Tusk's Dramatic Letter, eve of Exceptional Bratislava EU Summit, urges Solid Basics

 

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- Just 1 Day before a "State of the Union" Public Debate at EU Parliament's full Plenary Session in Strasbourg, with one among the most Experienced Euro-Politicians, EU Commission's new President Jean-Claude Juncker, a long-time Prime former Prime Minister of Luxembourg as well as f. Chairman of "EuroGroup", and 2 Days before a Crucial, Exceptional EU 27 Heads of State/Government Summit in Bratislava on Europe's Present and Future after UK's BREXIT and various other Serious Recent Developments, the new President of the European Council, former Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk, felt the Need to take  the unusual Initiative to write and publish Today a both Dramatic-looking, but also "Realisticaly Optimist", as he says, official Letter to EU Leaders, practicaly Urging them to Timely Respond to the main current concerns of the European People, based on Solid Basics.

After Meeting with almost all 27 EU Member States' Leaders, President Tusk allowed himself "some Personal Reflexions", striving to make "an Honest Assessment", for "the Best possible Basis for Building our Future Together", as he wrote.

"We are ... at a particularly Historic Moment", after "the 1st ever decision of a Country to Leave the EU", (i.e. the UK, which had, however, done a Lot of Efforts in the Past in order to be Accepted inside the EU from the 1970ies), in a Wider Context of "Turbulent Times, Marked by Crises and Conflicts", just "a Few Months" before the EU turns 60 y.o., Tusk reminds from the outset.

In Fact, (Joining a recent "Eurofora"s Analysis, See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/brexitparadox.html), he stresses that "the BREXIT Vote (by a Majority of the British People) was a Desperate Attempt to Answer Questons that Millions of Europeans Ask themselves Daily", and concerning "the very Essence of Politics" :

I.e. "about ... Security of the (EU) Citizens and their Territory, ... about the Protection of their Interests, Cultural Heritage, and Way of Life". So that, "We (EU) would Have to Face", "these Questions", at any case, "even if the UK had voted to remain".

Indeed, "People in Europe want to know if the Political Elites are capable of restoring Control over Events and processes which Overwhelm, Disorientate, and sometimes Terrify them", President Tusk warned, speaking also after a notoriously Exceptional "Hot" Summer, which included various Deadly Attacks against Innocent Civilian People by Extremist Islamistic Terrorists, in France, Germany, the UK, Austria, even Switzerland, etc., almost in Parallel with several Bands of Irregular Migrants, massively brought in by Turkish Smugglers, slyly Aggressing, including by Mobsters' Brutality, defenseless Young Girls, sometimes Aged only 14, and even Young Boys, almost Kids, (See various unprecedented Violent Incidents, particularly in Germany, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, the UK, etc).     

- That's why, "quite Rightly", "People ... Expect their Leaders to Protect the space they live in and ensure their security. If the Belief that we have Abandoned this responsibility is Further strengthened, they Will start Looking for Alternatives. And they Will Find them", Tusk Warns, speaking shortly after various atypical Rightist a.o. Political Parties notoriously Started Recently to Mushroom accross several European Countries, not only in the UK, but also in France, Germany, Austria, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Greece, Hungary, Croatia, Sweden, etc.

- "The Migration Crisis was the Tipping Point. Last year's (2015) Chaos on our Borders, ...every  Day ...Hundreds of Thousands of people Moving across our continent withOut Any Control, created a feeling of Threat among many Europeans", who "had to Wait Too Long for action to bring the situation under Control, such as (1st) the Closure of the Western Balkan Route (since Mid-February 2016 ; Comp., f.ex. : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/unpopulareuvisafreefor80millionsturksuseless.html + http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/weltadoptseuroforaviewonuselesseuturkeymigrantsdealafternewthreat.html), and (2nd) the EU-Turkey Deal", (from the End of March-Beginning of April 2016).

 - But, "Instead, ....they heard "Politically Correct Statements", f.ex. "that Europe canNot become a Fortress", that it "must remain Open", etc.. All this "Weakened Citizens' Trust in their Governments, ...and in the wider Establishment, already Undermined since the (2008-2009+) Financial Crisis". he observed.

 -"We do Not have too much Time to spare" : "We Must Demonstrate to our Citizens that we are willing and able to Protect them from a repeat of the Chaos of 2015", Warned Tusk, while France, soon followed by Germany and several Other Key EU Countries, Starts already to Prepare Crucial Elections for 2017.

+ "It is equally important to Combat Terrorism Effectively", he stressed, after an Unprecedented Long Series of Various Deadly Terrorist Attacks by Islamistic Extremists during this Summer, in many EU Countries (and even in the US, Australia, etc) : "Someone must Give back to Europeans their sense of Security", he urged.

- "And ...we must do more to Fight Radicalisation", But,  withOut Genuine Determination to Fight Terrorist threats, we will Fail to Stem radical and increasingly aAggressive behaviour", President Tusk Warned, reminding also "the Fact that ...it was (found) Not possible to Prevent a number of Attacks".

++ Moreover, "Our Citizens also Expect the EU to better Protect their Economic and Social interests", and "Stand By them in the Confrontation with Outside Competitors", President Tusk added. "Free trade and global competition lie in the interest of Europeans, But ...they Pose significant and often Unprecedented Challenges", he pointed out.

 - Howewer, the above-mentioned Crucial Points "are Insufficient", withOut also "Other equally Important endeavours", "such as Economic and Social Development, Jobs and opportunities for the Young, the single Market, the Digital agenda and Investments", EU President Tusk added.

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=> Therefore, "Bratislava (EU Summit) will have to be a Turning Point", he Urged : "Business as Usual is Not an option".

EU Leaders should "also provide a Road Map" :

>>> "Effective Control of our External Borders comes First", from that September 2016 Summit in Slovakia.

 - At the forthcoming "October (2016) European Council Summit", "our (EU's) Relations with Russia will be Reviewed", (i.e. just after the September Elections in Moscow).

- "In December" 2016, we shall seek "to Strengthen Practical Cooperation in Defence".

 - "Later (i.e. in 2017), we will ..come back to ...the Banking Union and the further development of the Economic and Monetary Union". (etc).

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- "The Future of Europe will Depend ....on how we Handle the Migration Crisis, Terrorism, and the fears associated with Globalisation", while also ensuring "Development", Tusk resumed.

In Wider terms, "it is ...Crucial to restore the Balance between the need for Freedom and Security, and between the need for Openness and Protection", he advised.

- "Rebuilding ...Trust, has become an Urgent Necessity", with "Rapid Action, and a .. European Strategy", by National Governments and EU Institutions, able "to Control the Sirtuation" and Protect EU Citizens from such "Threats", (See Above).

- "The main Instruments in this field remain at National level, but we (EU) can and must do More Together".

As long as "We will Not ... change the EU into a Single State", "it will be Crucial for the Member States to better Cooperate ...to bring our Forces Together in the Union". "The Keys .... lie in National Capitals. The (EU) Institutions should Support the priorities as Agreed among Member States", which have to "Change Attitude".

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>>> "There is No Fatalism ..., everything is still in Our Hands", and "our Countries' Potential" is "More than Enough", in order "to Believe in Europe and its Ability", Donald Tusk Firmly Stressed.

After a "Critical Diagnosis", "there is ample room for "Real - Optimism", as he said.

In fact, Tusk rejected any "Gatopardo"-like attitude, as the Italian Writer di Lampedusa had named those who Pretend to "Change Everything, if (they) want things to Stay as they are", in substance...

=> On the Contrary, "We (EU) Must ... Preserve what is Best", and "Take ..., in fact, Simple Decisions", he urged.

Even if they might be "Difficult", nevertheless, "What we Need is a Strong political Will and Imagination !", Tusk Concluded.

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    Meanwhile, Welcoming the preparations for the forthcoming EU Summit in Bratislava, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who currently Chairs EU Council, (Comp. Fico's Reply to "Eurofora" Question in a Press Conference at June 2016 EU Summit in Brussels : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/ficomigrationpolicymightpushbrexits.html), anounced that he would be Glad if it Succeeded to set up running "a Process", due to be Further Developed, later-on, also by Similar EU 27 Summits in Malta and Italy on "Spring 2017", when the EU is due to celebrate its "60th Anniversary",  (eventualy followed by Estonia at the second half of Next Year).

    As for the Slovak Foreign Minister, Miroslav Lajčák, (who is also a FrontRunner Candidate in the still on-going Electoral process for the New UNO Secretary General), "the EU is Not Only a Political Project", because "Culture is what Brings Europe Together", as he stressed on the occasion of the presentation of the Cultural Program of Slovakia's current EU Presidency, earlier this Summer.

    Last, but not least, that Crucial, forthcoming Bratislava EU Summit, is scheduled to take place at a Hilltop Castle, which looks both Rock-Solid and Citizen-Friendly, while, after Lunchtime, the 27 EU Leaders are expected to visit a Danube River Museum, which currently Hosts an Exhibition of "European Paintings", including that of Spanish "Miro", Famous for "his Characteristic Language .. reduced to Basic Signs", such as, f.ex., "Pictograms, patterns drawings from PreHistoric Paintings, Childrens' Drawings, and Folk Art".

    I.e. just what might Inspire that "Simple", but Important, "Best" Solid Basics' style, that EU Leaders are Today urged to practice for EU's Future, (Comp. Supra)...