

Juncker Appeals to EU Member States+Citizens, proposes Measures, to Build a Better Europe
*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- In a carefuly Prepared, but Unusual Move, the New EU Commission's President, Experienced Long-Time former Prime Minister of Luxembourg and f. Chairman of €uroGroup, Jean-Claude Juncker, speaking at a landmark Public Debate at EU Parliament's full Plenary Session in Strasbourg, launched a vibrant Appeal to EU's 27 Member States, but also to EU Citizens, to take decisive Action, with the Help of EU Institutions, and already Proposed a Series of Measures, in order to Saveguard the Best Achievements, Ensure and Develop Europe's Future, at the eve of a Crucial forthcoming EU Heads of State/Government Summit at Bratislava, chaired by "Visegrad" Group Member, Slovakia, whose Leadership is notoriously part of European Dissidents vis a vis some, perhaps, "Politicaly Correct", but Controversial and UnPopular EU Choices, (particularly those recently yielded under intense "Blackmail" Pressure by the Turkish regime around the 2015-2016 Unprecedented Mass Asylum-Seekers/Irregular Migrants influx though Turkey, and subsequent Deadly Terrorism, Violent Sexual Abuse, Harassment, and other various Attacks against Innocent Civilian People, meanwhile. Comp. f.ex. : ...), as EU Council's President, former Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk, had already strongly Denounced in a Dramatic Letter to EU Countries' Leaders, just Published Yesterday, (See : .....).
Characteristicaly Addressing himself, several Times, to the "European People", or to "the Europeans", as he often said, Juncker Warned from the outset, that, despite having Personaly "Witnessed several Decades of EU Integration,", until now, "Never before have I seen so much Fragmentation" : National "leaders speak only of their domestic problems, with Europe men-
tioned only in passing, if at all", "representatives of the EU institutions set... very Different priorities, some-times in direct Opposition to National governments", while "Never before have I seen national governments so Weakened". "It is as if there is almost No intersection between the EU and its national capitals anymore", he Denounced.
In fact, "Our European Union is, at least in part, in an Existential Crisis".
Promissing to speak "with ... Realism, and with ... Honesty", Juncker observed that, currently, "we have many unresolved problems in Europe".
F.ex., "high unemployment and social inequality", "mountains of public debt", from "the huge challenge of integrating refugees, to the very real threats to our security" (etc), "every one of Europe’s Member States has been affected by ...continuing crises", while "even ... a member le Leaving our ranks", he observed.
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=> Therefore, "We now have a very important Choice to make" :
>>> "will Europe disappear from the international scene and leave it to others to shape the world?
- Will we "let our Union unravel before our eyes?"
- "Is this not the time when Europe needs more determined Leadership than ever, rather than politicians abandoning ship ? Is this not the time to roll up our sleeves and double, triple our efforts? ", he Questioned.
=> -In Fact, "It is Time, We – the Institutions, the Governments, the Citizens – all took responsibility for Building that Europe. Together.", Juncker stressed, urging to "Work for a Europe that EmPowers our Citizens".

In particular, even EU "Commission has to ... become Political, and Not Technocratic", he stressed. And "a Political (EU) Commission is one that ... Listens to the People !", Juncker concluded.
"Europe can only work if we all work for unity and commonality, and forget the rivalry between competences and institutions"
In particular, "Member States must build a Europe that protects. And we, the European institutions, must Help them deliver this promise", he pointed out, inter alia.
Indeed, "Europe is a cord of many strands – it only works when we are All pulling in the same direction: EU institutions, national governments and national Parliaments alike", at least "in a selected number of areas where common solutions are most urgent".
"In our Incomplete Union, there is No European Leadership that can Substitute National leadership", Experienced Juncker observed. "European Nations have to defend the rationale for unity. No one can do it for them. They can", he stressed.
In general, "Europe can only be Built with the Member States. Never Against them", Juncker acknowledged.
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Because, "This (EU) is Not the USA, where the President gives a "State of the Union" Speech to both Houses of Congress, and millions of Citizens follow his every word, live on television"... "We are Not the "United States of Europe". Our EU is much more Complex", he pointd out.
Nowadays, "Europeans are tired of the endless disputes, quarrels and bickering". "Europeans want concrete solutions to the very pertinent problem(s)". "Europeans want Common Decisions followed by swift and efficient implementation". "What our Citizens need much more is that someone Governs. That someone Responds to the Challenges", Juncker noted.
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In this regard, "the next 12 Months (9/2016 - 9/2017) are Decisive".
It is so, "if we want to reunite our Union. ...to overcome the tragic divisions between East and West which have opened up in recent months. ../.to show that we can be fast and decisive on the things that really matter", and "to show to the World that Europe is still a force capable of joint action", he urged.
=> "Therefore", EU Commission's new President "Proposed a Positive Agenda, of Concrete European Actions, for the Next 12 Months"
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The Move should Go well Beyond a simple "Vision for the Long Term".
"Yes, we (EU) Need" that, Juncker acknowledged. In consequence, EU "Commission will set out such a vision for the Future in a White Paper in March 2017, in time for the 60th Anniversary", he anounced.
In particular, it "will address how to strengthen and reform our Economic and Monetary Union". "and ...will also take into account the political and Democratic Challenges", while Both "EU Parliament", "as well as National Parliaments", "will be Closely Involved in that process", he promissed.
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But, "the next 12 Months are the Crucial time to Deliver a better Europe, .. that protects, ... preserves the European way of life, .. empowers our Citizens, .. Defends at home and abroad; and .. takes Responsibility", Juncker projected.
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- "many seem to have forgotten what being European means". But, in fact, "I am convinced the European way of life is something worth preserving" :
- "Above all, Europe means Peace" : "the Longest period of peace in written history" in our Continent "Started with" the Beginning of the European Integration, he reminded.
=> Resulted "70 years of lasting peace in Europe", while, almost at the Same Time, the rest of the "World (is facing) ... 40 active armed Conflicts, which claim the Lives of 170,000 people every year".
+ In Addition, "An integral part of our European way of life, is our Values", such as "freedom, democracy, the rule of law".
F.ex., "We Europeans can never accept Polish workers being harassed, beaten up or even Murdered on the Streets", (from "Harlow", up to Reutlingen recently, etc).
++ Also "the Free Movement of (EU Workers is as much a common European value, as our fight against discrimination and racism", while, also, "we Europeans stand firmly against the death penalty" too, and "believe in independent, effective Iustice systems", because "Independent Courts keep governments, companies and people in Check", while "Effective justice systems support economic growth and defend fundamental rights", Juncker observed.
We, Europeans, also prefer to "Trade", instead of "going to War", and EEU has become "the Biggest Trading Block" in the Planet, while more than "1 in 7 of all Jobs in the EU now, depend on Exports to the Rest of the World", he pointed out.
--------------
+++ "Being European (also) means the Right to have your Personal Data Protected", particularly "by Strong European Laws", Juncker observed. "In Europe, Privacy matters", because it "is a question of Human Dignity", Juncker strongly defended, (Comp. : .... + ....)
Indeed, "Europeans do Not like Drones overhead recording their every move, or Companies stockpiling their every mouse click", EU Commission's President stressed,
Thus, f.ex., among others, EU "Parliament, Council and Commission agreed in May this year (2016) a common European Data Protection Regulation. This is a strong European law that applies to companies wherever they are based and whenever they are processing your data". he reminded.
------------------------------
"Being European also means a fair playing field", so that, f.ex., "workers should get the same pay for the same work in the same place", as a matter "of social justice". "Internal Market is Not a place where Eastern European Workers can be Exploited, or Subjected to Lower Social Standards", because "Europe is Not the Wild West, but a Social Market Economy". And "every Company, no matter how Big or Small, has to Pay its Taxes, where it makes Profits", as, f.ex., also "Giants like (USA-Headquartered) "Apple too", whose "Market Value is Higher than the GDP of 165 Countries in the World", Juncker Timely pointed out.
+ "For most of us, being European, ... also means the €uro" Currency, which "Stayed Strong", "During the Global Financial Crisis, and Protected us from even Worse Instability", and Nowadays "is a Leading World currency, bringing huge, often in-visible economic Benefits. Euro area countries saved €50 billion this year in interest payments, thanks to the European Central Bank’s monetary policy. ...that our finance ministers can and should Invest". And, "while public Deficits stood at 6.3% on average in the euro area in 2009, Today they are below 2%", Juncker observed, obviously referring to the "Fiscal Brake" Treaty of 2011-2012, (alias known as Treaty of the "€uroZone").
------------------------------
+ Moreover, Nowadays, "Europe must Not cower in the face of Terrorism", Juncker stressed, speaking just after the Numerous Recent Deadly Terrorist Attacks by Extremist Islamistic fans if "ISIS", etc.
- "No – Member States must Build a Europe that Protects. And we, the European Institutions, must Help them deliver", he urged.
++ To "emPower our Economy" and "our Citizens", who "Both have gone Digital", Europe "Needs to be Connected" in "Digital Communications", because "our Economy Needs it", and European "People Need it", Juncker went on to Add.
=> "That's why, Today (EU) Commission is Proposing" to "Create a New Legal Framework that Attracts ... Investments in Connecitivity", by "a Reform of our European TeleCommunications Markets", he anounced.
Advancing eve,n Further, EU "Commission is (also) Proposing to Fully Deploy "5G", the Fifth Generation of Mobile Communication Systems, accross the EU by 2025", so that almost "Everyone (would) Benefit from Connectivity", "Not Matter Where you live, or How Much you Earn", Juncker promissed, adding that Both these 2 Moves would also create "Millions" of "Jobs in the EU".
In this Direction, he also "Proposed ... to Equip every European Village, and every City, with Free Wireless Internet Access, ...by 2020", (a Movement which has already Started, in several EU Regions, while Others, on the Contrary, still remain more or less "Deserts" vis a vis a "Digital Divide", Globaly growing, elsewhere in the World).
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But, to "EmPower Economy", EU naturaly also Needs "to Invest also in Job Creation", as he said, Anouncing that EU Commission "proposes Today to Double the Duration of the "Investment Plan for Europe", (that Juncker has notorioously Introduced since 2015 : See, f;ex. .....),"and Double its Financial Capacity":
- Already, from the "€ 315 Billions ... which we Agreed Together (with EU Parliament) .. just 12 Months ago, ... € 116 Billions have been Raised ... in its First Year", while "over 200.000 Small Firms and Start-Ups accross Europe got loans", and an estimated "over 100.000 People got New Jobs", Juncker noted.
+ "Now, we will take it Further : ... We will make sure that our (EU's) Fund will provide .. at least € 500 Billions - i.e. Half a Trillion - of Investment, by 2020, and we will Work Beyond that to Reach € 630 Billions (i.e. the Double of the initial Sum) by 2022", he Promissed, (while also noting that, If "Member States would Contribute", then, "we Can Get There even Faster").
++ "But", in order Not to Depend Only on Banks, European Economy also Needs "to Accelerate our (EU's) Work for a Capital Markets Union", Juncker added, "putting a concrete RoadMap for this at the Table, Today", so that Euroepan "Companies" would have "Easier and Diversified Access to Finance", (F.ex. a Start-Up that "cannot get a Bank Loan, right Now", "will be Offered Alternative, Vital Sources of Funding", as he said).
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+++ Even (much) More : "Today", EU Commission also "Launched an ambitious Investment Plan" extended "for Africa and the Neighborhood", with a "Potential to Raise € 44 Billions", and able to "Go Up to € 86 Billions, if Member States pitch in", Juncker also anounced, (as it was partly Expected : See, f.ex., Yesterday's relevant "Eurofora" NewsReport at : ....).
Operating with the "Same Logic", as also it has Started to be done "for the Internal Investment Plan", (See Above), this "will be Using Public Funding as a Guarantee to Attract (other) Public and Private Investment", he explained.
=> Also Because "this will Complement our (EU's) Development Aid, and Help Address one of the Root Causes of Migration" from Africa, Juncker pointed out.
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Concerning "Young" People, in Addition to the Continuation, even Further, of EU's "Youth Guarantee", which already helped "get a Job, Traineeship^or Apprenticeship" by "More than 9 Millions of Youngsters", EU Commission Decided Today to officialy Propose "to set up a European Solidarity CORPS", where Young People across the EU will be able to Volunteer their Help where it's Needed most, to Respond to Crisis situations", such as, f.ex., "the Recent Earthquake in Italy", etc.
This "European Solidarity Fund" should be "Up and Running by the End of the Year" 2016, "and by 2020" it should "see the First 100.000 Young Europeans taking part". accordiung to Juncker. In this way, "These young people will be able to Develop their Skills, and get not only Work but also invaluable Human Experience", he noted.
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But, Nowadays, "Europe ... must Defend" its Citizens also "against Terrorism", both "at Home and Abroad", EU Commission's President stressed, as eagerly Expected by many.
>>> Already, almost 50% (i.e. "13") of the 30 Terrorist Attacks in Europe, which emerged "Since the Madrid Bombing of 2004", (i.e. during 12 Years), took place just "in the Last Year (2015-2016) Alone !", Juncker observed. "More than 600 innocent (Civilian) People Died in cities like Paris, Brussels, Nice, or Ansbach", he Denounced.
In Addfition to Measures against "Terrorism and Foreign Fighters", "Terrorist Propaganda OnLine", and "Radicalisation in Europe's Schools and Prisons", EU should Now Focus also on "Defending our (External) Borders with the New European Border and Coast Guard", recently Voted by EU Parliament on Last July, (-See : ....),and that "Now, EU Institutions and Member States should Work, very Closely Together, to Quickly Set up", Juncker guaranteed.
=> In Addition to "over 600 Frontex Agendts .. at the Borders with Turkey in Greece, and over 100 in Bulgaria", Now, "I Want to see at least +200 extra Border Guards, and 50 extra Vehicles, Deployed at the Bulgarian External Border" Facing Turkey, "as of October 2016", Juncker urged.
++ "We (EU) will defend our (External) Borders, as well, with strict Controls, adopted by the End of the Year (12/2016), on everyone Crossing them", "Every time someone Enters or Exits the EU", he added.
+++ Moreovern "By November (2016), we will propose a European Travel Information System – an automated system to
determine who will be allowed to travel to Europe. This way we will know who is Travelling to Europe, Before they even get here", he boasted.
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But, "Europe Needs to Toughen up", even more, nowadays, and this is "nowhere Truer than in our Defence Policy", Juncker stressed in Conclusion,
F.ex., "it is Time taht we (EU) had a Single HeadQuarters for these Operations", he urged.
+We should also Move towards Common Military Assets, in some cases Owned b the EU", (while Keeping"Complementary with NATO", as he said).
Fopr such purposes, the "European Defense Industry Needs t Innovate", Juncker acknowled, whila also Anouncing that EU Commission intends to "Propose, before the End of the Year (December 2016), a European Defense Fund, to Turbo-Boost Research and Innovation", (Comp.: ....)
In this regard, the forthcoming Bratislava EU Summit, could be a 1st Politiical Step" towards that Direction", he suggested, since, already, "the Lisbon Treaty enables (EU) Member States who Wish to Pool their Defence Capabilities, in the Form of a Permanent Structured Cooperation", and, "the Time to make Use of this Possibility is Now", he urged.
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Last, but not least, EU now Needs "a Political Commission", which "Listens to the People", and, "this means Correcting Technocratic Mistakes", Juncker concluded.
F.ex., he cited also some Recent Developments related to "Mobila Phones' Roaming" costs-cutting when EU Citizens travel Abroad in other European Countries, as well as the Introduction of some "Flexibility" in EU's "Stability and Growth Pact", etc.
More Widely, "we (EU Institutions) should ...seek the Necessary Rendez-Vous with Democracy", and Not Prevent this", EU Commission's experienced President Highlighted in Conclusion, (Comp. also Supra).
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+ Juncker on Turkish VISA Blacmail
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=> Finally, Replying to European People's elected Representatives, among several EU Parliament's MEPs' critical observations, particularly on the Topical Issue of Ankara's notorious Attempts to again Blackmail Europe (by Threatening to unleash even More Mass Migrants anew) about the Controversial and UnPopular demand for a Totaly VISA-Free status for all 80 Millions of Turks, (who could then Enter and Stay inside the EU whenever they Wanted, for at least 6 Months Each Year), President Juncker confirmed a Crystal-Clear stance, based on Principles :
- He "emphasized" that an eventual "Liberalisation of Visas for Turkey mightOnly be considered IF ALL (EU standard) CONDITIONS would be Fullfiled by Turkey". "This is a very Tough Issue", I Hope Possible, But Not necessarily ready to be resolved by Turkey. "F.ex., withOut an adequate Reform of its Anti-Terror Law, it woN't be possible for Turkey" to obtain that, he ensured.
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People in Europe and the World expect from CoE to make a succes of its "Monitoring" for Human Rights and Democracy, despite difficulties, said Finland's President Tarja Halonen to "EuroFora" at a crucial moment for the mecanism built 15 years ago by the paneuropean organization which celebrates its 60th Anniversary in 2009.
Halonen, known as "Mother" of CoE's "Monitoring" mecanism, a long-time MEP and former Foreign Minister before becoming Finland's President, holds a long experience in the mattter, after also serving twice as CoE and EU Chairwoman in the past. That's why she is well placed to judge how CoE's "monitoring" should deal today with some crucial issues of importance both to CoE and to the EU.
The move came just a Month before a crucial, last visit to Turkey, scheduled for June, by the President of CoE''s "Monitoring" Committee, Ukranian MEP Serge Holovaty, to finalize his Report on Ankara, the CoE Member State with the longest Monitoring procedure. From its results depends its overall credibility.
This is a Test-case, because, in fact, it's in order to avoid Sanctions threatened against Turkey by a CoE's Assembly's April 1995 Resolution for grave Human Rights violations, Democracy gaps, the continuing Military Occupation in Cyprus, the unresolved Kurdish problem, Aegean differend with Greece, etc., that MEPs decided to create, for the 1st time on April 1996, a "Monitoring" proces, allegedly destinated to check, without excluding Countries who did not fulfill all CoE's standards.
In the Past, the obliged withdrawal of Greece's Military regime and of its "Civil" cover-up out of the CoE had helped bring back Democracy in 1974. But, on the contrary, since April 1996, the idea was to "monitor" Human Rights' respect while keeping most concerned Countries inside the CoE. After Turkey's oldest example, this was extended also to several former "Eastern" European Countries, even if CoE's Assembly has imposed to some of them (fex. Ukraine, Russia, etc., after Belarus, Serbia, etc) various "Sanctions", that Ankara always avoided. Curiously more succesful even than .. USA itself, (a CoE "Observer" since 1995), which has been at least threatened with sanctions some years ago..
EU-effects of CoE's Monitoring process became obvious between 2001-2008, since the "closure" of this procedure, when CoE felt that a Country had met most of its Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law obligations, (i.e. the "Copenhagen Criteria" for the EU), helped trigger Negotiations with the EU for "Accession" or other closer relations : This occured already before the 2004 and 2007 EU Enlargements to former "Eastern" European Countries, as well as for the commencement of "accession" negotiations with Croatia, and of "open-ended" negotiations with Turkey in 2005.
But a stricking new development are Holovaty's recent findings that on core Human Rights issues as Torture and Freedom of Expression, Turkey, even "5 Years after" CoE closed its "Monitoring", back in 2004, inciting EU to start accession Negotiations in 2005, still presents grave problems.
His findings are of crucial importance after a 2008 CoE Resolution called, "if need be", to "seriously consider the possibility of Re-Opening the Monitoring procedure for Turkey" : A move which might affect Ankara's controversial EU bid, since EU Accession Negotiations are based on the Hypothesis that the Candidate fullfils the "Copenhagen Criteria" (See above)..
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Holovaty expressed his will to check "Matters still Outstanding" and those that he "didn't have an opportunity to discuss" at an earlier visit this year, "in order to discuss the more complex issues in greater depth", at his forthcoming New Visit to Ankara, before the December 2009 EU Summit. This is all based on the 2004 CoE Resolution which stresses that, CoE "will continue.. post-monitoring Dialogue with the Turkish authorities,...in addition to a 12-points list,..and on any Other Matter that might arise in connection with Turkey’s Obligations as a CoE member state".
CoE's Resolution also asks from Turkey "to secure the proper Implementation of Judgements, particularly in the Cyprus v. Turkey InterState case", of 2001, which concerns also the plight of many Hundreds of MISSING People. It adds Turkey's obligations to "execute" ECHR's Judgements in the Loizidou case,..and in particular adopt General Measures to avoid repetition or continuation of Violations found by the Court" to the detriment of Refugees.
Nevertheless, Holovaty said to "EuroFora" that "MISSING" persons,"might be included" and cannot be excluded, but he has yet to examine the situation "to find out which issues will be raised" to the Turkish Government.
Therefore, "EuroFora" asked Halonen, as the Historic "Mother" of CoE's Monitoring mecanism, if she thought that, "whenever there are grave Human Rights Violations, as fex. "MISSING" persons, attested even by ECHR's judgements, they should be always checked by a Monitoring process. Or could they be forgotten ?"
- "We (CoE) must be, at the same time, Fair, Realistic, but not in the mind that "now we have Forgotten", etc., replied to "EuroFora"'s question Halonen, speaking as a matter of general principle.
- "When we think of those People that are suffering from the lack of Democracy, of Human Rights, and of the Rule of Law", "we should find a base on how to deal with the (Monitoring) system more rapidly"', she stressed.
- "Sometimes it's very difficult to combine Transparency and Effectivenes together, particularly in this specific case", she went on to say. But, "I have not found a (CoE Member) Country who could be insensitive in this sens", Halonen answered concerning grave Human Rights violations attested by the ECHR.
- "I have no ready-made answer. I have the expectations that you, in the CoE, will, step by step, find the different types of the monitoring systems."
Also "because this is a part of the UN's Post-Conflict system, (fex. when it comes to Cyprus' MISSING persons), and it's a more Global system". So that, "If we make a succes in Europe, the others will follow", throughout the World. "But they expect that we (Europe) are this opportunity, this Opportunity to make a Succes", Halonen concluded.
In addition, she advised to extend CoE's Monitoring to all its 47 Member States, "because, as long as we hear that, all these monitoring systems are "OK for the neighbor, but not for me", "it's very difficult" to understand. Something which could make easier to Compare...
Finnish MEP Jaako Laakso, former CoE Rapporteur on the Occupied Territories of Cyprus and one of the 5 Signatories of the Historic CoE's call to create the "MONITORING" mecanism since 1996, was more specific : - "We (CoE Assembly) have to find a way for the issue of Cyprus' MISSING People to be better followed", he stressed, anouncing his intention to "speak to Mr. Holovaty" about that. "There might be also other ways", added Laakso.
- The 2008 "Year had been a very Bad one for Turkey with regard to Human Rights in general, and Freedom of Expression in particular", denounced, meanwhile, Holovaty's preliminary Post-Monitoringh Draft Report by Holovaty, published by the CoE on April 2009.
"Amnesty International believes that freedom of expression is not guaranteed given the various articles of the Criminal Code that restrict it. .. "For example, 1,300 Websites are said to have been closed down by the (Turkish) authorities in 2008" ! While "the new Turkish Criminal Code was used to bring a total of 1,072 proceedings between June 2005 and April 2008, and led to the conviction of 192 people", for expressing views. "Representatives of the Özgür Gündem newspaper, which specialises in Kurdish affairs, ..complained about Numerous Attacks on their Freedom of Expression ...as was everyone who advocated a settlement to the question by means other than the intervention of the army" "According to their figures, 19 Newspapers had been suspended 43 times between 4 August 2006 and 4 November 2008" !...
Moreover, on 2008, CoE's "Ministers adopted its 4rth Resolution on the execution of the judgments of the ECHR, ...and outstanding issues regarding 175 Judgements and decisions relating to Turkey delivered between 1996 and 2008... concerning Deaths resulting from the excessive use of force by members of the Security forces, the failure to protect the right to life, the DIisappearance and/or death of individuals, Ill-Treatment and the Destruction of property". CoE's " Ministers urged the Turkish authorities ...to ensure that members of Security forces of all ranks can be prosecuted without administrative
authorisation" for "serious crimes". Holovaty reminded.
"Nonetheless", Holovaty heard anew of "Several cases of Violence committed last year (2008) by the (Turkish) security forces". Amnesty International speaks of Many Cases of ill-treatment and Torture in the prisons and by the police". "Including, fex."'the death of Engin Ceber, a young man of 29 who died on October 2008 as a result of the TORTURE allegedly inflicted on him by police officers, prison staff and members of the gendarmerie. He was part of a group of people arrested on September 2008 during a demonstration and Press Conference in Istanbul'. Proceedings against suspects are "on-going" in this case.
- " I therefore noted an Obvious Contradiction between the Government’s stated “zero tolerance” policy.... of Torture and other forms of ill-treatment, and the different testimonies given", denounced CoE's Rapporteur. Turkish "authorities must make considerable efforts to guarantee that proper investigations are carried out into allegations of abuses by members of the security forces and that perpetrators are effectively punished" "In this respect, I have requested detailed Statistics on the number of Investigations, acquittals and convictions in cases involving allegations of abuse in order to show the positive impact of the measures taken to date", Holovaty said, repeating a permanently unsatisfied CoE's demand to Turkey since a Decade...
- "The Political Crisis that shook the country in the spring of 2008 highlighted the Weaknesses of the (Turkish) Constitution", which comes from the Military regime of 1982, "and the Urgent Need of Reforms", stressed from the outset CoE's Rapporteur in 2009. In particular, "the ...Democratic functioning of state institutions, including the independence of the judicial system, are crucial", he observes.
But, "the Electoral system and the ways in which it is circumvented do not appear to give those elected complete Legitimacy, and tend to pervert the course of direct universal suffrage", denounces Holovaty, observing that, even 5 Years later, Turkey did not yet change the 10% nationwide Threshold for a party to take any seat, which is "far higher" than the "3%" maximum in Europe and already condemned as contrary to European Standards by the CoE.
+ Moreover, EU Parliament's 2009 Report on Turkey, drafted by Dutch MEP Ria Oomen-Ruijten and adopted in Strasbourg on March, expresses "Concern over the Failure of the (Turkish) Judiciary to prosecute cases of Torture and Ill-treatment, the Number of which is Growing". EU also "is concerned about continuing Hostility and Violence against Minorities" in Turkey. It also "calls on the Turkish Government to launch, as a matter of Priority, a Political Initiatve favouring a lasting Settlement of the Kurdish issue, (while "condemning violence.. and terrorist groups"). EU "regrets that No progress has been made on establishing full, systematic Civilian suprevisory functions over the (Turkish) Military".
The final results of Holovaty's 2nd and last visit to Turkley will be known later this year, and, at any case, before EU's December 2009 Summit.
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