newsitems Sarkozy proposes EU Parliament debates on Europe's Identity in the ranup of 2009 Election
Sarkozy proposes EU Parliament debates on Europe's Identity in the ranup of 2009 Election
In a last-minute, surprise move, New EU Chairman, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, anounced a proposal in Strasbourg to open an EU Parliament debate on Europe's Identity in the ranup to 2009 Election :
- "I am conscious of the fact that there is, today, a real Crisis on Europe's
Identity", he replied earlier to a question by Greek MEP Ioanis Varvitsiotes, who had asked him to "advance beyond those who don't really want a Political Europe",
- "Why not a real Debate on what is Europe's Identity ?", proposed
Sarkozy, in this regard.
- "EU Parliament could organize such Debates", he suggested :"It's
better for EU Parliament, than for National Governments, or EU Commission, to
define what is the European Identity", the French President proposed.
A diplomatic way to avoid obstacles by some Governments and/or some Brussels' bureacrats, reportedly opposed to really free and popular, critical European debates on hot political issues..
Sarkozy brillantly won the 2007 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in France in 2007, in the line of the principles anounced at an important Speech in Strasbourg, February 2007, about a Political Europe, and a European Identity on issues which matter to the People.
The French President later referred anew to his Historic February 2007 Speech,
at another meeting on Europe, July 2007 in Strasbourg, and this was followed, since
September 2007, by a formal proposal to the EU to start a Debate on Europe's
Future.
But this was reportedly watered-down, after a usual Brussels "compromise", into a mere establishement of a "Wisemen"'s Committee, headed by former Spanish Prime Minister, Gonzales...
Thus, MEP Joseph Daul, the Chairman of EU Parliament's largest Group : ChristianDemocrats/EPP, agreed, smiling, with EuroFora, that it would be a very interesting development if 2009 EU Elections were inspired by the way 2007 French Elections unfolded, with real political debates, boosting Popular participation...
The move points, in fact, to 2009 :
- "We (EU) have to know on which basis will take place the forthcoming European Elections in 2009", warned earlier Sarkozy. This was said on the occasion of the EU Treaty issue, after the Irish "No", but obviously includes also the question of the political substance of the 2009 electoral debates.
The Political, Economic and Cultural dimension of Europe, as well as Enlargement (including Turkey's controversial EU bid) ,etc., "naturally are part of this Debate on the European Identity", confirmed to EufoFora Sarkozy's Spokesman for International News, Pierre-Jerome Henin.
Sighificantly, Sarkozy mentioned, earlier in Strasbourg, the Western Balkans, and even Ukraine, despite difficulties, among "European countries", while carefully ommitting to add the "T" word..
Current Events give "as all heavy responsibilities" for Europe's Future, the Frendh Preident stressed from the outset in Strasbourg : -"But I see that Difficulty also as a Chance", he added.
Part of its strategy to "protect Citizens", is French EU Presidency's wish to
boost concrete progress on issues such as Climat and Envrionment, Immigration,
Security and Defence, Agriculture, as well as promotion of certain Social
aspects and European Culture, Sarkozy said earlier to MEPs.
But the most important for "EuroFora" is his declared wish to open new possibilities for Citizens' participation to political European debates.
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Speaking exclusively to "EuroFora", the New EU Parliament's President, former Polish Prime Minister, ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Jerzy Busek, welcomed proposals by EuroFora about innovative ways for EU Citizens to attend EU debates before important final decisions which affect people's lives.
- "We (EU Parliament) must be transparent", Buzek stressed from the outset. "We must have clear answers also for delicate questions. If we don't touch a problem, you must know why, and when shall we decide in the nearest future".. "Because "we (EU) must think about Europeans, first of all : They don't understand well what is going on in the EU. So, it's our duty to inform them, to make discussions here more interesting".
"EuroFora" congratulated President Buzek for the anouncement he made, from the 1st day of his election in Strasbourg (on Tuesday, 14 July 2009), on his intention to make transparent debates, exchanges of views, etc. before the final adoption of decisions in EU Parliament's Plenary, when issues are evolving inside Committees, (See earlier publication).
And we reminded, in this regard, that "EuroFora" has been advocating a project for EU Citizens' active involvement in pluralist EU debates before important EU decisions, since more than a Decade : 1997-2007+
- "Thank you. We (EU Parliament), indeed, have exciting debates", Buzek replied. But, in practice, "without a possibility for our Citizens to see them, not even by the Press, the Radio or TV, etc., because it is in Committees", he regreted.
- "But, they (i.e. Media, Citizens, etc) might interact with you, with MEPs, etc, May be we can imagine something", "EuroFora" proposed.
- "Yes, (but) it needs, a quite new idea", Buzed observed.
- "Why not through some innovations ?", "EuroFora" suggested.
- "Precisely, "EuroFora" has such a project, since more than a Decade (1997-2009), to use new technologies for public debates before major EU decisions are taken", we reminded.
- "If you have such proposals, please come to us, come to us. We must" do something, agreed the new EU Parliamen's President.
For that purpose, obviously information and debates are valuable, but purely instrumental, procedural means which can help focus on, and highlight a substantial content, attractive to EU Citizens, which needs to be determined by other, political, and not mediatic factors.
Buzek spoke about the urgent need to overcome the Global Economic Crisis, the struggle for Human and Civic Rights, Democracy, etc., the Eastern Partnership, links with Russia, strategic partnership with USA and emerging countries, etc.
But he also used (while speaking both to "EuroFora" and other Media) the expression : "The Europeans", for EU Citizens. This points right towards what several important EU leaders (including French President Sarkozy, German Chancellor Merkel, etc) have started to highlight particularly during the recent years : That there is a vital need, and an historic opportunity, for the development of a European Conscience, to stimulate e renaissance of a European Identity able to attract Popular support, for the EU to become a strong player in a Multopolar World : In other words, the revitalisation of a project for a "Political Europe".
By a coincidence, this was indirectly but surely reminded, earlier in Strasbourg, by another ... Busek (this time with a "s") :
Speaking to more than 650 participants from CoE's member countries, at the conclusion of the 2009 Summer University of its Political Schools, Erhard Busek, (with an "s"), former vice-Chancellor of Austria and EU Coordinator for South-Eastern Europe, pointed at the current need to revitalize Europe's "Identity", forged by Greek philosophy and Roman Law, Christian values and Enlightment's ideas, etc. through the ages.
- "We have almost the same name with Jerzy Buzek (EU Parliament's new President, who is a former Polish Prime Minister), because both our Families come ...from the same village, located at the Heart of Europe, which was often shared between Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic. But my family emmigrated a long time ago to Austria, while Jerzy Buzek's family remained in Poland", explained f. vice-Chancellor Erhard Busek to "EuroFora".
An astonishingly concrete and simple example of European Integration from the grassroots : Starting by EU Citizens, i.e. those "Europeans", that EU Parliament's new President, Jerzy Buzek (this time with a "z"), wants to bring alongside MEP's decision-making proces, (according to "EuroFora"'s main idea : Comp. supra)...