

EU Commission v.President Sefcovic+Rapporteur Yanakou to EuroFora:EU Parties+Citizens for EU Debates

*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- EU Citizens' role through -and together with- stronger EU Political Parties, directly engaged in Public Debates on vital European Issues, has to be resolutely developed in the next Months/Years, in the run-up to crucial June 2014 EU Elections, for an efficient Economic Governance to to definitively overcome the Global Crisis with a necessary Political Union, replied in substance EU Commission's vice-President responsible for Institutions, Mario Cefcovic, as well as EU Parliament's Rapporteur on Political Parties, experienced former Minister Marietta Yanakou, to "EuroFora"'s Questions succesively.
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The move significantly came the same Day that EU Commission's President, Jose Barroso, in a landmark speech at EU Parliament's Plenary in Strasbourg on "the State of the Union", stressed the need to Start preparing a strong European "Political Union" at the "Horizon", as an indispensable "Support", and for the "Democratic Legitimacy" of the "Economic and Monetary Union" which recently became Urgently necessary in order for Europe to become able to efficiently and definitively solve the current problems provoked by the Global Crisis, as several EU Leaders (including German Chancellor Angie Merkel, etc) recently invited to do :
- "The Economic and Monetary Union raises the question of a Political Union and the European Democracy that must underpin it", he explained.
=> For that purpose, EU needs "the Development of a European Public Space, where European Issues are Discussed and Debated, from a European standpoint... This Debate has to take place in our Societies and among our Citizens", while also "strengthening the role of EU Parliament", and "promoting (its) .. Complemêntarity and Cooperation (with) National Parliaments", as Barroso topically observed in Strasbourg, just before an important PanEuropean Conference for Speakers of Parliaments organized here by the CoE Next Week..
- "This cannot be done without Strengthening EU Political Parties", and "an important means to deepen the pan-European Political Debate would be the presentation by EU parties of their Candidate for the post of (EU) Commission President (for the next Period of 2014-2020) at EU Parliament Elections already in 2014", he proposed.
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- "EuroFora" observed that, concerning the currently urgent "Need of a European Public Space for EU Debates", earlier highlighted both by EU Commission's President Barroso and Sefcovic himself, in fact, "there are the (EU) Parties, but there is also the Space for Debate, for Discussions" to build, in itself, (i.e. what the famous German Philosopher Habermas, from nearby Frankfurt, calls "Offentlichkeit", etc).
=> Therefore, "do you think that it might be Useful in this Direction, to utilize all available relevant tools, taken all together, f.ex. also EU Citizens, Initiatives of EU Citizens which may result in EU Parliament's Debates, (f.ex. if there is no Legislative possibility, as you have agreed with MEPs), as well as Other Possibilities, f.ex. by Electronic Media, by New Technologies via the Internet, to bring EU Citizens in Debates, where all Partners can participate, including EU Commission, etc.?" , we asked Sefcovic.
+ And "what about some's concrete proposal, already made earlier, to elect at least a Part of MEPs on European, not only National Lists ?", "EuroFora added.
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- "I really think that increase the Role of EU Political Parties is very Crucial for the whole process of Deepening the EU (Political Union), and, I think that, for sure, with the tools that we (EU Commission) have adopted Today, we can start having at least a Minimum of Deep European Debates, really built on the EU level", European Commission's vice-President observed at the beginning of his Reply to "EuroFora"s question.
+ "But, I'm sure that it's also taking place in a National Context : If you look at the course of Recent National Elections in EU Countries, the European Element was much more Present than before. And I think that many will see Now that Elections in the Next Period of Time, and, of course, specially the (forthcoming 2014) Elections to the EU Parliament, (etc), I'm Sure that Europe, Europe's Future, the Functioning of the EU, will be, very clearly, the Topics on which there wil be very Intense Political Debate, and it will involve the Citizens, National and European political Parties, etc", Sefcovic forecasted with plausible vision.
- "So, I think that our (EU's) proposal today, actually tries to Contribute to the Consolidation of the Public European Space"
In this regard, "we (EU Commission) also want to make it clear that the European Political Party is the party which can Articulate the Concerns of EU Citizens, and can Represent them Well on EU Level. It can Express the Wishes, it can express the Interests, and, at the same time, this is a Party which Respects EU Values : This was very Important for EU Parliament as well, and I (i.e. EU Commission) think that stressing EU Values us very Important, in particular in the context of Some of the National Debates that we are witnessing accross the EU", as he said, apparently pointing at some atypical, usualy marginal parties, which are often called "Extremist", etc).
+ "Concerning the EU Citizens' Initiative, I think that this is just going, very much, in Complementarity with the Proposal that we (EU Commission) made Today, Because, Now, we (EU) are Creating the Conditions for the Better Functioning of the EU Political Party, and for the EU political Foundations, and the EU Citizens' Initiative is creating the Conditions for the Individual Citizens to become Active, to present their Views", EU, the competent EU Commissioner positively observed, adding both points together.

- "And I'm very Glad that we are Progressing on Both Fronts, because we Need more Inclusion of EU Citizens into the European Debate, and, Now, we are Creating much Better Conditions for that than what it just was a couple of Months ago".
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+ But, "about the (Electoral) Lists (See supra), I think that the Proposal for a Trans-National List, which is the other Question that You entered, it was Discussed at great Length, here, at EU Parliament, and we'll shall just have to Wait until the Conclusion of these Debates, because It still needs some Internal Deliberations (i.e. among MEPS), and, once EU Parliament's position is made clear, then, I'm sure that it will generate also discussions at the level of National Parliaments", he carefully pointed out.
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+ On "Small" Groups potential :
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+ Moreover, even "Small" Groupings could become officially recognized "European Political Parties", much more earier than in the Past, but on the condition to play the EU Democratic Game, Sefcovic replied in substance to more "EuroFora"s Questions :
- In particular, referring to some Critics of the Past, a supplementary question about whether there is a Fair Chance also for Small Groupings or Parties, which might be attracted into the mainstream EU Political Game, or make Coalitions with bigger parties, etc., f.ex., by Simplifying Rules, etc., was raised by "EuroFora" to EU Commission's vice-President Sefcovic :
- "I think that's what we (EU) are achieving with this Proposal : .. We are making the Conditions for becoming an EU Political Party much more Clear, and Simplier than before", EU Commmission's v ice-President positively replied to "EuroFora"s question.
- But, "at the same time, they are much more Demanding" on the substance,
"because, actually, in the field of Defending Values (as Human Rights, Democracy, etc), in the field of Financial Management Disclosure, f.ex. of Donations, all these Annual Reports, ;etc., it's quite clear that now there are much Higher Demands on Democracy", Sefcovic warned
- Moreover, "there is also a Regime of Sanctions, if Parties don't adhere to the Commitments they undertook when they received the Legal Status of being a European Political Party", he added.
+ "We (EU) changed also the Funding Rules for the Political Parties, and we have, also through this Regulation, established a very clear Link between Political Foundations and Political Parties : It makes it very clear to which Political Parties is linked a Foundation", as he observed.
- "Once this is done, I think, then, of course, it's up to the Activities of the Political Parties, depending on the political Support that they will get in the Free EU Parliament Elections, and up to the Leaders of these Political Parties to Decide if they want to represent the Interests of their Voters as a Single EU Party, or if they prefer to Cooperate with others in some kind of political Group, in which they would work Togeher".
=> - "So, I think that this depends very much on Election Results, and on Decisions of the Leadership of these Parties, how they want to progress", Sefcovic concluded.
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+ EU Parliament's twice Rapporteur, MEP Yanakou to "EuroFora" :
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Meanwhile, experienced EU Parliament's Rapporteur on EU Political Parties, former Minister and Head of the National Delegation of MEPs from the New Governing ChristianDemocrat/EPP party in Greece, Marietta Gianakou, (whose initial 2011 Report was mentioned by EU Commission's vice-President Sefcovic twice during his earlier meeting with Strasbourg's Journalists, expressing the Hope that she will take over also the New Report on the Proposals adopted here by EU Commission Today), said that she was "Glad" that several among her suggestions have Now been Endorsed also by the Collective Commissioners' body, particulalry at this crucial juncture when Leaders have just felt the need to boost a much stronger EU Political Union.
- Speaking later to "EuroFora", Yanakou reminded also that the possibilities for EU Parties to "freely choose any EU Country and/or City for their "Headquarters", as well as "for EU Citizens to be able to be registered DIRECTLY to any EU Party they wish, (etc), are included in a series of Concrete Suggestions already made by her Initial 2011 Report, aiming to ease political EU Integration, as well as several Rules on EU Parties' specific Legal Personality and Financial Funding, (f.ex. about political Foundations, the 25.000 € "ceiling", etc) which have just been adopted Today by the 2012 EU Commission's Legislative proposal.
Already, some 13 EU political Parties share a 31 Millions € overall Budget in 2012, administered by EU Parliament.
Sefcovic's New, 2012 Legislative Proposal, augments both Transparency and Funding possibilities, by obliging EU political parties to Declare every Donation over 1.000 €, together with the Name of the contributor, but also lifts the Ceiling for their Maximum Individual Funding up to 25.000 € per person in 1 year, (instead of only 12.000 € until now).
Both the competent EU Commissioner and EU Parliament's Rapporteur agreed that their joint Aim is to try to have the New Measures, (drafted suring the current Cyprus' EU rotating Presidency of 7-12/2012), should be definitively adopted before July 2013, (i.e. during the forthcoming, Irish EU rotating Presidency of 1-6/2013), so that everything would be Ready for the exceptionaly important 2014 EU Elections.
On that purpose, Commissioner Sefcovic smiled spontaneously and agreed with "EuroFora" that it was, in principle, a good, Symbolic coincidence in the fact that the forthcoming June 2014 EU Parliament's Elections are scheduled to take place under the Rotating EU Chairmanship by the New Government in Greece, the Country where the Modern European Ideals of "Democracy" (both Representative and Direct), as well as for the Political (even Moral and Scientific) Value of Rational Public "Debates", open to all Citizens, on the most important Issues for the People and the Society, were Historically born.
(NDLR : "DraftNews", as already sent earlier to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors. A more accurate and full, Final Version may be published asap).
***
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Hu Jia's prize brings SAKHAROV's wife to "EuroFora" on murders of Journalists Politkofskaya, Gongadze and Adali :
- Elena Bonner : "All Journalists' murders must be fully investigated", without Double Standards.
During a special Mega-Event to celebrate 20 Years of SAKHAROV Prize for "Freedom of Thought", attributed in 2008 by EU Parliament to jailed Chinese Cyber-Dissident Hu JIA, the move was reinforced by strongly criticizing the persisting impunity in three cases of Journalists' Murders, such as POLITKOVSKAYA in Russia, GONGADZE in Ukraine, and ADALI in Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus.
Any bureaucratic doubt about whether Cyber-dissidents like Hu JIA might have, or not, a right to be protected as all Journalists must be, particularly when they take risks to search, find and publish original and critical News on issues of general interest to the society, could not resist to the emotion provoked by the message of his Wife, Zeng JINYAN spectacularly transmitted at a big screen in EU Parliament's hemicycle :
- "The most important and most interesting thing he did was to ... say the Truth :.. to write about the phenomena he observed... He never stopped Publishing.. on websites, so that the Public could learn about the reality .. and understand it. In my view, this has been his greatest contribution", stressed the young wife of the jailed man, eager to cite also the cases of other critical journalists who faced various kinds of "harassment".
- "Welcoming all those who have suffered for defending Human Rights", EU Parliament's President, German MEP Hans Gert POETTERING, who had invited to Strasbourg all former Sakharov prize-winners from various Countries throughout the World, said that "China needs Europe, and Europe needs China : A great nation" with which "we want to have a good relationship", "association and ..friendship". "But we are never going to stop our fight for Human Rights, and No Government can expect this from us".
- "It's impossible to achieve goals of Peace, if Human Rights are left out. In fact, Peace and Human Rights are intrinsequaly linked", added POETTERING.
It's in this spirit that MEPs adopted, on Thursday, a Resolution denouncing that "the criminal
investigation and trial following the murder of (a) Journalist ...raises serious concerns with regard to transparency and respect for the rule of law", when a "brutal killing has not yet been fully investigated and solved in a satisfactory way".
The text refered to dissident Journalist "Anna POLITOVSKAYA", a critic of Tchechen conflict, killed some years ago in Moscow, where Russian Authorities have found, arrested and are currently judging two executants, while also searching to arrest also a 3rd one, allegedly escaped in Belgium. But they have not yet found the instigators.
Similar texts were adopted recently also on dissident Ukranian Journalist Georgiy GONGADZE's murder, for which Ukranian Authorities have at least found, arrested and condemned 2 executants to 12 and 13 Years of jail, but not yet the instigators. For that purpose, they recently accepted an International Experts team to participate to the investigations.
But, it's only for the Murder of dissident Turkish Cypriot Journalist ADALI, in the occupied territories of Cyprus, that Turkey has NOT yet found ANYONE responsible, and even claimed recently inside CoE that it would be "impossible" to do so !
These astonishing differences exist despite the fact that ECHR condemned alike Ukraine and Turkey with 2 Judgements on the same year : 2005, for the murders of Journalists GONGADZE and ADALI, strong critics of Corruption in Ukraine, and of Ankara's policies on mass-influx of Turkish Settlers in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus, respectively.
Regarless of that, CoE's Committee of Ministers, who is entrusted with the duty to supervise execution of ECHR's judgements, has just asked Ukraine's Government to reply to further questions on Gongadze's murder before March 2009, while Turkey, curiously, got a longer postponement for answering questions on Adali's murder, until June...
A comparison of these cases, raises serious questions about Double Standards :
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On TRANSPARENCY :
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On Gongadze's murder, CoE's body speaks even about the participation of
"an INTERNATIONAL group of Experts" in the Investigation, (f.ex. of "Tape Recordings"), accepted by Ukraine.
On the contrary, on Adali's murder, CoE is obliged to repeatedly ask (for a 2nd
time) Turkey whether, at least, it informed the victims' Family, or not...
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- On EFFICIENCY :
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On Gongadze's murder, CoE formally "recalls that the Committee (of Ministers) ..URGED the Ukranian authorities.. to TAKE ALL NECESSARY INVESTIGATIVE STEPS TO ACHIEVE CONCRETE and VISIBLE RESULTS in the INVESTIGATION, aimed at the Identification of the INSTIGATORS and Organisers of the Murder", and "STRONGLY INVITED the Ukranian Authorities to provide information on the PROGRESS IN THE INVESTIGATION", before MARCH 2009.
But, on Adali's murder, on the contrary, CoE's body merely .. "took note" of the "arguments presented by" Cyprus, which denounce the absence of any proof of new "investigation" by Turkey. Following Turkey's own suggestion (!), it simply "noted" that there is "no limitation period" for "any new element" to "lead potentialy (sic !) to a Re-Opening of the Investigation". Without saying who might find any such "new" fact, since Turkey stoped searching... It also POSTPONED the issue until .. JUNE !
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- On the PUNISHMENT OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE :
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- On Gongadze's murder case, Ukranian Authorities already arrested and condemned, at least 2 suspects, to 12 and 13 Years of jail. And on Politkovskaya's murder at least 2 suspects are judged, and a 3rd one "wanted".
On the contrary, on Adali's murder case, the Turkish authorities simply claim that "it had not been possible to obtain new .. information .. on the basis of which criminal charges could be brought against ANY person" !...
Moreover, a LETTER sent by Turkey ...2 Years after CoE's 2006 call to re-investigate anew Adali's murder case, is totally EMPTY of Facts ! As Cypus' Delegation denounced earlier, Turkey's Letter ONLY CLAIMS that a "New Investigation" was made without any result, but does NOT even cite ANY FACT to prove it :
F.ex.,on the crucial issue of the "MOTIVATIONS" behind Adali's murder, noted by ECHR, Turkey MERELY CLAIMS that "all allegations were investigated; without result", but OMITS ANY FACT TO PROVE IT !..(It doesn't even remind which were these "allegations").. .
+ On ECHR's astonishment that the Turkish Occupation regime didn't produce any "BALLISTIC REPORT" on the Shots which murdered Adali, Turkey again repeats, 12 years later, that, still, even until now, "it was not possible to obtain the BalisticReport"...
- As for the astonishing absence of key-WITNESSES' Testimonies, denounced by ECHR, Turkey agains repeats various pretexts avoiding to reveal anything, (Fex. that a person "left" the Occupied Territories "on 2002", or that another witness was heard, but without revealing nothing of what he said, etc).
Turkey obviously "FAILS TO MEET THE CRITICISM made BY THE COURT" for lack of any efficient Investigation in Adali's case, concluded Cyprus' Government.
---------------------------------------------
Replying to our Question which COMPARED these 3 outstanding cases of "JOURNALISTS MURDERS", Adali, Gongadze and Politkovskaya, in order to avoid "Double Standards" by asking from Ukraine and Russia more than what is asked EU candidate Turkey, many European personalities were critical /
They criticised Ankara's recent claim at the CoE to stop investigating, because it would be "impossible to find anyone" responsible for the 5 bullet shots which killed Kutlu ADALI in front of his Family Home, contrary to the other two Journalists' murders, where Ukraine and Russia at least arrested the executants, searching now for the instigators :
----------------------------------

- "Where was that ? In Turkish Occupied Cyprus ? WITHOUT ANY DOUBT : Any murder of Journalist should be investigated in full ! All these Murders must be investigated !", replied the famous SAKHAROV's wife, Elena BONNER to our question on Adali's case, compared to Gongadze and Politofskaya.
Elena Bonner spoke us EXCLUSIVELY shortly after being honored by the President
of EU Parliament on the occasion of 20 Years of her husband's SAKHAROV Prize.
A strong personality, Sakharov's wife even had to struggle against an anonymous EU staffer who, astonishingly, tried to stop her speaking when h heard our question on "Turkey" (!) : - "Please, let me translate, she continues
speaking, don't stop us !", had to cry Sakharov's daughter, (a Journalist
herself), who was translating her mothers' reply, (obliged to speak louder to
make her voice heard despite the harassment).. (= + Audio Proof !)
Earlier, Elena Bonner also fustigated "Double Standards" at another case, on
Western countries' attitude vis a vis Kosovo and the Kurds : -F.ex. "You have
recognized a few 400.000 Kosovars as an "independent" country, but you still
deny that to 30 millions of Kurds in Turkey !", she denounced.
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- "This (ADALI's murder) is an issue which should be pursued by the Committee
for Human Rights. That's why we have one, and it's its duty to examine cases of
Journalists' murders as the one you referred to. You should bring the case in
front of that Committee", suggested in reply to our question on Adali, EU
Parliament's President, German MEP Hans Gert POETTERING.
- "It's impossible to achieve goals of PEACE, if HUMAN RIGHTS are left out :
in fact, Peace and Human Rights are intrinsequaly linked", added POETTERING.
--------------------------------------
+ "For us (European/International Federation of Journalists) it's clear :
Whenever a Journalist is Murdered, the Investigation should continue until
those Responsible are found !", replied earlier to another question on ADALI
EFJ/IFJ's Secretary General, Aidan WHITE.
Speaking as a matter of General Principle, White asked us for "concrete data"
on the execution of ECHR's judgement on Adali case, in order to "look at it in
depth" and "make a formal statement", in comparison with the other Murdered
Journalist case, also pending at CoE's Ministers for completing its execution,
on Ukranian Gongadze.
----------------------------------------------------
From EU Rapporteur on Human Rights, vice-President of EU Parliament Liberties' Committee, MEP Giusto CATANIA, we were told that, since there is an ECHR judgement in both Adali and Gongadge's cases, "Turkey must naturally execute the judgement and make a full and efficient investigation, until those responsible for the Journalist's murder are found and punished".
Even if "we (Catania's "EuroLeft" Group) support Turkey's EU perspectives, this does not mean that Ankara should not behave properly. On the contrary, it means that they have to meet tough conditions, particularly on Human Rights", was added on the occasion of Adali's murder case.
Moreover, "since you raise the issue of Mr. Adali's muder as a part of a Series of Journalist's murders, including fex. Gongadze, Politkovskaya, ao., tthen we (EU) could also act together with CoE's Commissioner on Human Rights, Thomas HAMMARBERG, it was suggested.
- "We (EU) must step up efforts against the problem of IMPUNITY : Real Peace cannot exist without Justice", stressed also this week at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, French Minister on Human Rights, Mrs Rama YADE.
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