newsitems

*Strasbourg/CoE/Angelo Marcopolo/- In an "Urgent" move, decided at the Eve of Crucial forthcoming Elections in Greece, CoE's Anti-Corruption Watchdog, nick-named "GRECO", decided to Launch an exceptional Enquiry on a Controversial attempt, by the Out-Going former Leftist Government in Greece, of "Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' "SYRIZA" Party, to Lower Down the Sanctions for Corruption on Funding Political Activities, (including Parties, Electoral Campaigns, etc), which is scheduled to Enter into Force at the Beginning of July 2019, i.e. practically almost at the Same Time as the Elections of July 7, largely expected to send a New Government from the Center-Right "New Democracy" Party, led by Kyriakos Mitsotakis, (ChristianDemocrats/EPP), while the Political Battle is Narrowing down into whether there will be a Sufficient Majority, or not, for an Independent Governance in Greece's foreseable Future.

Indeed, the 70 Years Old, and 47 Member State-strong Today, PanEuropean Organisation for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, based in Strasbourg, officially "Decided", at its Plenary Meeting of June 17-21 Last Week (during which EU asked to become Member and enhance EU-CoE Cooperation, with a demand presented by EU Commission's vice-President Timmermans: See http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/coeanticorruptiongrecoandeu.html), "to Initiate an Ad Hoc Procedure in respect of Greece".

Such "Urgent", "Ad Hoc Procedures, in Exceptional Circumstances", are part of "Measures taken" by the CoE in respect of Member-Countries "Found Not to be in Compliance with" (i.e. Violate) "the Anti-Corruption Watchdog's Rules and/or Recommendations,

whenever "GRECO" "Receives Reliable Information ...indicating that a ... Reform ... or ... Change by that Member (State), May Result in ... (a) Serious Violation of a CoE Anti-Corruption Standard", (stresses the relevant "Article 34" of its "Rules of Procedure").

- This Affair is "concerning the Recently Amended Article 236 of the (Greek) Criminal Code, and its Impact on the Effectiveness of the Fight against Corruption" in Greece, according to the Official CoE's Decision.

- CoE, also, "may Name Rapporteurs", "and, if necessary, Carry out a Visit" to the Country, for Enquiry on the spot, (while also Gathering independent Information from various NGOs, Medias, Journalists, Witnesses, etc).

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Among others, it's also the "Union of Attorneys of Greece" ("EEE" : claiming to represent All the Officially sworn Attorneys of the Country), which Warned on June of a Danger to "Push to Fall into Prescription" a lot of "Pending Cases for Corruption of Important General Interest".

This would reportedly result by a Combination between a "Downgrading of Active Corruption" into a Simple Offense, instead of Crime, Added to a Restriction of the concept of "Civil Servant", etc.

That Controversial Reform is part of a Wider Reshuffle of the Criminal Legislation in Greece, which includes also Other, Various cases of drastically Lowering Sanctions, as, f.ex. in cases of Thefts committed by Gangs and/or Repeatedly, which reportedly risk to fall Down to the mere level of an ordinary Theft, unless the stolen object worths more than 120.000 €, (i.e. a criterium which has nothing to do with the Dangerosity, or not, of the Culprits, as a social reality), threatening to let go free Many Dangerous Criminals currently arrested, according to other Critical Press Reports, citting Police sources.

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 + Meanwhile, "Eurofora" had an opportunity to Speak, Earlier, a the CoE, with several "GRECO"s Experts or Officials, some of whom Expressed their Surprise for the Fact that such a Serious Measure related also to Corruption on "Political Funding", and reportedly Risking to Cover-Up "Serious" "Pending Cases", had been, Curiously, Scheduled by the Out-Going Government, to Enter into Force "Immediately After the forthcoming Elections !"

  ++ Several Judges, (including, f.ex. the 1st vice-President of the "Union of Judges and Attorneys", Panagiotes Liberopoulos, etc), have also Questioned the "Hurry" in which various such and other Important and Controversial Legislative Changes are Scheduled to be Adopted by the Parliament in a strange Procedure of "One (1) Vote" Only for the Entire Revised "Criminal Code", "as if it was 1 Article !", and, reportedly, WithOut Sufficient previous Public Dialogue, not even with Independent Experts, etc, so that Proposals were made to Postopone such a Vote for September 2019, without result.

     However, Risks of Corruption around the Funding of (and/or by) Political Parties concerns particularly Electoral Campaigns, and All, Various, Big or Small, Parties, - including even of the Controversial Rightist "Golden Dawn", whose Public Funds have been Entirely "Freezed" since 2013, and all its Leadership initially Arrested and still Persecuted at the Courts, following the Death of an "Antifa" Militant after an alleged bullying against and a quarell with a Fan of that Party, (previously fan of the ...Communist Party !), while, on the Contrary, the un-provoked Murder of 2 Young Fans of Golden Dawn, and the Serious Wounds inflicted on a 3rd one, (who were Peacefully Guarding the Entrance of a Party's Office in Athens), in a Cold Blood Attack by a heavily Armed Gunman, (100% Filmed twice) soon afterwards, (Later Revendicated by a Self-Proclaimed, unknown yet, Far Leftist Extremist Grouplet), curiously still remain Totaly UnPunished, with Not even 1 Suspect having ever been prosecuted, Not Even almost 6 Years After those Murders (11/2013-2019) ! Meanwhile, to this, was Added, Recently, also a 2nd Rightist Party, which might, according to some Polls, eventually cross the required Threshhold for entering in the Parliament...

    => Thus, it's obviously a "Mystery" how the above-mentioned Party's MPs and overall Organisation practically Survives all these Years, withOut any due Public Funding, and while Facing also a quasi-Total "Boycott"/Censorship by almost All, Public and Private Medias, (except from a Few Websites, sometimes), whic Systematicaly Refuse to Publsh Any Information comming from that Controversial Rightist Party, Not even During Elections-Time. (Massive Censorhsip of which the Medias of the Left had Already Abused, even Against ...the Democratically Elected Government of Greece, by "New Democracy"s Center-Right ChristianDemocrats/EPP, f.ex. Back on 2013, during an Attempt to Reform the National Radio-TV "ERT", when the Goverment's Spokesman then, Minister Simos Kedikoglou, had Denounced to "Eurofora" that even the Official Governemental Press Releases of General Interest Issues for the People, were Not Published, by most Private or "Public" Medias, to the point that the Governing Party's ..."Youth" movement, was Trying to Publish the Official Announements in a Makeshift "Web-Radio" Internet Site !...

 (Needless to say, CoE's competent Director on Freedom of Expression, then, was ...Stoned and made a great Effort to Understand what was really happening then, on August 2013 in Greece, when "Eurofora" called him ! But, finally, he managed to Find his words and Condemn, as a matter of General Principle, Any Violation of Freedom of Expression by systematic Censorship, including that committed by the PowerHolders in Private and Public Medias, even against the Democratically Elected Government of a CoE's Member Country)...

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  + Meanwhile, Concerning the 2019 CoE's Anti-Corruption Watchdog's latest Decision on Greece, (Comp. Supra), "Eurofora" Interviewed also 3 more Experts/Officials of the CoE who Expressed their View about the Serious Importance of that Matter, and Reminded, that more or less Similar "Urgent", "Ad Hoc Procedures" including "Rapporteurs" and on the spot "Visits for Enquiry", had also been decided by the "GRECO" Group in Some Other Cases, (as, f.ex., in Romania, Moldova and Austria, etc).

    - But, Despite (or ..Because ?) of the Politically Topical and too "Hot" aspects of this Affair, finally, CoE's procedures, in real Practice, apparently ...Delayed the Follow up, since it was Asked for Greece to Present a Report only on ...September 2019, (i.e. 2 or 2 Months AFTER the Elections of July, and the Enter into force of the Controversial Legislative Changes), and the Matter was Referred to a Next Plenary Meeting of "GRECO" scheduled for ...December 2019 !

    It's not yet Obvious to "Eurofora" if the above-mentioned "Pending Cases" of "Serious" Corruption ib Greece (Comp. Supra), might avoid, or not, too be, Meanwhile, Forced to Close Down, and be Definitively Droped, (i.e. practically Covered up), until that Time, (as Many had Warned)...

    But, Independently of that, and Despite some (apparently "Anonymous") attempts to push inside CoE's Secretariat to Further Delay the Official Announcements to the Medias up to a "Briefing" of June 25, due to be Followed by a Publication On-Line around  ...June 27 (sic !), (i.e. during a Notoriously Overloaded Period of COE's Parliamentary Assembly, immediately Followed by crucial EU Summits in Brussels and the New EU Parliament's 1st Plenary in Strasbourg, until the Greek Elections...), Nevertheless, "Eurofora" Firmly Believes that, at least, the Greek People and all its Political Leaders, should be well Aware, in advance, of what is really happening, in so Serious Cases concerning them, at the level of the CoE :

    => Therefore, and since the Official CoE's Decision has been Already Taken between 17-21 June 2019, the Time is Obviously Ripe, for a long overdue Publication, at least Now.

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*Brussels/EU Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- The Mystery (See: ..., and Infra) about the real reasons of a curiously Delayed, Last-Minute Opposition, with too Harsh Words by some, versus the Winner EU Parliament's "SpitzenKandidate" for the job of EU Commission's President, ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Manfred Weber, Chairman of EPP's Group of MEPs, became even Deeper, after Fresh Statements by the embattled French President, Emmanuel Macron Today, in Reply to a Question raised by a German Journalist, during his Concludig Press Conference in Brussels, where "Eurofora" was present, just after the End of the 20-21 June 2019 Heads of State/Governnment Summit here.       

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 + Significantly, Macron had already spoted "Eurorofa"s presence in France's PressRoom Today, since he Saluted us with a bright Smile and a few Words, already while Entering a fully packed room, (where we Exceptionaly had accepted a kind proposal to sit near "Elysée" Palace's staff, at a Special Row), and appeared to be Aware also of our relevant Publications of OverNight (Dated from Yesterday), with First News about the Controversy on the choice of the New EU Commission's President and EU Summit's well known Decision to Postpone the issue for Consultations with EU Parliament until June 30 - July 1st, as well as an Initial appraisal of German Chancellor Angie Merkel and the French President's respective Positions, as they had presented them in Brief Statements to Journalists who were present at that Late Hour, including "Eurofora", OverNight, (Comp.: ...+ ..., etc).

++ In the MeanTime, "Eurofora" had just Crossed, also, Chancellor Merkel, while she was walking towards her adjacent German PressRoom, traditionally aside the French, and we were Surprized by her spontaneous reaction to suddenly start Smiling while Looking towards us and speaking to her numerous Counsellors about something apparently related to "Eurofora", which, as we found out Later-on, most probably was that strange suggestion by Macron, Last Night, that EU Commission's Chair could, eventually, be offered to Merkel herself, (something that she had, in fact, already Declined previously twice, but had to refuse again anew Today, since another Journalist raised that Question, particularly after our Publcation too)...

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  - "You became President of the Republic while still being very Young, without having a long Experience at a Top Political level. Why wouldn'it be possible for you to give Manfred Weber a Chance to become EU Commission's President ?", a German Journalist from "DPAgency" questioned Macron Today, in a straightforward way, which obviously Targetted one of his Repeated "Conditions" for a New EU Commission's President : to be "Experienced" and/or "Competent" enough in such kind of Top Jobs, as he had said earlier, (apparently in order to Contest that in the case of Weber).

 - "Indeed, I had just a Short Political Experience, compared to Manfred Weber", acknowledged Macron.

- "But, at least, I had managed, meanwhile, to become Minister !", he immediately added.

    Naturaly an Interesting and true point, But apparently irrelevant here : When the Aim is to get the Top Job of a President of European/International, MultiLateral Organisation, (as EU Commission here, etc.), Obviously, it's the Experience of having been Elected, previously, as Chairman of a Political Group of MEPs from 28 EU Member Countries, (and even of the Biggest in EU Parliament: that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP) that Counts Most, as Useful in real practice...

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+ Building even Further in such various concrete ways to Compare Macron's pathWay to that of Weber,

the embattled French Président reminded also the fact that, as he put it :

-"I was Elected after having presented myself in front of the French People. And the French People are the Judge".

- So, "if Manfred Weber presented himself in front of the European People, saying that he wants to become EU Commission's President, there would be No Problem", he reasoned.

- "But", instead, "he presented himself, at the Top of a List, in Germany, making a big fuss about it ! But it's Not enough"...., Macron criticized.

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 - "For a quite Simple Reason :

- "I know how much Germans are rightfully attached to their Constitution. We have Texts in France, a Constitution, which says  that President of the Republic is he who is elected by the French People".

 - So, I presented myself in front of the French People. And the French Peuple Decided. With Sovereignity", he anew returned back to the Comparative format.

+ But, "we have also European Texts, and a(n EU) Constitution", which say that EU Commission's President, and others, are chosen by EU Council's leadership, and Endorsed by EU Parliament".

 - "Like Germans do, ... I love Constitutions !"..., Macron concluded.

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=> - In Consequence, "If, one Day, the European People decide to build a Constitution which says that the EU Commission's President is Elected by the European People, in European Elections, then, we shall make Real European Elections !", he proposed for the foreseable Future.

>>> "In that case ANYONE (who wins), could directly become EU Commission's President", Highlighted Macron : That is to say, if and when such an EU Reform might be accomplished, then, the Conditions concerning the Candidates' Profile (Comp. Supra)

 - "But that's not our (EU's) current situation", Regretted Macron, as things stand Nowadays.

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    This is an Interesting and Topical Exchange, because Macron seems to have been led to practically Drop or Downplay his Previous sine qua non Requirement for a special "Experience" and/or "Competence" of Candidates to EU Commission's Presidency (Comp. Supra),

    >>> preferring to Focus, Now, on a general Demand for what he named as : "Real European Elections" (Comp. Supra).

    + And, (to "return" also his previous suggestion about Merkel : Comp. Supra), observers may easily guess, by carefully following this latest Macron's overall reasoning, (Comp. Supra), that he even ...Dreams for such an Opportunity to eventually be given to himself too, perhaps on 2024...

    After all, why not ?

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    >>> However, even if it's like that, i.e. if the real reason for his Opposal to Weber's Election might, eventually, be the lack, until now, of an Authentic, fully-fledged, "Real European Election" as he said now (Comp. Supra),

    => then, WHY didN't he (and those "Socialists" who reportedly Changed stance, and Now Back that position), clearly WARN the People long BEFORE the May 2019 VOTES ?

    Indeed, Where were all those Late "Critics" of the "SpitzenKandidat" Method in EU Parliament's May 2019 during all Public Events, Officially Organized by EU Parliament, EU Commission, and other various European Bodies, including Ebs TV, EuroVision, etc, under the Crystal-Clear Heading f.ex. "Candidates for EU Commission's Presidency" that EU Citizens were Called to Vote ? (See several relevant Pamphlets, Photos, Videos, etc)...

    => - This is "a Fraud on Voters !", denounces an Artice at Mainstream German Newspaper "Die Welt". Indeed, haven't EU Citizens been Deceived ?

    There is a Strong EU Parliament's Resolution for that "SpitzenKandidat" Method, to which the EU Councl had given a quite Positive Response, and all that Practice systematically Followed by All related Public Actors, Both in the 2014 and in the 2019 EU Elections. All this canNot, normaly "Disappear", Suddenly, withOut any Warning, neither any serious explanation, just like Smoke...

    Why even the Experienced current EU Commission's President, Jean-Claude Juncker, expressed now the view that "we have Not seen the End of the Spitzen-Kandidat procedure", "Not yet its Autopsy", (sic) ?

    >>> All this, inevitably Augments the already ambiant Impression that a "Paradox", or even a "Mystery", might be Hidden in many converging Strange Facts concerning the Latest EU Elections of May 2019, (Comp. Supra: ..., etc), and their Aftermath.

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E

*Brussels/EU Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- Right from the Start, the 1st Question raised to German Chancellor Angie Merkel's Final and Largest Press Conference, at the Conclusion of this EU Brussels' Summit of 20-21 June 2019, was, precisely, on what "Eurofora" and any Honest Observer of the Facts, was "Burning" from Impatience to Raise,

after Yesterday Night's Blockade on the Choice of a New EU Commission's President, for the Period of 2019-2024, (See: ... + ...., etc), which has Regrettably shown France at Loggerheads with Germany, while UK's "BREXIT" still Looms around, Risking to Damage the Positive Outcome of the Latest EU Elections, where European People reached an Historic Record in turnout and Voters' Participation, giving an Absolute Majority to the Right side of the Political Spectrum, where Belongs Merkel's ChristianDemocrat/EPP Party, with which should, normally, be easy for Macron's Centrist/Center-Right Liberals to Find a Deal, (as it has already been done several Times in the Past, until Recently : F.ex. including the Election of 2017-2019 EU Parliament's President, Antonio Tajani, in Strasbourg, etc., Comp.: ...) :

>>> - Why Nothing wasN't done EARLIER to prepare an AGREEMENT, and prevent such a Last-Minute Deadlock, (Risking to be Damaging for EU's image vis a vis its own Citizens, but also the World) ?

Both key Facts : that Manfred Weber (ChristianDemocrats/EPP) was due to Win that Race and take a Lead for EU Commission's Top Job, But that Macron didn't like that "SpitzenKandidat" method, were, indeed, well Known, already a Long Time ago....

=> Merkel's Replies obviously had to pass in a very Diplomatic, semi-Automatic "Damage-Control/Reducing" mode, while also using her well-known Capacity to Smooth things, Focus on Stability, Urge for Hard Work, needed in order to be Finally Succesful. F.ex.:

- Before President Tusk consults EU Council's Members, We didn't know yet the position of may Other Countries, whose Votes Count for the overall Result. (But we might have guessed, f.ex. with a Timely UnOfficial Consultation, Couldn't we ?)...

- "in the context of ...Brexit, ...European forces must now show .. that they are Able to act in the EU. But, if we Now see that the Leading Cadidates' process may Not be Succesful,.. what will, this image of the EU give to the outside World ?" : (MERKÊL: ) - "I've said from the outset, that our Aim is to be able to make a Proposal by the time the European Parliament meets (i.e. July 2 in Strasbourg) so that it can be Elected smoothly. We have a Good Chance of Achieving this, even if we Still have a Lot of Work to do". "I am not particularly disappointed", but "l do not expect that we are already at the end of the process today".

- "Now we need to Talk to the EU Parliament" : The EU "Council ... must Propose a Name for EU Commission President, and the Parliament... must then ...Elect that person. So, they have to work Together".  "I.e." we need "a Double Majority : ...there is a great deal to think about"... But, "we are still quite Well on schedule"...

 - Question : "one of the Other Top Candidates ?"

- Merkel : "None of them has a Majority in EU Council".

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- Question: "...What is your Most important Principle? That the EPP ...puts the President of the Commission, respect for the Top Candidate principle, or Weber ?"

- Merkel : "...I canNot make any Statements Today. We just have to Wait .... I caN't go Beyond what I said Today. ...we have to reConnect with the political Party families first..."

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- Question: "...the Most Difficult" =  "Macron" ?  

- Merkel : "No, really not. We respect each other ...I do not want to make a decision against France. I do not think France wants to make a decision against Germany either."

=> "We Must Unite. This is what distinguishes the Franco -German relationship".

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- Question: "...are you still saying No to a Top Job in the EU ?"

- Merkel: "Yes, I still say No" .... this is a question that I am very often asked, ...I have Replied so Many times in the Same way"...

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- Question: "Could Germany claim the position from the ECB, so that Mr. Weidmann succeeds Mr. Draghi ?"

- Merkel: "...I take very seriously what Donald Tusk is telling us, that there is No Majority for ...the Top Candidates in the European Council. I will discuss this with Manfred Weber and the entire ...European People's Party".

-"We will Now Focus on the positions to be filled by Next Week" : "...it is Now, first and foremost, a question of the EU positions in relation to the European Elections".

+ "and, Then, (we will) look Further (f.ex. ECB, etc). That does Not matter in my thoughts, at the Moment.

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In other words, the "Mystery" for a Last-Minute Opposition to EU Parliament's Winner "Leading Candidate", Weber, remains stlll in Front of us all, (Comp. Supra), at least for the Time being :

- Why Not Before ?

+ Why so Harshly Aggressive, Negative, even grossly Insulting ?

++ Have EU Citizens been Deceived ? They were repeatedly told (by EU Officials) to Vote on "Candidates for EU Commission's presidency" !

=> Already, manstream Newspper "Welt" (Germany) used Sharp Headlines : = "Fraud on Voters ?"

+++ And, after all, isn't it even Contrary to EU Law, as it has evolved until Nowadays ?  Indeed, EU Parliament has notoriously adopted a Strong Resolution on the "SpitzenKandidat" Principle, to which has Replied positively an EU Council's relevant Decision, while, in Addition, both EU Commission's, EU Parliament's  and EU Council's real Practice, until now, was Ostensibly Pointing towards a Similar Direction...  

=> Couldn't this matter, eventually, arrive even at EU's Court of Justice ?

(../..)

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*Brussels/EU Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking to Journalists at EU Council after a Long Night, (Comp. f.ex. : ...), stressed the "Importance" of a Critical EU Statement on Turkey, concerning Cyprus' European Energy Resources, currently facing various kinds of Aggressions :

- "Options for Appropriate Measures" must be "submitted by the Commission and the EEAS", "withOut Delay", and "including Targetted Measures", stresses "the European Council", which "expresses Serious Concerns over Turkey's current illegal Drilling activities in the Eastrnn Mediteranean, and Deplores that Turkey has not yet Responded to EU's repeated Calls  to Cease such activities".

=> In this regard, "EU underlines the Serious, Immediate Negative Impact that such illegal actions have accross the range of EU - Turkey Relatons".

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