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Home arrow newsitems arrow EUValues'Human Bridge or Chaos? 2 opposed Victims of Terrrorism New MEPs Kuneva+Fountoulis to ERFRA

EUValues'Human Bridge or Chaos? 2 opposed Victims of Terrrorism New MEPs Kuneva+Fountoulis to ERFRA

Written by ACM
Wednesday, 16 July 2014
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*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- Can a Human Bridge be built, on the basis of some elementary EU Values, between diametrically Opposed MEPs, even from the sharply Opposed Rightist and Leftist parts of the Political spectrum, exceptionaly present in the New, Post-May 2014 EU Parliament, when they are both Tragic Victims of Brutal and particularly Inhuman, bestial Terrorism, in a Country whose poorest People have notoriously suffered a lot recently, such as Greece a.o. ?

"EuroFora" tried to find an Answer, by asking two key New MEPs who have both faced recently in their Personal Lives such Exceptionaly Hard Tragedies: 


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MEP Kostandinka Kuneva, a Lady from Northern Bulgaria, who studied History at the Southern "Cyril and Methodius" University, before coming to Greece where she was obliged to work as a simple Cleaner, until she got involved in Trade Unions' Movements for Poor Workers' Rights, and was Brutaly Aggressed by a  Band of Terrorists who threw Vitriol on her Face, obliged her to swallow it, and abandoned her at a road after beating her with cowardly violence, resulting in a series of heavy Hospital Operations and disfigurig her for life. After several International Human Rights' Organizations , including "Amnesty", pleaded her case, and at least a Civil Court vindicated her vis a vis her former employer, a semi-Public body, Kuneva was elected MEP for the 1st time in May 2014 EU Parliament's Elections in a list of Leftist "Syriza" party.


MEP Lambros Fountoulis is Father of Georges, a young man who was obliged to do various Hard Jobs in order to gain a living and help his Family during the huge Unemployment which hit Greece since 2010-2011, who was brutaly Murdered, together with his Friend, Manolis Capelonis, while a 3rd Youngster was seriously Wounded, by many Gun Shots fired at cold-blood by two Armed and Masked Terrorists against the Defenseless and Peaceful Youngsters who were welcoming guests to a Public Political Meeting in an Athens' suburb. The Cowardly Sadism of the Murderer went so far that he repeatedly Fired at the Head of his Victims, even fallen down, and shot right at the front Georges Fountoulis who dared stand up,  cover his friends with his body, and look at the Killer right at his eyes, (according to Films published even by the Police). The Victims' Father decided to enter Politics for the 1st time in his life, and was elected MEP in a list by controversial Nationalist Rightist party "Golden Dawn", against which Kuneva's Leftist "Syriza" is strongly opposed.

murders_of_fountoulis__capelonis_and_wounding_of_gerontas


"EuroFora" raised a Question about MEP Kuneva to Fountoulis, and about MEP Fountoulis to Kuneva, criss-crossing the replies of two Persons who have both Suffered a lot from particularly Brutal Terrorism, and found themselves Together, inside the New, post-May 2014 EU Parliament, even if in 2 totaly Different and diametricaly Opposed Parties, one Leftist and another Rightist, generaly engaged in a Hard InFight between them back in Greece..


>>> Could Human feelings, in front of grave Sufferings by exceptionaly Tragic Dramas provoked by Brutal Terrorsists, as well as their simultaneous entry in EU Parliament's polyphonic Democracy, usually proud to claim itself of supporting "European Values", including elementary Human Rights, perhaps, succeed, at one moment or another, to built at least a kind of "Bridge" over the huge and apparently irreconciliable Gap which uses to Separate and sharply Oppose their competing Political Parties ? In other words, could EU Parliament's context facilitate at least an elementary Human Solidarity between Victims of Horrible Terrorism, in the name of some "EU Values" in a Europe of their Dreams and/or claims for the Future ?


"EuroFora", in front of such exceptionaly Dramatic cases in the Post-May 2014 New EU Parliament, dared try to test in real practice that Hypothesis, by simply inviting each one of those so Different Victims of Brutal and particularly Inhuman Terrorism, to express their feelings and views for the other, by raising similar Questions to both, on the occasion of 2 separate Press Conferences of their respective parties during EU Parliament's two Plenary Sessions in Strasbourg this July 2014.


Here are the full results :


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MEP Kuneva :
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 - "From an exclusively Human point of view, regardless of Politics, You know that here, in this EU Parliament, (as issued after the May 2014 EU Elections), despite Big Political Differences, you  have also near you, the Father of a youngster brutaly Murdered by two armed Terrorists, (MEP Fountoulis, of "Golden Dawn"), and Mrs Kuneva, (of "Syriza"), who was atrociously aggressed and gravely wounded by other Terrorists, earlier. Do you think that these Facts should help basic Human Values go beyond petty politics, in a New Europe ?", "EuroFora" asked at the "Syriza"'s 6 MEPs' 1st Press Conference.

agg_at_syriza_1st_press_conf._400 

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    The chairing "Syriza"'s MEP, the famous Manolis Glezos, (known for having taken the NAZI flag away from Acropolis during the 2nd World War Foreign Military Occupation of Athens, prefered to give the speach Exclusively to Kuneva herself, on this point, (Comp. Glezos' other various statements to "EuroFora" in Different NewsReports) :

 

mep_kuneva_reply_to_aggs_quest


 - "I believe that all Condemn any form of Violence which exists in the Society", MEP Kuneva clearly stressed from the Start, as a matter of Principle, in her Reply to "EuroFora"s Question.


+ Moreover, "we must make very much attention to the Examples that we give in front of our  Society", she added.


 - "Since it's because of such examples that this kind of incidents take place", she pointed out.


 - "F.ex. if noone has stolen, noone has killed, nobody lied, then (probably) nobody would repeat something like that" ["then, such things won't be repeated by anyone"), Kuneva argued.

mep_kuneva_reply_to_agg_qust__400


  - "That's what happened also with me : If nobody hadn't ever agressed any other Human being in a given Society, then, there wouldn't be any explanation for a youngster to attack another Human being", as she said.


- "When a Mother Dreams that she will give Birth to a Child, it's with a crystal-clear thought (by Honestly thinking), that she will give Birth to it, will make it a Good Man, Educated, etc. She doesn't even think that she will make out of him a Murderer, a Thief and a Liar !", she speculated.

kuneva_at_h_400


- On the contrary, "it's the Society, with some (Bad) Examples, that makes them like that", MEP Kuneva denounced in conclusion, (speaking either of her Aggressors, or perhaps meaning that the spectacle of the unpunished yet atrocious brutalities against her, which wounded her seriously, might have, perhaps, motivated the armed Terrorists' attack which killed 2 and seriously wounded another one, among 3 unarmed and peaceful youngsters who were simply waiting to welcome the People who came to a Meeting of "GD", when they were suddenly Shot with Bullets at their Heads, repeatedly and mercilessly, even when they had fallen down to the ground)...  
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MEP Fountoulis :
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- "A Question on the Sidelines" of your Press Conference, "for Mr. Fountoulis :  Everybody knows that you are the Father of a Young Man who was Shot and Killed by Terrorists, (together) with other 2 (unarmed, peaceful) Persons, and that Nobody has been Found (nor Punished) until now", "EuroFora" observed, afterwards, during the 1st Press Conference of controversial Rightist Nationalist Party "Golden Dawn"s 3 MEPs in EU Parliament.

 
agg_quest_to_mep_gd_fountoulis_father_of_murdered_son_shot_and_killed_by_armed_terrorists_together_with_other_2_young_people._400
 

=> - "Sorry to ask you a Thorny Question : At the same time, in this European Parliament, where we have had also Other Victims of Terrorism, from Various Countries, f.ex., Italy, Spain, a.o., one of them, is not as Hard as your case, but it's Hard too : It's also about Greece, but a Political Opponent of your Party, it's Mrs Kuneva, who is Alive, but, as you know, she was also hardly hit by some other Terrorists, and has Atrociously Suffered. As a matter of Principle, since I asked her for you, I'm also asking you for her, i.e. for Both : What are your Feelings about both these two cases, and the Future ?".


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

mep_fountoulis_reply_to_aggs_questions_on_kuneva_and_his_own_murdered_son_400


- "I'd better speak first, as Father of (Murdered) Georges Fountoulis : It's Unacceptable to have Young People Murdered Cowardly, just for their Beliefs only. It must not  be allowed, at any case, for Hate-Speech of ...Political Opponents to Arm the Hands of Terrorists, so that they go on in such acts" (as the cold-blood Murders of 2 unarmed, peaceful Young People, and the serious Wounding of a 3rd one, by Gun-Shots).


- "It's also Unacceptable for the Police of the Country to have practically Closed that File, and Not even Search to Find the Murderers", as the Father of the Killed Young Man complained. - "Some among our Political Opponents might even have been Glad because two "Golden Dawn" members were murdered", he wondered.


 - "As for the case of Mrs Kuneva, we had Solidarity : But those issues of Terrorism were Different : They (the Aggressors) tried to Harm her, in an attempt to Terrorise her, in order to Stop Defending the Working Rights in the area of her work, via the Trade Unions Movement. Whoever might havedone that, I believe that they must by Found and Punished", he firmly stressed for his Political Opponent's Human Drama. "But, unfortunately, in this case too, it doesn't seem to be a real Search going on in order to Find those Responsible" for the atrocious Terrorist aggression, Fountoulis criticized on behalf of Kuneva.

mep_fountoulis_reply_to_agg_quest__400


- "We are against any kind of Brutal Violence. Policies are faced with Arguments on a Political level. Whoever might attempt to do Justice by himself (Taking the Law into one's Hands) is Condemned by all of us", New MEP Fountoulis stressed, as a matter of general principle, in conclusion.


+ "I'd simply add, that, Ideologically, we are against Violence, from whatever it might come from", went on to say his collegue, also New MEP, General Epitideios, a former Senior Army Officer who has reportedly served also as Head of a European body in the Past.  - "We Condemn that, as we Condemn also what has happened against Mrs Kuneva, (his Political Competitor, from an Opposed Party), and we understand, as Human beings, also her own Pain, as also the Pain of our own Friends who have gone", Killed by Terrorists' armed aggression.

mep_epitideios_reply_to_agg_quest_on_fountoulis__kuneva_terrorism_400


- "And we want to believe that the Government (of Greece) will turn itself against the Real Culprits (Criminals), and won't focus all Prosecuting Authorities against our Party, Golden Dawn, but against those who abused of acts of Deadly Violence, in order to find those Responsible for Both Cases" of Terrorist Attacks, (i.e. both for Killing Fountoulis' Son and and for Torturing and Disfiguring Kuneva), "and bring them to Justice", he concluded.


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The atrocious aggression against Kuneva took place almost at the Begining of the Economic and Financial Crisis, at the end of  December 2008. The Brutal Armed Killing of 2 peaceful Youngsters, including Fountoulis' son, took place shortly after the culmination of the Crisis in Greece, on the 1st November 2013, (i.e. less than 5 years later).


But, in fact, they are much more Close to eachother, as simple Human beings in Todays' Society, than anyone abusing of old, ersatz, outpassed views might imagine...


However, it's not yet sure if all People standing really near to both Victims of those recent Tragedies will succeed to find soon enough  the Real Contradiction in that Society (to take Kuneva's wording), that we had all lost...


If World-famous Film-maker Angelopoulos had not been Brutally killed, his Head crushed by a Motorbike driver in Elefsina (at another non-elucidated recent Tragedy of our present Times, by a coincidence near the Mythic area of "Elefsinian Mysteries" in Ancient Greece), on early 2012, while he was working to create his New Film about the unprecedented Popular Uprisings against the former PASOK Governments (notoriously Bureaucratic, Clientelist, Nepotist and often Oppressive, main responsible for the Huge Debt provoked during the last 30 Years : 1980-2010+), particularly during June - October 2011, then, he would have certainly found a way to picture Kuneva's and Fountoulis' personal Human Tragedies together, in one way or another....

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herzig_when_an_ocean_sits_right_between_us_.._400


- "When an Ocean, sits right between us", "there is no sign we'll ever cross".  But, "Even if your are Drowning in the Valley of Echoes", ...

song_herzig_i_hurt_too_400

=> " ... I believe there is Peace in those Hills UP Ahead. You willl Climb, until you Find places you'll never let go, and I will also be here, Praying, ...",  sang symbolically the superbe Katie Herzig in her tragic but poetic song  :  - "I .. Hurt too",...

 

(../..)

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***

(NDLR : It goes without saying that "EuroFora" does Not share many among the Political Views expressed by those 2 Opposed Parties too which belong MEPs Kuneva and Fountoulis. It's their undeniably Dramatic Human Figures, in the middle of a Nowadays Society hardly hit by the Crisis aggravated by a State Nepotism of the Past, which motivated this Exceptional NewsReport, as well as the Question what EU Parliament's Values might eventually bring to People like those 2 Tragic Victims of particularly Inhuman and Brutal Terrorism, at least in a Better Future for all Europeans).

***

 

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 sarko_merkel_mieux

The official presentation of a "Program" respecting People's choices voted in the June 7, 2009 EU Elections, to be debated in EU Council and EU Parliament during its 1st Session on July in Strasbourg, is the No 1 Priority, according to Democratic principles, for the Franco-German axis, said the main winners at the ballot box, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angie Merkel.

They stressed  that the New EU Commission's President must have a "Program" in favor of an EU which "protects" its Citizens, regulates financial markets and aims at a "Political" Europe" : a wording they have used as incompatible with Turkey's controversial EU bid.

They also declared ready for a "political" endorsment of "Mr. Barroso's candidacy" in June's EU Council, considering that an official decision would have to be made after EU Parliament's debates and votes, possibly from next month (July), with the legally necessary final acceptance shortly after Lisbon Treaty's entry into force, hoped for September or October.


- "A Program, and Mr. Barroso" : This resumes, in substance, the anouncements made by Sarkozy and Merkel, on the question of current EU Commission's President, Barroso's declared wish to succeed to himself for a second mandate, to be extended during the following 5 years.

 In their 1st meeting after EU Elections, they observed that "the Franco-German axis counted in European Elections' campaign... But, we both keep a realistic view : We saw the number of those who abstained, and we must absolutely give them an answer. We also see the disilusionment of an important number of Europeans vis a vis Europe, and we are aware of the responsibilities we have".

sarko

 - The "Duty" of the new EU Commission's President, after June 7, 2009 EU Elections' result, "is to act for a Europe which protects the Europeans, to commit himself into working for a better Regulation of Financial transactions, ... and to have a Political will for Europe", underlined Sarkozy.

Therefore, "we have asked M. Barroso... to clarify, to officialy present the intentions he has", he anounced.

- "We want to speak also about the Programme", explained Merkel.

- "It's important that for the next EU Parliament's mandate (2009-2014) we take the right Decisions for Europe.  Obviously on Persons, but mainly Decisions on Issues", she stressed.

- "It's not simply a question of a Person, it's also a question of a Programme". We are "really asking Mr. Barroso to commit himself on a Program, and on Principles, on Values", Sarkozy added.

EU President-in-office, Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer, accepted the Franco-German stance :

- "Barroso must present his Programme. The Czech Presidency agrees with that", Fischer reportedly said later, after meeting Sarkozy.

But Press reports from Brussels claimed that Barroso had preferred to be officially appointed by EU Council since June, (i.e. next week), "because this was implied by the current Treaty of Nice, according to him", and considered any delay until the possible ratification of the new, Lisbon Treaty on September/October, as "undemocratic".

- "At any case, independently of what Germany and France ask, it's also EU Parliament's wish". "We shall propose Mr Barroso's candidacy... But even in the framework of Nice Treaty, EU Parliament has to be associated in this Decision", the French President observed.

If this is correctly done, then "we support Mr. Barroso's candidature", and "if the (EU) Parliament agrees, we might ratify this decision since July", (i.e. next month), they both said.

smerkem_400

- "France and Germany support Baroso's candidacy, But we want to speak also on the Program. We believe that this Program should be established in close cooperation with EU Parliament, and that's why we have followed an appropriate way", said Merkel.  - If EU Parliament wants, this election can take place on July,  but this must be done in full agreement.

- "We shall support Mr. Barroso's candidacy, without doubt", said Sarkozy. "But we have asked from Mr. Barroso, as I told him yesterday, to put into detail.. his intentions, at the eve of his 2nd mandate, if the situation avails itself.


    France and Germany "don't want to take an Official Legal Decision by writting" during "the next (EU) Council" (on June 18-19), declared Sarkozy.  Because they prefer, at this stage, only "a Political decision" on June, "so that we (EU Council) can work together with EU Parliament", which starts to meet only Next Month, since July in Srasbourg, "leaving a Legal decision by writting for later".

    - "If the Conditions are fuillfiled in EU Parliament, we (EU Council) are ready to give the agreement and make it offficial", said Merkel

    - "But, now we are working in the base of Nice Treaty. If tommorow we want to work in the spirit of Lisbon Treaty, we have to find a proper way", she added.

    - "Of course it's Legally complicated, because we are going to make a Political proposal to the forthcoming Council, for an EU Commission's President, on the basis of Nice Treaty : So, we (EU Council) will not appoint the Commissioners. Only the President.  If EU Parliament agrees, it could endorse this position on July", explained Sarkozy.

    But, on Autumn, "if Ireland ratifies Lisbon Treaty, there will be, at any case, a 2nd Decision, to appoint the Commission's President, this time on the basis of Lisbon treaty, and then, we, the EU Member States, would have to appoint (also) the EU Commissioners", he added.

    As for the precise Timing :  - "Everything is suspended until the Irish vote... Now, we must all make everything possible to help Ireland to say "Yes"" to Lisbon Treaty... The Irish Referendum, ..will take place either on September or on October. It's a Question which depends on the Irish. And,  then, we shall have the Choice of the Candidates for the permanent Institutions of Europe".

    However, "if Ireland says No, we, French and Germans, have to assume our responsibilities, and we'll do so", he concluded.

    But British and Swedish governments were reportedly eager to have a final EU Council decision on Barroso since this month, on June's European Council. While the other EU Member Countries are divided, several of them preferring to wait until EU Parliament pronounces itself, on July, and/or until Lisbon Treaty might be ratified by Ireland at the beginning of the Autumn. Barroso's current mandate ends on November.

    There are also various, contradictory and/or unpredictable reactions inside EU Parliament vis a vis Barroso's wish to continue a 2nd mandate, because many MEPs are openly or secretly opposed, reluctant, or hesitating.

    In the biggest EU Countries, as France and Germany, EU Citizens voted on June 2009 EU Elections for a renovated, non-technocratic but Political Europe which cares for its Citizens, with an Identity, Values and Borders, declared incompatible with Turkey's controversial EU bid, by mainstream, pro-European Governing Parties. Similar choices were also supported in several other small or medium EU Countries.

    On the contrary, whenever, in other Countries, Governing and other mainstream Parties didn't make these choices or eluded them, EU Citizens massively voted for euro-Sceptics whenever they were the only ones to to promise anti-bureacratic change and oppose Turkey's demand to enter into the EU, (f.ex. in the UK, Netherlands, etc).

    It's seems to be an Open Question whether Sarkozy and Merkel's conditions will be really accepted by Barroso, who was appointed on 2004 in a different political context, (with Socialist Prime Ministers in Germany, France, etc), had rejected in the Past the idea of EU becoming "equal to the USA" as "ridiculous", and pushed for Turkey's contoversial EU bid, trying to "soften" or contain the changes desired by the People who voted for Merkel and Sarkozy with another policy vis a vis Turkey on 2005 in Germany and on 2007 in France, as they did all over Europe on 2009.

    In addition to many EPP Governments, it's 3 remaining Socialist Prime Ministers : Gordon Brown in the UK, Zapatero in Spain, and Socrates in Prortugal, who support Barroso, as well as Liberal Swedish Prime Minister Reinfeldt. But their Parties lost the June 2009 EU Elections.

    Questioned whether there was still "Time" for "other" possible "Candidates", Sarkozy and Merkel did not deny, nor made any comment on that, but simply said that "it's not for us to make publicity for any candidates. We anounced our choice ("A Program, and Mr. Barroso"). But we respect any other candidate".

    Among various other names cited are former Belgian Prime Minister Verhofstadt, former UNO's Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson of Ireland, Italian former EU Commission's vice-President Monti, etc. Meanwhile, Luxembourg's PM Juncker, (who had been unanimously accepted by EU Council for EU Commission's Presidency on 2004, but refused), announced his intention to resign from "EuroGroup"'s Chair. Thus, he might be available for another Top EU job.

    As "EuroFora"'s "opinion" said (See publication dated 9/6/09) : - "If the current candidates (i.e. Barroso, etc) to the Top EU jobs promise and guarantee to respect People's democratic choices, then, it's OK".

"Otherwise, Europe must find new candidates, really motivated and able to implement these democratic choices of the People."

    Because, "in Democracy, the forthcoming choices for EU's Top Jobs,...should be made according to EU Citizens' Votes in June 7, 2009 European Elections, and main EU Governments' strategic policies".
        

***

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