChristianDemocrats/EPP of "Nouvelle Democratie", whose leader Samaras has repeatedly asked recently for Elections, until now refused by the governing PASOK.

--------------------
-  "Now it's important to win Trust anew", added earlier the experienced French Governing party's MEP Jean Paul Gauzes.


+ Speaking  "on the "Technical" issue",  Gauzes, observed that "the Difficulty to restructure Greece's Debt is not the Height, because it can be supported. The problem is not to leave a Bad Signal to the Markets by giving the impression that what happens in Greece might happen also for any other Country !"


- "The situation in Greece is absolutely unique", he reiterated, almost approaching "EuroFora"s analysis.


- "And we should regret that on May 2010 we (EU)associated the Debt in Greece with a so-called €uro Problem, which does not exist". "But that's the Past", and it's always easier afterwards to criticize".


 - "However, the real question now is how to find a Mechanism to isolate the problem existing in Greece, so that nobody believes that it might be afterwards duplicated for any other country, i.e. the so-called "Domino" effect,  Because, if we reason in such terms, then, the Dimension of the Stability Fund willl never be sufficient, if some add the total of all Debts of all €uro area Countries, arriving nowhere..


 - "So, we must made it clear that Greece's case is very Specific,, Portugal's and Ireland's cases being very Different", as Daul also observed, (NB : on the existence of a clear Political Majority agreing on a Strategy of Reforms, contrary to Greece, where PASOK has been notoriously isolated, with only a fragile 3 votes thin "majority" in the National Parliament),


- "Greece is a special case. We must settle it with special responses to a particular situation. At any case, the Plan due to be adopted won't be applicable but only after 2013", the experienced Gauzes also pointed out...

***

(NDLR : "DraftNews", as already sent earlier to "EuroFora"s SUbscribers/Donors. Watch out for a possible Final Version, more accurate and complete, asap).


***

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
EUDigitalMedia

Statistics

Visitors: 54965310

Archive

Login Form





Remember me

Lost your Password?
No account yet? Create account

Syndicate

RSS 0.91
RSS 1.0
RSS 2.0
ATOM 0.3
OPML

Other Menu

 imag0123_400_01

Swedish Foreign Minister, Carl Bildt, speaking  to "EuroFora", denied rumors on Turkey's attempts to avoid an EU check of its obligations on Cyprus on December 2009 by blackmailing Nicosia to either accept any deal with intransigeant Turkish claims contrary to EU values on the island's political issue, or face threats against the territorial integriy of the EU island, semi-occupied by Ankara's army.

On the contrary, the incoming EU President-in-office, speaking exclusively to "EuroFora", promissed that he will act for EU Council's decisions on December 2009 assessment of Turkey's commitments on Cyprus to be kept.


    Bildt was asked to react to Cyprus' President Christofias' denunciation, earlier this week, that some want to exert "pressure" on Cyprus in order for Turkey to escape from its obligations.

    Avoiding to mention any precise Deadline, Bildt, however, warned about "Consequences" in case of "failure" to reunite Cyprus, but without saying whose responsibility an eventual deadlock might be.  

 Asked by "EuroFora" if there is a risk for "Turkey's commitments to "be forgotten or downgraded", "despite crystal-clear EU Council decisions and EU Parliament's latest Resolution on the assessment to make at the end of this year on Turkey's obligations", according to rumours that, instead of pressing Turkey, on the contrary, there might be "pressure on Cyprus", even "blackmail", as Media reported and President Christofias denounced this week, Bildt denied :

- "No ! ", he clearly replied.


- On the contrary, invited by "EuroFora", to "reassure that the Swedish EU Presidency (7-12/2009) will keep a fair stance, based on principles",  Bildt promised that "we (Swedish EU Presidency) will be very clear on all of the decisions taken by the (EU) Council".

He added, however, that "we have very numerous decisions that have been taken" by EU Council, as if he warned, also, on something else.

- "'I am not aware of any sort of statements coming out today''", Bildt started to say, on our reference to Cyprus' President Christofias" denunciation of Turkish lobby's manoeuvers this week, replying earlier to 'another"EuroFora"'s question during a Press Conference at EU Parliament in Strasbourg.


 - '"I know the issues that you' are concerned with'", he added, remembering  the statements he gave us when Sweden was chairing the PanEuropean CoE on 2008.

- "But, obviously, .. I think that Cyprus' Peace negotiations are extremenly important".

- And "'I think that we are at a unique moment in History, in the sens that both (Cyprus') President Christofias and Mr. Talat (the Turkish Cypriot leader), are personally convinced of the need to overcome the division".

 - "It's 20 Years since the fall of Berlin Wal, but we still have a Capital in Europe (Nicosia) that's divided". ,

- 'I don't that we should loose any time in overcoming that"..

 - ''We should be aware of the fact that success will bring great benefits, but failure, will also have major consequences. There will not be Status Quo' " It's a question of seeking a solution, or entering another situation, which is somewhat difficult to see exactly how that could evolve", he warned.

- "That being said, this is a negotiation for Cyprus itself", Bildt admitted.

 - ''We (EU) can support, the (EU) Commission primarily, be technically helpful, and then, of course, there is a specific role for the UN, when it comes to the Cyprus' situation".  

- "At least so far. It might not be for ever'. Certainly not for ever, but for this period of time", Bildt added, skiping now any reference to concrete threats on UNO's Peace keeping force in face of more than 40.000 Ankara's soldiers, contrary to some Press claims, (See previous NewsReports).


     Replying to another "EuroFora"'s Question,  if anyone might attempt to "impose a Deadline for the conclusion" of Cyprus' Talks on December 2009, Bildt avoided to speak of any precise Time-frame, and indirectly evoked the fact that  35 Years of Turkish Invasion/Occupation obviously durated too long :

'- "If I was from Cyprus, I would say that the Deadline was Yesterday ! '",
Bildt concluded.

Cyprus' Government Spokesman, Stephanou, reportedly pointed out that "a settlement is possible on December if Turkey changes its stance", accepting a solution for the reunification of the island based on UNO resolutiona and EU principles.

imag0082_400

Earlier, EU Chair, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeld, highlighted an "historic opportunity" to "re-Unite" Cyprus according to EU's "basic Values"' (i.e. Human Rights) and 'Rules'", in a last-minute change of his draft speech to EU Parliament in Strasbourg.

    The initial Draft spoke only about "healing" the island.

    Significantly, Reinfeldt linked Cyprus' reunification with Turkey's obligations to respect EU's "Values" and "follow" EU's "common Rules" :

    - What is "called Membership Negotiations" should lead, "at- the end of the day", into "sharing a set of common Basic Values (i.e. Human Rights, Democracy, etc), and following common Rules", stressed Reinfeld from the outset.
    
    - "This is something that those on the Outside (of the EU), are now  contemplating", up "to Ankara", for "a solution" on "Cyprus", observed the EU Chairman, immediately afterwards..  

    - "Both sides of Cyprus have been granted a historic opportunity to together reach an agreement on a solution to re-Unite the island, that has been divided for far too long", said Reinfeldt, modifying his draft text.


-  "The Swedish Presidency will act ...in accordance with Commitments EU has made, on the basis of Criteria that apply", "as a Honest Broker", he promised.    

- "To those on the inside (of the EU), allowing the membership process to become an opportunity to solve protracted disputes, can be tempting", he added.


    "In such cases, we must find solutions that can benefit both sides, and open up a way forward. Otherwise, it would jeopardize the progress we have made towards EU integration", Reinfeldt said.

***

Polls

2009 EU Elections were won by Parties against Technocracy and Turkey's controversial EU bid, while the 1999-2004 Majority Abstention trend decelerated. What should be done in 2009-2014 ?

Results

SMF Recent Topics SA

Copyright (c) 2007-2009 EIW/SENAS - EuroFora.net. All rights reserved. ISSN 1969-6361.
Powered by Elxis - Open Source CMS.