New EU Council President Michel (2019-2024) strives to Innovate from the outset...

*Brussels/EU Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- The quite Young but Experienced new EU Council's President, former Prime Minister of Belgium, Charles Michel, (son of an important former EU Commissioner and MEP), who practically kickstarts his 5 Years Mandate (2019-2024) Today and Tomorrow with the EU Heads of State/Government Summit of December 2019, proved from the outset that he doesn't shy away from various, Practical and/or Symbolic, sometimes impressive, Innovations in the way to Organize everyday Work and Topical Political Meetings' ambiance in Brussels, ...even if he was unexpectedly "Helped" somehow, this time, also by an Unprecedented, impressive Demonstration of "GreenPeace" on several Floors at the Fore-front of EU Council's brand New Building, staging a collective "Happening" since Early Morning, which durated until Late Noon...

Eurofora walking (Behind the Flags) in Parallel with New EU Council President Michel

(but Slower, with 2 Crutches)..

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- "I am Pleased that You have Entered into the Building, Today !", was his 1st Word to Journalists, including "Eurofora", who managed to be Present at his Unusually Early "Doorstep" Press Statements, surprisingly made already from around 12.30, i.e., practically, When most Other EU Leaders were, as usual, just Starting their Working Lunches at various Political Groups' Meetings in DownTown Brussels, far Before their Scheduled Venue at the European Quarter of Schuman Square after 14.45, (i.e. More than + 2 Hours Later, at least).

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It's because "GreenPeace" Fans had, reportedly, escalated, since 6 to 8 a.m. that Morning, on several Flours at the Outer Side of EU Council's New Building, (i.e. withOut Entering inside), well Equiped, Organized and Prepared in order to Stage a Huge "Show" immitating ...a "Burning" Earth, in an Obvious Reference to "Global Warming", in order to Urge for even More Decisive Measures at the forthcoming EU "Climate" Summit, Later this Afternoon/Evening.

And, Despite an apparently Prompt Intervention of EU Council's Security service, Together with the Belgian Police, using a Giant Crane, (See Photos), in order to Push Out the Intruders and their material, so that, After 10 a.m. almost Everything looked Calm right in Front of EU Council's Building, as "Eurofora" witnessed, Nevertheless, it seems that, Still, 1 or 2, perhaps 3, "GreenPeace" Militants had to be Transfered from the Outer Frame of EU Council's New Building, while Police was Checking the Floors, even much Later-on, thus considerably Upsetting the Scheduled Time-table for Journalists' Free Entry into EU's Press-Room, located nearby.

So that, f.ex., "Eurofora"s acceptance to practically "Sacrifice" the Previous Day of 11 December in Strasbourg, (where, inter alia, Exceptional Collective Events had been Organized, with the Participation of 2 French Key Ministers, inluding at the Cathedral, etc, for the Anniversary of the Deadly Islamist Terrorist Attack of Last Year, at its Christmas Market, during EU Parliament's Plenary Session there, (See, f.ex. : ... etc), Pay the Expenses of a Night More at an Hotel in Brussels, Exceptionaly "Skip" the Interesting Meetings of EU Leaders in Political Groups around the City, and even Deprive himself from sufficient Sleeping-Time, in order to be Ready and Arrive at the Prescribed Area, for Issuing the EU Press Badge, and Walk Straight ahead towards EU Council's PressRoom, much Earlier than the Officially Scheduled Time Deadline for a "Security" Blockade after 11.30, (as it was Confirmed also by EU Staff that very Morning, by Phone), in fact, ...was done in Vain, since it, finally, did Not Serve at Nothing !

Indeed, even if EU Council's Press Accreditation Service worked Efficiently, despite a Big Number of Collegues also Waiting for their Badge then, however, when we rushed, as Fast as possible, Directly Towards the Nearby EU Council's Press-Room, about 40 Minutes Earlier than that Time Deadline (i.e. at around 10.50, instead of 11.30), suddenly, we Found the Way ...completely Closed, Metalic Barriers, and even ...Barbed Wire brutaly Hindering any Access, and some Security Service Agents, quite Nervous, merely claimed that they DidN't Know if and when normal access might be, perhaps, restored, or not... So that, Physically Handicaped, walking only with 2 Crutches, we were Obliged to Stand, in the Cold of that Winter Day, (of Local "Cooling"), with Anxiety, and our Mobile Phones, curiously, Sabotaged by something which, Exceptionaly, Hindered to Hear Anything from what our Interlocutors were Saying, (including EU Council's Press Service, which, Afterwards, told us that they were Trying to Help, as in the Past), during a too Long, almost 2 Hours Period of Time, until Even ...Blood Started to Flow from our Hands, due to the Exhaustion, Standing, for so Long, in an Icy Cold Weather, (See relevant Photo)...

- Certainly, "Eurofora" was Glad to see that New EU Council's President Michel, Surprisingly was Comming to Meet the Press Exactly when we were Entering the Building, i.e. much Earlier than the Heads of State/Government, (Comp. Supra), with a Broad Smile, and ...Innovating Not Only about the Early Hour of his "Doorstep" Arrival, But even about the Languages that he used to Speak : 1st in English, Afterwards in French, (Repeating almost in entirety), and Later even in Flamish !

+ However, these were Far from being the Only Practical Innovations of our New President Charles Michel :

- Indeed, inter alia, "Eurofora" was Also Positively Surprized by some Huge Square Patchwork ArtWorks, Hang on the Walls inside the EU Council, Composed by Many Independent flat Cubes, Each one Picturing an EU Council's Building, or Room, or Meeting, or various Personalities, etc., often on the Move, with Videos Changing Colors, Hours of the Day (or Night), Different Events, Officials or Politicians, etc., in a Dynamic Way, Representing an Active and Diverse Community, where Several "Happenings" are, almost Simultaneously, taking place, in Parallel, producing an Overall Impression of Work Energy... A real Electronic Jewel !

- But, observed Innovations were Not Limited Only in Symbolic or Emblematic things, Extending Also to very Practical, down to Earth, handy Realities : F.ex., the popular Restaurant for Diplomats, Staff, Journalists, etc., Previously located DownStairs at the UnderGround, had been, Now, UpLifted Upwards on to the 1st Floor, and, instead of vainly searching some Far Away and Prohibited Lifts, it appeared, this time, Possible to Immediately Reach Lifts with Easy Access, (particularly Useful, if not Indispensable, f.ex. for Handicaped People, Pregnant Women, Exhausted and/or OverLoaded Persons, etc)...

On the Contrary, at the over-crouwded, but sympathetic Bar, a priori, No Visible Change, perhaps because it was already working quite well, at any case. Except from the fact that Salmon Sandwiches look now less expensive and more easy to often find available, while Novel Foods' Bars have apparently become cheaper and rather more abundant than before : Is it just because, nowadays, you Need more "Food for Thought" and/or Time in order to Find out How to Explain, f.ex., that "Climate Neutrality for 2050" might have just been reportedly adopted as an EU's "Common Goal", (was it Better to say "Aspiration" ?), while at least Poland declared that it has Not found the Means to Implement it, and considerable EU Budget Issues have Not Yet been settled ?

But, the general Mood looks Good, ...at least as long as New President Michel still Finds a way for the 1st Day of EU Summits in Brussels to Conclude somehow Earlier than in the Past, (as he almost managed to do Today), so that People could now, perhaps, Sleep a bit overNight, in order to Work Well Tomorrow...

Meanwhile, speaking of "Happenings" (Comp. Supra), it seems that even a ...Santa Claus was spoted inside the EU Council Atrium's PressRoom ! Was it, again, a Charles Michel's mediatic "coup" ? Or a too optimistic preparation for the new PluriAnnual EU Financial Perspectives, scheduled for 2020 ?... 

(../..)

("Draft-News")

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