Juncker charms even UKIP, vows to regain Citizens'Trust+ reVitalise EUIntegration, gets MEPs Support

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/-"We must Never Shy away from Believing in Europe"'s potential, New EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said to "EuroFora" earlier, speaking on his unique Historic Experience, from the Hard but visionary Struggle towards the Creation of the "€uro", after Maastricht and Shengen's area of Security and Freedom for EU Citizens, back in the 1990ies, well beyond the 2005's "No" to Euro-Referenda and the 2008-2013 Global Crisis, up to the forthcoming 2014-2019 Future Horizon, that EU Parliament entrusted him Today by Electing him with a Strong Absolute Majority of 422 Votes in favour from the 1st round.

 

    That's what Juncker stressed in reply to a relevant "EuroFora"s Question, about his Experience as "the only one among EU Heads of State/Government to have Won a Popular Referendum on the EU, when many others had failed elsewhere", as he told us up on a Sunny Hill of Strasbourg's outskirts, at a real Grassroots level : inside a Family SME Agricultural Enterprise run by his close Friend, Joseph Daul, long-time Chairman of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group of MEPs in EU Parliament (2007-2014), and recently elected new President of the PanEuropean ChristianDemocrat/EPP political Party on 2013 in Brussels and by EPP's full Congress on March 2014 in Dublin (Ireland).

    Daul, (who strongly backed Juncker throughout all his Pre-Electoral Campaign of April - May 2014, as well as in relation to the EU Heads of State/Government, immediately afterwards on June/July 2014), was among the 1st EU Personalities, together with EU Commissioner Borg (?), out-going EU Commission's President Barroroso, EU Parliament's Director of Press and Communication Mrs ...), to embrace and congratulate Juncker, shortly before the Final Results of EU Parliament Plenary's votes were officially anounced, at the White-Marble welcome area of the superb Strasbourg's Building, used to great Heads of State/Government and other landmark guests, in front of a Surprised "EuroFora", who, exceptionaly, (and partly because of  Hard over-Night Work without Time to Sleep from Monday to Tuesday), didn't even reacted Fast enough in order to take an Exclusive Photograph of the exceptional event which unfolded rapidly right in front of our eyes....

    Now, after Winning the May 22-25, 2014 EU Parliament's Elections, Europe-wide, and getting 26 out of 28 EU Heads of State/Government's endorsement, at the June 2014 EU Summit in Brussels, as New EU Commission's President Nominee, Juncker was officially Elected by EU Parliament's Plenary in Strasbourg Today for the period of the next 5 Years : 2014-2019, with an even stronger Absolute Majority, (as High as 422 MEPs' Votes, against only 250 "No", 47 Abstentions and 10 non-void), than his Post-Electoral Compromise ally Martin Schulz (EU Parliament's current Social-Democrat President, recently re-elected twice, from 2012 up to 2016), i.e. with a confortable Surplus of + 46 MEPs' Votes more than the required Absolute Majority of 376, out of 751 MEPs in total, (376 + 46  = 422).

    The New EU Commission's President for the period of 2014-2019 succeeded to do so after unexpectedly managing to ...Charm even the Euro-Sceptic Brittish "Independence" Party "UKIP"s Head, President of the "Freedom and Democracy" Group in EU Parliament, Nigel Farage, mainly by vowing to "re-gain EU Citizens Tust", promissing to care for Social aspects and Jobs, to boost "Political Dialogue" instead of "Technocracy", "Personal Data Protection", "Review" of "Genetically Modified Organisms" controversial legislation, (against which stands a Majority of EU Member States, as Juncker observed), and face Massive Illegal Immigration dillemas, while also clearly Declaring his Ambition  to "Launch" a "Fresh Start" towards "Deepening" the EU on Economy/Monetary issues, Digital Technologies' market, Energy independence from 3rd Countries, leading the Global Fight against Climate Change, pooling European Defense capabilities systematically together (etc) in order to Strengthen EU's mainly "Soft Power" role in the World, and other key issues, according to a tight Time-Table for his Political Agenda, during the next few years' Future.

    Even if he's from the same Political Group as the Out-Going EU Commission's President José Barroso : that of EPP, nevertheless, Juncker has also the clear Advantage of being always an out-right Believer of Europe's strong potential in a Multi-Polar World open to Friendly and mutually beneficial Cooperation with the USA, but while being respected as an Equal, without any Subordination at all; (while, on the contrary, Barroso had been cited, already from his initial Election, as having declared in public in the Past that he found "Silly" any Ambition for the EU to become "Equal" to the USA, before progressively gaining a more pro-European mood, particularly towards the last Half of his 2nd Mandate).

    Those (mainly a Part of "Socialists", etc), who usually accuse him to be in favour of a so-called "Austerity" policy, simply Ommit to mention Juncker's insinstance (from his Election as EPP's Top Candidate by the March 2014 EPP Congress at Dublin, Ireland, up to his present Com. Documents, dated 15 of July 2014), "not to leave the "Social" dimension to the Socialists !", (as the experieced ChristianSocial Top Politician advised already at Daublin's EPP Congress), but, on the contrary, to anounce his intention to include also a "Social Impact" assessment before choosing among various Economic Measures, etc., as his Political Agenda for 2014-2019 unveiled Today promisses. And they Forget also the fact that Juncker actively contributed even to former French President Nicolas Sarkozy's pioneer effort, when the latter Chaired EU Council, back on October 2008, to organise the 1st in History €uroZone Summit of Heads of State/Government, together with German Chancellor Angie Merkel, which decided to launch a spectacularly coordinated series of massive Economic "Stimulus" Measures, simultaneously in all involved EU Member Countries, in order to succesfully Fight against Global Recession which had hardly hit Europe after originating in a USA's "Krach", (Comp. "EuroFora" co-Founder's NewsReports, f.ex. to the "S" Newspaper, etc., from Elysee Palace then). Such kind of Crtics (too often "Socialists", or "Leftist"), also Forget even the recent fact, that, the "Hardest" and most Severe Financial Measure ever Imposed to an €uroArea Member Country during the recent Global Crisis : f.ex. that of initially Blocking all Bank Deposits and afterwards Confiscating most of them, with the only exception of small amounts of money, throughout Cyprus, was decided  not by the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Juncker, but by his ... "Socialist" Successor at the Head of EuroGroup, a Dutch Minister of Finances from the local "Socialist" Party, without any previous experience or education on Financial issues, (but rather known for .. Agricultural and/or controversial LBGTI-related "Same Sex Mariages", notoriously Unpopular usurpation of Children from their Natural Families by Homosexual couples under pretext of "Adoption", included), as "EuroFora" has had already the opportunity to denounce, in reaction to a 1st Attack against Juncker by a French "Socialist" MEP during the 2014 EU pre-Electoral campaign, (See : .....).
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    - But, well beyond a Strong support by his ChristianDemocratic/EPP political Family, headed by the New President of the EPP Group, the Biggest in EU Parliament, German MEP Manfred Weber, (in osmose with Juncker, by calling for People to "be Proud" both for their National State, and "for being Europeans", who found that "Today is a Good Day for Europe and Democracy", thanks to a "wide Consensus" for a Candidate chosen also by the People, for an EU Future "without Debts", but the right "Changes" for more "Competitiveness", able to face "Globalisation" succesfuly),  and an agreed Backing even by the SocialDemocrat MEPs, headed by their new President, Italian MEP Gianni Pittella, as well as some Kind words and parts of Sympathy also by the Liberals added to the "Greens" MEPs, as always headed by Guy Verhofstadt from Belgium, and Rebbecca Harms, from Germany, the Surprise, Today, came from elsewhere :  

     - Astonishingly, Juncker was  hailed for being "Sociable", with his "Sense of Humour", and even credited for some welcomed efforts to positively "Change the Mood in Brussels", even by famous Brittish EuroSceptic Nigel Farage, Head of the "UK Independence Party" and President of the "Freedom and Democracy" Group of MEPs, (an unexpected refuge also for the original Italian critic Bepe Grillo's "5 Stars" Political Movement's MEPs), who pushed Criticism up to calling former French Socialist President Mitterand, "a (2nd World) War-time Collaborator" (of the NAZI Military Occupation in France), so that he "couldn't be an example of Virtue in Modern Europe", as he said, inter alia.You told us (UKIP Group) that you don't really believe in a United States of Europe, nor to a common EU Identity, but I didn't believe you". So, we are due to enjoy battling between us during some years, he concluded, smiling, before to Congratulate Juncker for his Election, afterwards, (as "EuroFora" was told by well informed sources).. 

    - To whom JCJ simply returned a laugh by pointing out, amused, that the "Secret Ballot" could fit the UKIP Chief's purposes, since it can "Hide from his supporters the fact that, in reality, he might Vote for me", as he joked...., (adding later-on, during a subsequent Press Conference, that he intends to Negotiate with Brittish Prime Minister Cameron, on how to handle better UK's future in the EU).  

    - For French Rightist politician Marine Le Pen, the "Message" given by more than ever EU Voters in the latest EU Parliament's Elections of May 2014, was mainly "No to Restrictions of Democracy", "No to Recession", "No to organized Massive Immigration", "No to a Dilution of (European People's) Identity", and denounced that kind of "EU Politicians who are focused on their Privileges, obsessed by an Established System, and ready for any Compromise for the sake of Interests which are not those of our People", criticizing also  "those Financial and Commercial Lobbies which surround (EU) Institutions trying to Corrupt them", towards "less Democracy, more Misery, and more Inequalities", while she launched a call for EuroSceptics to "Monitor closely" what EU will be doing from now on, hoping that "Technocrats will Disappear from History", i.e., more or less, a series of controversial issues where several Euro-Politicians and EU Citizens might, eventually, find some common points for Debate, if things remained in this framework.

    + But something led her also to add, afterwards, the much more controversial view that "EU is becoming a Crazy, Deadly project, from which more and more People run away", that both Schulz and Juncker would be "totaly Unknown to the People", "without any Legitimacy", receiving an "immense Power by a Treaty imposed to the People even against what they had voted", and "representing a Denial of Democracy", as she claimed, feeling that she should warn against "a Dangerous (EU) Federalist Utopia", "Obesssed to provoke the End of Nation-States", which should be "Denounced in front of the People", (etc). I.e., another series, of quite Differend Issues, that many might find exagerated, or more or less unacceptable. JCJ. replied to that, by "Thanking Mrs Le Pen for Not Voting for me, since I wouldn't like to get votes from anyone who might push Hate or Exclusion", as he felt obliged to say, indirectly but surely, attributing to MLP an almost exclusive role of net Opponent, (to her obvious satisfaction)...

    However, (probably motivated by elementary Democratic feelings), Juncker didn't contest at all Schulz's strong reaction against a "Communist Party" MEP from Creta (the biggest USA Military Base in the whole Mediterranean Sea), who had taken alone a controversial  initiative to attempt to Hinder Marine Le Pen from Speaking inside EU Parliament, (where, however, French Voters have notoriously sent her "National Front" party as the No 1 of the whole Country, for the first time in History, to the dismay of many others who accuse it particularly to discriminate vis a vis immigrants, and/or to be excessively critical against the EU, in their view).

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Juncker :  - "Reply with a European Dream !"
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     - "European People expressed Democratically themselves, in the May 2014 EU Elections, sometimes with Contradictions, ... about their Wishes, but also their Anxieties, to which we (EU Politicians) must Reply with a Dream : Because Europe has still room for Dreaming !", Jean-Claude Juncker Optimistically stressed Today from the outset of his landmark Speech at the New EU Parliament's Plenary in Strasbourg, as it emerged from the recent EU-wide Election, where a Pioneer effort to create a direct Democratic "Link" between EU Citizens and the President of EU Commission was made for the First Time in History.
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    Obviously, it's there where might fit Junker's declared Ambition (in a Text that he said to have finalised "just Yesterday Evening" in Strasbourg), for a "Democratic Change" in Europe, vowing to "rebuild Bridges ...after the (Global) Crisis", and "restore European Citizens’ confidence", by "Focusing  our (EU's) policies on the Key Challenges ahead for our Economies and for our Societies", "Strengthening Democratic Legitimacy on the basis of the Community method", i.e., in practice by a collective EU-wide "Political Dialogue", between EU Commission and EU Parliament's MEPs, as well as EU Council's National Governments, "not just a Technocratic one", as he promissed.
    
    Already, even by simply "using Public Funds Available at EU level" Today, we can "Stimulate Private Investment in Real Economy", "mobilizing up to 300 Billions € in additional Public and Private Investment .. over the next 3 Years" (2014-2017), according to Juncker, who also stressed the "Need to bring back Industry's weight in the EU's GDP by 2020, from 16% Today to 20%", i.e. with a +4% Augmentation during his term in office.
    
    But Juncker also declared his Ambition to "launch.. Initiatives to Deepen our Economic and Monetary Union, during the 1st Year of my mandate", (2014-2015), while also replacing, for "€uroZone Countries" which might face "Difficulties",  the controversial "Troika" tool "with a more Democratically Legitimate and more Accountable structure", with "enhanced Parliamentary Control, both at Europea,n and at National level", accompagnied with both "Fiscal" and "Social Impact" assessments.
    
    >>> It's mainly in the creation of "a Connected, Digital Single Market", (with some "ambitious Legislative steps", "within the first 6 Months"),  that JCJ places many Hopes in the foreseable Future, believing that it could "generate up to 250 Billions € of Additional Growth in Europe", during the next 5 years, "thereby creating Hundreds of Thousands of New Jobs", particularly for "Young" People and a "Knowledge-based Society".

    + In parallel, "Protection of Personal Data" for EU Citizens is due to play an important role in Juncker's era, as "a fundamental Right of particular impor­tance in the Digital age"/ Both by ."swiftly finalising EU's Legislative work", and "by upholding  this right in our External Relations". In particular, "the USA must convince us that the current "Safe Harbour" arrangements, really are Safe, if they want them to continue", and."they must also guarantee that all EU Citizens have the right to Enforce data protection rights also in U.S. Courts", because "this will be essential for restoring Trust in trans-Atlantic relations", as he stressed.

    - Moreover, in order to "reorganize a New European Energy Union, we must Pool our (EU Member Countries')  Resources, Combine our Infrastructures, and unite our Negotiating Power, vis a vis 3rd Countries", Juncker adds, (f.ex. at a moment where EU Member Cyprus is due to accelerate Oil/Gas Findings at the South-Eastern Mediterranean, close to Israel's plans for Direct Energy Transport towards the EU, via Cyprus and Greece, etc). Meanwhile, EU should "Lead the (Global)  Fight" against Climate Change and Global Warming, already well "ahead the 2015 Paris International UNO gathering", aiming also to "LImit Temperature Increase to less than +2 Degrees Celsius".

    + As for the currently on-going EU - USA Negotiations for a Trans-Atlantic Trade Agreement, Juncker made "very clear that (he) will not sacrifice Europe’s Safety, Health, Social and Data protection Standards, or our Cultural diversity, on the altar of Free Trade", as he added, while also promissing to "Review the Legislation applicable to the Authorisation of ***Genetically Modified Organisms, (GMO)", where, "it's simply not right that under the current rules, the Commission is legally forced to authorise new organisms for import and processing even though a clear majority of Member States is Against", as he denounced.
    
    +++ Last, but not least, in order to become "a Stronger Global Actor", the EU needs "at least some Integrated Defence capabilities", "in the form of a Permanent Structured Cooperation", while also "creating more Synergies in Defense procurement".
    
    + In addition, "We (EU) must tackle Corruption; ..fight Terrorism, and counter Radicalisation – ..while guaran­teeing fundamental rights and values",      Last but not least, Today, there is a "Need to Deal more Robustly with Irreg­ular Migration", where "3rd Countries", should "Better Cooperate" with the EU, "including on Readmission", and avoid Humanitarian catastrophes as in Lampedousa. While, in parallel, "Legal Migration" should promote "a New Policy", by "reviewing" the "Blue Card" rules, and by focusing to welcome in the EU mainly  "Talented" Persons.

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    - Thus, already in the Past, it's with an unforgettable :  - "Please, Stop Sir ! We are speaking about Venice, not Istanbul !...", that Juncker had reacted, upset, to a Turkish Journalist's insistance to repeatedly raise, again and again, some particularly Negative and outplaced Questions about a sypposed Refusal, by the 1997 EU Heads of State/Govenrment Summit at Luxembourg, to endorse Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, during a Pres Point in EU Parliament in Strasbourg, by the then Luxembourg's Presidency of the EU on a forthcoming Pioneer Conference for the imminent Creation of the "€uro", prepared in Venice, (that JCJ obviously wanted to clearly Distinguish from what had been once the former Capital of the Greek Buzantine Empire Constantinople, before being Invaded and Occupied by the Othoman-Turcs' Army, which notoriously Massacrated most of its Historic Defenders, already back on 1.453, closed the over-Millenary Christian Church of Sainte-Sophie Forbiding any Christian Religious act (even a simple .. Prayer !) there until Today, before Expelling brutaly even the last remaining Greek Community on 1955, during Cyprus' efforts to stop being a mere British Colony, resulting in its contemporary situation, where ECHR has notoriously Condemned Turkey for Violating the Human Right to Life, by obliging and abandoning Poor Families to live in so Inhuman and Dire Conditions of UnHealthy and Dangerous Dirt, that an .. Explosion of Methance provoked by piles of Rubbish and Shit, suddenly Destroyed a Home, atrociously Killing a whole Family, including Children, Elders, Women, etc, who were suddenly "burried" under tons of Dirt ! ("Uraniye" affair). I.e., precisely there, where, more recently, on 2013, the Turkish Authorities notoriously abused of Violent and Deadly Oppression aganst local People's Demonstrations protesting for a controversial project to Cut the Trees and impose a Shopping Centre, a Mosque, etc., full of Concrete, all over a popular Square known also by a Statue designed by an Italian during the period of Mussolini's Faschism  on 1929, (Comp. the notorious "Taksim Square" Violent Clashes between Turkish Police and demostrators)...

    - Indeed, "the €uro is for me a core Creation of the Spirit and of the Heart", as declared symbolicaly Today Juncker, spontaneously associating Economy, Peace and elementary Human Rights of EU Citizens, at the conclusion of his Press Conference,after his landmark Election by 422 MEPs, together with EU Parliament's President Schulz, after reminding his personal Commitment throughout the Historic collective endeavour which succeeded to Create the 1st Common Currency in Europe, between 1990 and 2000...     

    - If we (EU) didn't have Today the €uro common Currency, with the recent Global Crisis and the latest events at Ukraine, "Europe would be now engaged in a Monetary War", the experienced Juncker warned in Conclusion, stressing that, in this regard too, the "€uro Protects us", as he said, applauded.

      A crystal clear view on EU's Core, while also having a large Overview on EU's prospects for cooperation with the PanEuropean/International groupings of States, as that of CoE's 47 Member Countries, that Juncker was officially entrusted, by the 2005 COE's Heads of State/Government Summit in Warsaw (Poland) to analyse, resulting in a landmark series of Strategic proposals on Europe's Architecture and functioning, that he presented in Strasbourg on 2009, (Comp. Juncker's reply to "EuroFora" co-founder's Questions on this occasion, published at "TCWeekly"), and remain still valid and in use by the PanEuropean Organisation for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule or Law.

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    But, re-gaining EU Citizens' trust, notoriously is  a No 1 issue, closely interlinked and interwoven with almost all others, an particularly Juncker's Ambition to "move Forward" by "Deepening" EU Integration, accompagnied by a "Democratic Change", as his official aims highlighted.

    => Will he be let Free to Succeed, (f.ex. by using both his long Experience, main Moral Values and European Ambition, as well as Sense of Humour, kind Human feelings, simplicity and accessibility in key contacts, including with Journalists, as "EuroFora" had a chance to personally experience with Jean-Claude Juncker several times, both in Luxembourg (f.ex. since as early as back on 2005, when he Chaired EU Council), and in EU Parliament, as well as at the Paneuropean CoE, in Strasbourg, Paris, Luxembourg, Warsaw, and elsewhere, etc,  from 1997 up to 2014 included, (i.e. during more than SevenTeen : 17  Years) ?

    Even his predecessor and compatriot, former Prime Minister of Luxembourg and EU Commission's President, Jacques Santer, himself a ChristianDemocrat/EPP as Juncker, used to be very Friendly, Open and Interesting, when he spoke freely with Journalists following European issues, even in EU Parliament's Corridors, Lifts, etc., up to his Car's door, as "EuroFora"s co-founder personaly had a chance to experience many times, during the late 1990ies, and even recently, as RTL's current President, when he participated at an exceptional gathering at Strasbourg's Military Governor, shortly before the May 2014 EU Elections for the new EU Parliament, where he had also been elected as MEP in the Past).

    Notoriously, it's only some Darkspots during a "Black" period of 1999-2004, when EU suddenly faced an unprecedented series of Sharp Falls into a more and more grave Majority Abstention in EU Parliament's Elections, added to several "No" to EuroReferenda in France and the Netherlands, followed later-on also by Ireland, etc., i.e. precisely during that Exceptionaly troublesome period Marked also by Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, (from the attribution of a "Candidate" Status, up to a decried Decision to Open Negotiations with the EU, on 1999 and 2004/2005, respectively), that some provoked various Heavy Damages to the detriment of EU Citizens "European Dream".

    Therefore, it's only to Hope that that rare long Experience, Human Personality and Intelligence of Jean-Claude Juncker, ("an excellent and convinced European", as  German Chancellor Angie Merkel spontaneously stressed, earlier in Brussels' EU Summits, speaking of him with Journalists, including "EuroFora"), will, better sooner than latter, help him succeed to artfully overcome and practically "Fly over" all those, never seen before, .. Ropes, Heavy Metals, Barriers, muscled Gorillas, Obstructions (Hindering even to take a simple Photograph !), Total and unwarned Rejection of any Freedom to raise the slightest Question during the Press Conference while always imposing certain same routine navets, Total Hiding or "Disappearance" from EU Parliament's Press Room's Desk of all 3 Juncker's Documents  [however titled "Strasbourg" and "July 15" !), which presented his Political Agenda, [available only at a .. "Tweeter" link to Brussel's EU Commission Offices, that we found by Chance later, at .. Midnight !], Discriminatory abuse of Force Pushing away, etc., and other Interferences, which Suddenly bursted out by a small but omni-present Minority of agents, curiously Targetting particularly "EuroFora", as if some would be Afraid of any Free Press Contact and Original News on Topical issues that might have been published...

 

    To put it in a nutshell, in order for Juncker to be really able to "Free" European Dream from some notoriously Heavy Burdens that some threw as Spans in the works in order to undermine it some years ago, first of all, it's Jean-Claude Juncker himself who must become really Free from any eventual Sly Bureaucratic Trap, where some real Anti-Europeans may be eager to Close him, for their own Shady interests, if it's not by pure  mistake...
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    But, anyway, for a more or less Efficiency of Juncker's 2014 - 2019 EU Commission, an obviously important Factor is the Selection of the various Individual EU Commissioners, who will animate Sectoral EU Policies during the next 5 Years, on the basis of an Agreement with both EU Council's National Governments and EU Parliament :

Something for which, this week's Brussels' EU Summit might not be enough, according to well informer EU sources, so that another EU Heads of State/Government meeting might be needed before the End of August.