newsitems

+ Meanwhile, EU Parliament's plenary, (meeting exceptionaly in Brussels, reportedly because of "Coronavirus"' spread in France, after neighbouring Italy), is due to discuss, later this week, Ankara's unprecedented Provocations around Evros' Borders and those (Gas, Stones, Fires, Knives' abusing) Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants (mainly from Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc., often more than 13.000 per Day, according to the IOM+) that Turkish Authorities have reportedly Backed (including by Buses' Transports from Istanbul, 1.000 Turkish Security Agents send on the spot, relevant Statements, etc). Turkish President Erdogan already is in Brussels for meetings, since this Monday, just After launching a provocative Call for "Greeks" to "Open the Borders" (sic !) and "let  them go towards Other (EU) Countries" !... On the Contrary, the Greek Government has notoriously decided to stick to its Sovereign Right and Duty to Protect its National and EU's External Borders.

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>>> - "Turkey Exploits innocent people, for its Political aims, and in order to Blackmail the EU !", criticized Varvitsiotes Today at Strasbourg, in reply to a relevant "Eurofora"s Question, speaking of a "Stern Denonciation against the Turkish stance" on Evros.

=> Therefore, "CoE" should be very "Careful" on the way that "Human Rights"' approaches might be grossly abused (manipulated) in such cases, and avoid to "fall into a (sly) Trap", he Warned.

>>> "In Front of that, a European Shield has been raised, at EU level", Miltiades Varvitsiotes pointed out.

- Indeed, "the Declarations of all European Institutions' Presidents (EU Commission, Parliament and Council) are Crystal-Clear, last week in Athens". "Justice and Home affairs (JHA) Ministers' declaration, as well as that of Foreign Ministers, is also very clear, as they were formulated". "And it's, moreover, pretty clear, Today's statement by EU's High Representative on Foreign and Security policy, Borel, in view of his meeting with the Turkish President (Erdogan)" in Brussels. So that, "all the Framework of this Resistance and (European) Shield is crystal-clear", he resumed.  

- However, "even if, here or there, might, eventually, be some who don't see well enough all those political facts, we try to Enlighten them, and God help us...", he realistically concluded, with a visible fighting spirit for any relevant Ideological battle whenever necessary...    

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+ But, at the same time, Authentic Human Rights issues are at the Forefront of the incoming Greek rotating Presidency of the CoE (May-November 2020), which coincides with the 70th Anniversary since the Signing of its PanEuropean Convention of Human Rights (1950 - 2020), inter alia, also by discussing its "Implementation" until now, as well as in the foreseable Future, according to a Key "Non-Paper", presented Today in Strasbourg to CoE's main Officials, and communicated also to "Eurofora" by the competent Minister Varvitsiotes. In Addition, the Greek Government has already proposed ECHR for the Peace Nobel Prize this year.

- Starting almost at the same Time as EU's exceptional "Conference on Europe's Future" (2020-2021), CoE's Greek Presidency of 5-11/2020 is due to be "Focused mainly on Young People", i.e. Forward looking, turned "towards the Future", Varvitsiotes observed.     

- "We should Cooperate impeccably" with CoE's Secretary General Marija Buric, inter alia, also because "I think that the Greek Presidency's main Priority on Young Generations Fits quite well with those of the CoE itself currently", since the PanEuropean Organisaton "has just (12/2019) outlined a Strategy for the period of 2020-2030" on Youth policy, "so that the fact that a rotating (Committee of Ministers') Presidency intends to Invest into that, is Important", he pointed out.     

=> - For the time being, "We (the Greek CoE's Chairmanship 5-11/2020) have traced 4 Axes in that : (1) First, Young People's involvement into DEMOCRATIC Institutions, their Protection from "Fake News", how to Augment their participation, issues about Artificial Intelligence, etc., and how that forms a Framework of Rights". (2) The Second concerns Problems of VULNERABLE persons : Poverty, Human Trafficking, Sexual Exploitation, UnAccompagnied Minors,  etc. (3) The Third part has to do with CULTURAL HERITAGE and its Protection and Maintenance despite Climate Change, as a Right for Young People to Enjoy that in Future" ; (4) And the Fourth Axis is related to the (CoE's) Charter of SOCIAL RIGHTS, vis a vis Young People".

+ In Parallel, "we also take a View on the Incorporation of ECHR's case-law into Member States", he added, (Comp. Supra), while praising ECHR's President Sicilianos as an "Excellent Jurist", "who contributed a lot" in that Program.

Significant of the Importance that the Greek Presidency attributes to Democratic Participation issues, is also the fact that Varvitsiotes met, Today, with CoE's Director General on Democracy Snezana Markovic, from Serbia, (while the above-mentioned "Non-Paper" adds a Reference also to "Digital" Technologies here, similar to "Eurofora"'s Project).

=> - "I think that all this forms a well-Structured Program, whose Issues, naturally, cannot be solved during a rotating chairmanship, neither exhausted, but they can he Highlighted, and joined to various relevant Initiatives", he concluded.

+ "Inter-Generational Solidarity : Important !"

 - "And, what about Aged People ?", "Eurofora" questioned Varvitsiotes, pointing, f.ex., at a previous EU Campaign in favour of "Inter-Generational Solidarity", (as it was nick-named), which had strived to Bring Together Young and Aged People, Near to eachother".

- In Reply, the Greek Minister slamed the Opposite, counter-example, of a Controversial Satirical Author who had portrayed Aged People as "Vampires", exploiting the Young through the Social Security/Pensions' system, and inciting the Youth to become a kind of "Canibals" against the Aged persons (sic !)...

=> "No", he reacted : On the Contrary, "Inter-Generational Solidarity is an Important matter. Both Politically, and Socially, as well as Substantialy", Varvitsiotes positively stressed to "Eurofora", (i.e. apparently accepting to Include it, in one way or another, inside the wider context of that Greek CoE's Presidency Draft Program).

+ Bio-Ethics : - "Keep an eye" ?

 - About "Childrens' Human Rights", Questioned by "Eurofora" about the current Popular Demonstrations and Protests, in France and elsewhere in the World, on the Controversy concerning the Child's elementary "Right to have a Mother and a Father", (reportedly emanating f.ex. from some UN-related official texts, etc), Opposite to some currently Controversial and UnPopular Attempts for certain Lobbies (f.ex. in France, etc) to exert Pressure on Politicians to accept Dangerous Artificial Births asked by Lesbians, inevitably Exposed to manifold Dangers of Genetic Manipulations, etc.,  Varvitsiotes carefully but positively Replied that, in principle, "we don't enter into such Issues", "But we Open spaces for Debate, where they could be Discussed, together with others"...         

+ Concerning "Bio-Ethics" in General, despite the currently "Hot" and Topical dimension of several among those Issues, (f.ex. on Heritable Genetic Editing, transmissible also to Future Generations, See: ..., etc), nevertheless, as things stand now (i.e. with that Draft "Non-Paper" on the incoming Greek CoE's Presidency's main "Priorities", drafted mainly by Ambassador Beglites in Strasbourg, as he told "Eurofora", in cooperation wtth several CoE's Officials, etc), "it appears Difficult" to include them inside that Draft Plan, Varvitsiotes acknowledged. However, given the Importance of the Issues, as well as his genuine personal Interest, that he had already shown while serving as Top MEP in CoE's Parliamentary Assembly during a Long Time), - "We shall Keep an Eye", whenever something really Important might emerge, during the (Greek CoE's Committee of Ministers) Presidency, he promised...

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("Draft-News")

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*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- A Key Candidate in the forthcoming Municipal Elections for the New Mayor of Strasbourg, Professor Chantal Cutajar, replying to an Eurofora's question, declared her Wish to place Citizens - Politicians interaction, including Dialogue Before Final Decisions, (as "Eurofora"s Project also for EU Parliament, etc) "at the Foundations of the future European Policy" of the City which regularly hosts MEP's full Plenary Sessions, the PanEuropean CoE, (with its Parliamentary Assembly, INGOS, Standard-Building Conferences, etc), as well as ECHR, EU Ombudsperson, Schengen secretariat, etc., which all directly concern Citizens.

Cutajar is a fully-fledged University Professor in Strasbourg, who has got EU Backing for a Pioneer Program of European Cooperation in the Fight against Corruption and Financial Crime (as scourge undermining Democracy, according also to CoE's "GRECO" Anti-Corruption Watchdog), throughout the Continent, (See, among others, also : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/eucommissionerredingoneuprosecutorandtraining.html + http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/cyberattaksandeurules.html + http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/eusciencefundsimpact.html + http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/professorcutajaronparadisepapers.html, etc), but, as former Deputy Mayor, she has also Developed (2017-2019) a brand New Policy in Strasbourg City on Citizens' Participation in Public Decision-Making processes, in a way Succeeding to attract a rare Quasi-Unanimity of All Political Parties, (to which "Eurofora" was partly Involved, since a Conference at the CoE, until its Final Official Adoption, and well Beyond : See, f.ex., inter alia, also http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/euroforaideasendorsedbystrasbourggreatdebate.html, etc), and extended that even to a 2 Days-Long and Popular  Citizens' Conference contributing by a Report on the "Big Debate" launched in France by President Emmanuel Macron on 2018-2019, (who is also a Notorious Supporter of the forthcoming EU Conference on Europe's Future on 2020-2021, due to be ear-Marked by an Unprecedented "EU Citizens" dimension).

 ----------------------

She was speaking at a Meeting of the "Cathedral's Circle" (in the run-up to March 2020 Municipal Elections), chaired by its President Henri Mathian, who Concluded that event by Characteristically estimating that "finally, it seems well that, in order to have a Socio-Political Peace, we should, indeed, use that <<Building Together>> dimension in Public Decision-Making... He referred to what Cutajar had just called "Co-Construction" (in the original in French), and had Added to the "Fraternity/Solidarity", as well as "Probity/Ethics", in a Series of Basic Principles for her Policy. She explained that she was Not particularly in favour of "Direct Democracy", but rather for a ReVitalisation of the so-called "Representative Democracy", which, as various converging events notoriously showed recently, both in Local, National and European level, should and could Work Better.

Mathian said that just After Cutajar, as part of her reaction to a relevant "Eurofora"s Question (Comp. Supra and Infra), had Praised its substance (Public Dialogue between Citizens and Politicians Before Final Decisions affecting their Lives and/or Society) as an "Intelligent Project", which also "can Present forthcoming European Decisions in a Clear and Attractive way" for the People, particularly at the eve of EU Parliament's Plenary Sessions, (while also noting our Involvement in Strasbourg City's "Citizens Participation" Policy building : Comp. Supra).

"Eurofora"s Question consisted, precisely, into Reminding our Project, (on the Occasion also of the forthcoming EU's "Conference on Europe's Future" - Comp. Supra - which might give a real Chance to Activate "Lisbon Treaty"s provisions for "Regular Dialogue" between "Civil Society" and "EU Institutions" on all "their Acts"), observing that it goes in a Similar Direction with Professor Cutajar's "Building Together" policy (Comp. Supra), and that all this could Stimulte Citizens' and Medias' Interest for Topical European Issues, as well as MEPs' and Other EU/CoE Politicians' Desire to interact with the People in Public before taking Final Decisions, asking her if she really intended to help put it into practice if she was Elected, either as Mayor or at another Top Post of relevant responsibility.

=> It's precisely in Reply to such an "Eurofora"s Query that Professor Cutajar Advanced even Further by clearly Announcing her Intention to place, all that, "at the Foundations of our (Strasbourg City's)  European Policy" in the future ! (Comp. Supra).

Cutajar is an Italo-Maltese a.o. Mediterranean origin Personality who has endorsed EU's mainly Franco-German Core, to the point to Support, Nowadays, a Strong "European entity" of Strasbourg's Traditional dimension as Capital also of the "Alsace" former Region, as well as the Development of a relevant "Bi-Linguism" here, (i.e. something which makes her more popular). Even if, currently, the scarce Latest Polls don't seem to accerredit her with enough intentions of vote in order to ensure to become Strasbourg's New Mayor, nevertheless, she has already attracted several Interesting Personalities among her Supporters, and, very probably, as a Centrist, is due to play a Key Role as possible "King Maker" in a Winning Alliance at the 2nd Round of the forthcoming Elections of this March 2020 :

In the Past, she served as a Centrist Deputy Mayor with the Socialists, (particularly with the Out-going Long-Time Mayor Roland Ries, who splited out of the Socialist Party, and does Not Participate in these Elections), who are Now represented by former Long-Time Mayor, MEP and Minister Catherine Trautmann. But, Recently, some Medias cited her in a Possible Alliance with Frontrunner Alain Fontanel (briefly Socialist, in the Past, but Nowadays engaged in President Macron's New Political Party of Liberals : "en Marche", i.e. "Walkers"), perhaps Together with Jean-Philippe Vetter (from the mainstream Center-Right Party of the "Republicans"), etc.

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("Draft-News")

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*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/(Partly UPDATED)/-  Reacting to the Unexpected Popularity of the BREXIT Referendum in the UK on 2016, EU Leaders had vowed to "Protect Europe's External Borders", obtaining "Full Control" on them, since an Historic Declaration made at an Exceptional Summit, (for the 1st time in format of 27 EU, i.e. without the UK), in Bratislava's Castle, on September 2016, (See "Eurofora"s NewsReports from the spot in Bratislava, at: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/bratislavasummitoutcome.html, etc). This was in substance confirmed also on the landmark Anniversary of the Rome Treaties in Italy on March 2017, at another exceptional EU Heads of State/Governments Summit, including EU Citizens' aspirations for Safety etc., on due Changes for Europe's foreseable Future, (Comp., inter alia, also, f.ex.: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/euromesummitonfuture.html, etc).

They promised to never repeat again that 2015 Blunder, when Europe was found entirely UnPrepared to face a Huge "Tsunami" of many Thousands of Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants from Turkey suddenly tresspassing EU's External Borders in Greece, and arriving up to Germany and even Scandinavian Countries, totaling up to some 1,5 Millions of People of various Asiatic or African origins, mostly UnWilling to Integrate European Culture Islamists, including numerous Aggressors even of Children and Women, Mob Mollestors and/or Rapists, Murderers, Deadly Islamist Terrorists, etc. That 2015 was proclaimed by German Chancelor Merkel to be an exceptional ..."Annus Horribilis !" During the Following Year, 2016, (even if Hungary's Victor Orban and Others Blocked the Western Balkans' Route, Before a controversial EU - Tukey Deal starts to enter into force), the situation became even Worse inside Europe, hit by Maniforld, Various Brutal Aggressions, including an Awful lot of Deadly Islamist Terrorist Attacks cowardly Targetting Civilian People.

=> But, 5 Years Later, now on 2020, have, some, Forgotten Everything ?

Indeed, it would be an Incomprehensible Ommision, Blunder, or stupid Sell Out, rather a Suicidary Hara-Kiri for Europe if it practically Abandoned Greece to cope alone against such a New Turkish "Tsunami", with Mobs made of Dozens of Thousands every Day (and Night - the IOM once counted 13.000) attempting to irregularly Tresspass inside the EU at the terrestrial Turko-Greek Borders around Evros river, in Addition to more than 1.000 per Day coming at the Greek Islands in the Aegean Sea, since February 2020, for the First Time with a so Open, Explicit, Brutal and Vulgar Blackmail Threat from Turkey, asking More Money and/or Political Concessions inside Syria !

There is not yet anyone from Idlib region, but mainly from ...Pakistan, Afghanistan or Somalia, (notorious "clients" of Turkey), and the move reportedly includes threats or attacks by Gas (against the Police), Stones, Fires, even Knives, and Turkish Army Vehicles trying to Break the Fence overnight, etc.

Meanwhile, Reports multiplied about alleged Free Trips from Istanbul with Tukish Buses, and even cases of Forced evacuations of immigrants by the Turkish Police towards the Greek/EU Borders, denounced by several Foreign Medias.

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Where is action by EU's "FRONTEX", which has repeatedly got more and more Means, in recent years, including 2019 ? Where are those European "Coast-Guards", that EU Parliament has enthousiastically and pompously Voted, already since 2016 ?   Where is "EuroCorps" in real protective action, often backed by EU Parliament, and the European Security/Defense policy "Autonomy" ?

Certainly, many important EU Actors and Other important Countries in the World (including, f.ex. USA, etc), already Expressed verbaly their Support to Greece's efforts to Protect the External Borders of Europe vis a vis Turkey in this case. And all EU's Top Officials (including the Presidents of EU Council, Commission and Parliament, Michel, von der Leyen, and Sassoli, respectively) have just Visited, personaly, Evros River Borders on the spot, together with Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis.

But what counts are Timely concrete Acts, particularly in such a Big Urgency. It's true that several EU Countries promised to send Policemen or Soldiers, (including Cyprus and the "Visegrad" Countries) and/or Money (including Austria, etc), EU Commission offered 700 millions € Funding, FRONTEX to add 100 more Coast-Guards to the already existing 530, as well as 7 Ships, 2 Helicopters, an Airplane, 2 Thermic Cameras-equiped Vehicles, etc, while Greece also reportedly asked officially to activate EU's Civic Protection mechanism for everyday management and needs of mass asylum seekers/irregular immigrants, (etc).

However, Turkish President Tayip Erdogan explicitly asked Greece, on the Contrary, to "Open its Borders" (sic !), and apparently Re)Orientated the Smugglers of the Aegean Sea Islands towards Evros' Terrestrial Borders (See Infra); while Turkish Interior Minister Suleiman Soilou Warned that Evros river Borders are "200 km Long", recently the Water's levels have Lowered down to 40-45 cm, allowing to Walk through the river at several areas, threatening that what happened until now is Nothing, Compared to what Will Come Soon...

Nevertheless, some inside the EU seem to Forget that the Last Time, anOther Greek Government, of the Left, on 2015-2016 practically Abandoned the Protection of Greece and EU's External Borders, and let more than 1,5 Millions masss asylum-seekers/irregular migrants, Trafficked through Turkey, then, they Crossed through the Entire EU, arriving until Scandinavian Countries, up to Finland, (amidst Socio-Political Troubles, even Scandal of Rapes inside Mosques and Deadly Islamist Terrorism at the Streets of Stockholm and Helsinki, etc)... And, this time, on 2020, Turkey notoriously Threatens to Send next mainly ...Idlib's Extremist Islamist Armed Gangs' pals !

In Fact, Greece's Borders, as Europe's External Borders at the South-East, Traditionaly, since Ancient Times, use to Protect Europe from Asian and/or African Mass Influx via the nearby Middle-East CrossRoads, to the point that one of the basic Historic Ingredients of European Identity, the Ancient Greek Civilisation, was founded just After Greeks then succeeded to fight and win against the Big Persian Empire's attempts to Invade the whole European Continent. So that, Even in the Popular 2007 Film "300", Sparta's heroe Leonidas, at the famous Thermopylae Battle, is asked by Persian King Xerxis to trade "Greece" with ..."the Heart of Europa", as he says, pointing at what is Really at Stake... (See, f.ex. : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Bc1RL3e_4E  + https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvILGIIVsMU, http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/protestercrashedbyturkisharmycar.html, etc).

As for Turkish Regime's Hypocritical Attempts to grossly Exploit and Instrumentalize some Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants in order to Blackmail the EU for more Money, and Other various Concessions, including at its 3 Military Invasions of Syria (in Afrin on 2018, and the rest of its Kurdish Region on 2019, followed now by Idlib on 2020), etc., they are too Caricatural and Unable to Hide Ankara's real Intentions :

- F.ex., among others, Erdogan's latest Attempt, on the International Day for Women (sic !), to "Condemn" Greece for allegedly "chassing away Women seeking Asylum" at the Evros Borders of the EU, as he claimed, cannot but BackFire, as a "Boomerang" against Turkey, which (concerning Women's Rights and Dignity) has Not even Searched, Nor Found, Neither Punished the Murderers of Hevrin Khalef, the Young Woman Leader of "Future Syria" Party, who worked for Unity between Christians, Arabs and Kurds, but was Brutally Kidnaped, Tortured, Raped, and Killed at the Turko-Syrian Borders, provocatively her DeadBody exposed thrown down at a Street and trampled underfoot by her Murderers, some Extremists Islamist Armed Gangs, notoriously used by Turkey as "Mercenaries" or "Proxies" also at the 2019 Military Invasion of Syria's Kurdish Region, (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/turkeyinsyriasanctionsanddamasarmy.html + http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/euparliamentonsyriankurdishregion.html, etc). Not to speak about those 3 dissident Kurdish Women (one from Strasbourg, known at the CoE) killed by Gunshots in Paris since January 2013, with the Turkish Secret Services being strongly Suspected...   

+ Last, but not least, the latest relevant Decision by Turkish President Erdogan, claims to Start Hindering the (too Frequent until now) tresspassings of Greece and EU's External Borders at the Aegean Sea's Islands by Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants through Turkey - Provoking Fears that Ankara will Transfer all that Human Trafficking (Exploited mainly by Turkish Smugglers) Nowadays towards its Terrestrial Borders to Greece and all the EU at Evros River...

>>> But, by doing so, the Turkish Regime also Acknowledged officially, (even Explicitly), that, until now, during all these Years, (i.e. including the notorious 2015-2016 "Tsunami" of more than 1,5 Millions of People), it had been Systematicaly Practising a "Non-Intervention" Policy (as it said) for all Irregular Immigrants Tresspassing into Greece and EU's External Borders through Turkey ! In other words, Turkey had been (as many Foreign Journalists had Suspected from the Start, back on 2015) Knowingly Allowing a Massive "Human Trafficking" illegal Business (run mainly by Turkish Smugglers), that Ankara notoriously tried even to Exploit, Politically and Financially, by Blackmailing the EU, which can be interpreted as being Accomplice in committing ... a CRIME, according to Council of Europe's relevant, legally Biding, Convention !

=> Post-BREXIT Europe has really a Chance to resolutely Advance Forward, and Affirm its Vitality and Strength, or, on the Contrary, Retreat and Fade Away, in the present, thorny row of Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants pushed through Turkey at Greece's and EU's External Borders at Evros river. I.e., as also Austrian Prime Minister Kurz recently Warned on that matter, either EU will Protect its External Borders, or Disappear in History...

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("Draft News")

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*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- At a Times when the Focus is on what "can Bring Citizens near Europe", Projects, as that of "Eurofora", to develop European Citizens and Politicians' Dialogue before Decisions affecting their lives and/or Society, are "obviously" of "Essential" Importance, replied, in substance, the mainstream Center-Right's Candidate for new Strasbourg's Mayor, the young Jean-Philippe Vetter of the "Republicans"' party, (founded by former French President Nicolas Sarkozy), to a relevant Question at a crucial juncture of the pre-electoral process which Culminates on March 2020.

Vetter expressed his Support to "everything that can really Bring Citizens Near Europe", giving particular importance to "inter-Personal Contacts", etc., despite (or, rather : Because also of) some Critics' claim that several Establishment's Journalists would have complained that, even when they wrote Articles on EU/COE News here, Often they were not Published by their Chief Editor, pretexting an alleged Lack of sufficient Popular Interest, (sic !)...

On the Contrary, "Eurofora"s co-Founder said that, by Experience (Both in Newspaper, Weekly, Press Agency, and Web Media, etc), if Journalists are free to work well, they Can Find very Interesting News at EU Parliament, and/or at the CoE, in Strasbourg...

And we went on to Question Vetter whether he felt that his alleged interest to Help "Develop an EU Citizens' Dimension", considered as particularly appropriate to Strasbourg's overall Profile, should Seize the Opportunity given Nowadays by the forthcoming EU's "Conference on Europe's Future" (2020-2021), in order to "Activate" Lisbon Treaty's clause which already calls for "Regular Dialogue" with "Civil Society" etc. on all main "Acts" of "EU Institutions", and, in this Context, also "Eurofora"s Long-Time Project to boost systematic EU-Citizens - Politicians' Debates just Before Final Decisions affecting their Lives and/or Society.

- Replying to "Eurofora"s Question, Vetter, at First, observed, in this regard, that, as a matter of Principle, "what Helps to Develop Links between EU Citizens and EU Institutions, is an Issue of Essential Importance".

=> - Therefore, "Such Debates (i.e. as those proposed by "Eurofora" : Comp. Supra) could, Obviously, allow to Advance in this Direction", Vetter stressed positively in Conclusion.

+ At this point, it's also the Organizer of that Collective Meeting, (in a Series consecrated to the forthcoming Municipal Elections in Strasbourg City), the President of the "Circle of the Cathedral", Henri Mathian, who intervened, stressing that "This matter Interests us", as he characteristically added. By the way, Vetter, a ChristianDemocrat/EPP politician,  has multiplied Photos of himself around Strasbourg Cathedral's Historic Building, including even one with a superb Replica which had been prepared by Expert Artists on the occasion of a landmark Documentary Film on that Monument, created by the Franco-German European TV "ARTE", (Headquartered in Strasbourg, near EU Parliament).

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Nevertheless, it's also true that Vetter warned "Eurofora" that, from a Practical point of view, in his opinion, "MEPs would be Busy to form their |Political] Majorities", just a few Days Before the Final Votes in EU Parliament's plenary. However, for "Eurofora", this is Not a Problem, but rather a supplementary Advantage : Simply Because a Debate with interested EU Citizens, other MEPs, the Medias, etc., would, precisely, Offer a Good supplementary Opportunity to Form such Political "Majorities", eventually even New ones, and/or to Test their Resilience/Credibility and Popularity...

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++ Proud to be a Son of Hard-Working People, "a Baker and a Nurse", as he wrote in a Pamphlet that he gave us, the Young Jean-Philippe Vetter, who gathered in his Team almost All Other Local/Regional Politicians of the "Republicans", (including, at a Symbolic place of Moral Support, even "Eurofora"s University Professor, President Jean Waline, former Long-Time Dean of Strasbourg's Faculty of Law, with whom we concluded our Master/DEA and prepare also a PhD Thesis related to Legal aspects of our Project), got a University Diploma on Athletics and Sport, (where he notoriously favours Tennis), before serving as Parliamentary Assistant to former Strasbourg's Mayor, Senator, and now MEP, Fabienne Keller, as well as, more Recently, in EU Parliament's own staff, while also being Elected at Strasbourg City's Council.  

Such a particular Profile might, perhaps, inter alia, explain also Vetter's special Wish to Boost grass-roots "School-Children"'s familiarity with Europe : Area in which he multiplied various concrete proposals.

Almost at the Same Time that the President of the "Foundation for Strasbourg", Jean-Louis de Valmigère, has just Published, on 2019, Two original Books, on "Europe's History" and on "the EU Parliament", (Prefaced by the experienced f. President of the European Parliament and EU Commission's vice-President, Italian MEP Antonio Tajani, and the young French Minister for European affairs, Amelie de Montchalin, respectively). Written in a Crystal-Clear Language, they are destinated for a Large Public, and particularly School-Children : An area into which, President de Valmigère would like to Help Boost a Nation-wide, and, if possible, Europe-wide, "Civic Education" course, inside Schools' Curriculum, which would include at least a Basic Knowledge of Europe for All Citizens in the Future, as he recently told "Eurofora", (on the occasion of a Special Event in EU Parliament). The fact that De Valmigere's Family also runs the Famous Restaurant "Chez Yvonne", where Long-Time former President of France, Jacques Chirac, used to have Launch or Diner with his German counterparts, near the Cathedral, (as well as of "Striessel", where Nicolas Sarkozy came twice, as President, when de Valmigere's Children managed it), naturally adds a sympathetic, relevant flavour...

(President de Valmigere with MEP Anne Sanders -of the same Party as Vetter- posing for an "Eurofora" Photo at an Event in EU Parliament earlier)

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Vetter has repeatedly said that, while more than +60% of Voters notoriously do Not want the Same Team at Strasbourg City as in the Past, according to Polls, he is the Only Eligible Candidate who bears No Responsibility for what has been done since 2008 !  Critics Reply that, at least, he bears a Part of Responsibility for the 2001-2008 era of Former Mayor Keller, whose Parliamentary Assistant he was in the Past, (See Infra).

Meanwhile, he is credited by the Latest Polls with enough Intentions of Vote in order to Pass to the 2nd Round of the forthcoming Municipal Elections at Strasbourg's City, on March 2020, and has already spoken, Earlier, with "Eurofora", about Various Possibilities of Political "Alliances". Nowadays, he is notoriously considered as examining an eventual deal with Alain Fontanel, (former Socialist, but today aligned to Liberal/Centrist French President Emmanuel Macron : Comp. ..., etc), without, however, excluding a priori also other possibilities.
 

Meanwhile, Vetter, (who is credited by the Latest Polls with enough Intentions of Vote in order to Pass to the 2nd Round of the forthcoming Municipal Elections at Strasbourg's City, on March 2020), has already spoken, Earlier, with "Eurofora", about Various Possibilities of Political "Alliances", and is, Nowadays, notoriously considered as examining an eventual deal with Alain Fontanel, (former Socialist, but now aligned to Liberal/Centrist French President Emmanuel Macron : Comp. ..., etc), without, however, excluding a priori also other possibilities.

At his Right, stands Hombeline du Parc, for the Rightist "National Rally", (with more votes than in the past), and at his Left, also the Centrist Chantal Cutajar, of the "Involved Citizens", with rather less, but precious votes, (who had been Ally of the Socialists, in the Past, but might not exclude an eventual reconsideration for the Future). Further away (?) the "Green" Jeanne Barseghian, reportedly quite Popular, doesn't seem, apparently, to have similar intentions with the "Greens" of Austria and/or the "Greens" of the Neighbouring German Region of Baden-Wurtemberg, (who Both made recently Alliances with the ChristianDemocrats/EPP, equivalent to Vetter's "Republicans"), but, after all, who knows what might happen in fast-moving politics ?...

(../..)

("Draft-News")

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