

EU Fair Heads to EuroFora: By Culture+Innovation BRICS' India + Int. Business Hub near EU Parliament

*Strasbourg/New Palace of Music and Conferences (PMC 3)/- A "3 Stages" Development of Strasbourg's reNovated Conventions/Exhibitions Centre (PMC), near an International Business area prepared in front of EU Parliament, (for whom +30.000 m2 are reserved), and close to an Annual "EuroFair" focusing more on "Innovation", which could Help evolve European Cooperation on Citizen-Friendly Innovative Products, with India's Symbol of Culture and Innovation as 2015 Guest of Honour, but also China and Russia actively present at Strasbourg's Franco-German Hub, with a traditionaly active also Italian and other Countries' presence, highlights the particular Context in which the French Minister of Economy, Emmanuel Macron, is due to inaugurate, next Friday, Strasbourg's 2015 EuroFair, as its Organizers, Strasbourg City's Head of European/International Relations and Chairwoman of "Strasbourg-Events" Monitoring Board, Nawel Rafik-Elmrini, and the President of "Strasbourg-Events", from "GL-Events" Company, Jean-Eudes Rabut, as well as its New Director, Marc Wengen, and "European Lepine Prize" for Innovation's long-time President Gerard Dorey, told "EuroFora", in reply to our Questions during a Press Conference, as well by more relevant Statements that they gave us later-on this same Day, (See Infra).

+ Significant of the Manifold European/International Dimension of Macron's forthcoming venue in Strasbourg, is also the Fact that the move comes just before he meets German Chancelor Angie Merkel's Economic Counsilor and Italian Prime Minister Renzi, the Day After, Next Saturday at nearby Milan, on his Road towards Israel, i.e. near Egypt, where Italian ENI has recently found another Deep Sea Gas Field, close to EU Member Cyprus' EEZ, just 1 Month after EU Commission decided in Brussels to start Funding preparatory Studies for planned "Euro-MED" Strategic Pipeline, able to combine Egypt's, Israel's and Cyprus' recently emerging Energy sources all Together, via a High-Tech Transport link Directly towards EU's Franco-German Industrial core, through EU Member Greece, Italy, etc, (See MAP).
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The Euro-Fair of Strasbourg is the 2nd in Economic uRabut, later sa, (See Infra). But it's also Unique into Bringing close to each other Economic and Innovation Actors with MEPs from all over the 28 EU Countries thanks to a coordinated Proximity of EU Parliament's Full Plenary Session of 1 Week each September, as well as Representatives from CoE's 47 Member Countries, including f.ex. Russia, etc.
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- "What will happen, in the foreseable Future, about the International Business area, as well as for PMC and the EuroFair, in front of EU Parliament ?", "EuroFora" asked the Organizers of 2015 EuroFair, who are also in charge of all "Strasbourg-Events" Mega-Conferennces/Exhibitions, (See Infra), in our 1st Question during the Press Conference that they gave earlier Today, on the occasion of the EuroFair of 2015.
+ Moreover, "India notoriously is a Symbol of both Culture and Innovation, as also the Lepine (EU) Competition, and, f.ex., by a coincidence. this week's Top News point at the 1st Airport in the World to be 100% boosted by Solar Energy, at Kerala, (India). Are there any Relevant Innovative products at "Lepine" Competition this year ? And, by the way, who will represent India" at the Official Inauguration ?, "EuroFora" also asked, in our 2nd Question, (See Further Infra).
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- "On your 1st Question : The on-going work for the International Buisines area is Advancing at a Normal pace, as Scheduled, and you probably know, already, that (French) Economy Minister Macron, who will Inaugurate the 2015 EuroFair Next Week, will also Sign", at this occasion, "a Protocol on the 1st Stage of that Operation. So that EuroFair, which will stay close to this same area, and the International Business Hub project, are, in fact, both Helpful to each other, in real practice...", she pointed out smiling.
+ "Moreover, as I know that you are regularly interested to the European Institutions, it's also interesting to note that it has been decided for a part of the surrounding area to be Saveguarded for a possible Future Extension of the European Institutions' (EU Parliament and/or CoE) buildings", Strasbourg's European/International Relations' Head confirmed in reply to "EuroFora"s Question.
- As for "India"'s presence in Strasbourg's EuroFair as "Guest of Honour" in 2015, the move comes in the Wider Context of long preparations which had already Started as early as "since 2010", in Cooperation between French and Indian Cities, such as Strasbourg and Udaipur, at the World-Famous Rajasthan State, particularly in order to Help French and Indian Businesses to exchange, f.ex. by Simplifying Visa Federated Procedures in practice, etc., and is a "prelude to the Cultural Year of India in all France on 2016", while New Delhi Government's Representative, here, Next Week, "will be the (New) Indian Ambassador to France", Dr Mohan Kumar, (who, by a Coincidence, has been Born at Kerala - Comp. Surpa - i.e. at the former "Pondichery" Region, Historicaly linked with France), a Geneva-experienced Diplomat and Paris' Sciences Po PHD, i.e. with a Multilateral relations' background, which could also fit well in Strasbourg or Brussels, etc., and a familiarity with International Economic relations such as Global Trade (GATT), etc., corresponding to "EuroFair"s profile as well as French Economy MInister Macron's forthcoming venue, (Comp. Supra).
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+ + "In fact", the Parallel New Developments on the International Business area, the Euro-Fair, and the reNovated/Extended PMC (CEC : Comp. Infra), "are parts of an overall Project unfolding in 3 Stages :" added later-on, Strasbourg City's Head of European/International Relations, in subsequent Statements given to "EuroFora".
- " At First, the Re-Structuring and the ReNovation of the Palace of Congress (transformed into a much Bigger and even more Flexible "Conventions and Exhibitions' Center"), "in order to make of it a New Centre for International Conventions, able to serve also a (European/International) Business area", "at a 2nd Stage, inside anOther Structure, comes the Business area, that will be named "Wacken - Europe", "with Spaces (sdestinated) for Offices and Residences, as well as for the Development (probable Future Extension) of the European Institutions", (i.e. EU Parliament and/or CoE, ECHR, etc).
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- In this regard, "the PMC (CEC), which has already Started to be partialy Used, will be Fully Completed until Next Summer, on June 2016", she anounced, while, in Parallel, "the 1st Part of the Works for the International Business area have just Started" recently. The Aim is to "Mix" "Offices with Residences and even various Commercial outlets of "proximity", particularly for Everyday Life, in order to create a "Vibrant" District there", and "avoid" the frequent Phenomenon of "Vacuum" in most Big Buildings areas exclusively reserved for Offices, as f.ex. in New York and/or Brussels, Paris' "Defense" quarter, etc., whenever those Offices are Closed (f.ex. during Week-Ends, Holidays, and/or other not fully working periods). she warned.
+ Moerover, "an area of about 30.000 m2 has been reserved there, (i.e. at the "Wacken" Quarter, facing EU Parliament's Tower), for a Future Extension of the European Parliament", Strasbourg City's Head of European/Internationall relations ensured "EuroFora".
- "Finally , at a 3rd Stage, it's Strasbourg's "Parc-Expo" (Exhibitions' area), which should be slightly re- located near the Tramway lines, and closer to Down-Town", so that the European Institutions can have much more Space in the foreseable Future, Chairwoman Rafik-Elmrini Concluded in her subequent Statements to "EuroFora".
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+ Meanwhile, EU/COE/International Visitors in Strasbourg will soon have much More and Better Infrastructures at their disposal for various kinds of Collective Events, with a Flexibility including both Small and Medium, as well as Giant, Mega-Conferences, Symposia and/or Exhibiions/Fairs, at "Brand New" Buildings, which have already Started to be Added in an Ambitious Extension and Full ReNovation of the already busy and well known "Palace for Music and Conferences" (alias "PMC"), whose Final New Version is scheduled to Open officially just before Nexr Year's Spring, "on March 2016", as the President of the Managing "Strasbourg-Events" Mixed Economy body (in charge for all kinds of Collective Events in Strasbourg, including the EuroFair), Jean-Yves Rabut, told later "EuroFora".
- President Rabut, who kindly invited the Journalists participating at Today's Press Conference, including "EuroFora", to visit in particular the 100% New Annex "PMC 3", stressed mainly that the most Important New Development in Practice was that, from now on, Strasbourg would have "an efficient Tool able to Welcome even Very BIG Congress" European/Internationa gatherings, "Together with Sufficient Room for Big Exhibitions, which could accompany such Conferences", as he observed, obviously pointing particularly at a Superb, Three Thousand (3.000) Square Meters-wide Big Room located at the Ground Floor of MPC 3, with Various Possibilities for Flexible Changes inside that Huge overall space, (f.ex. by Moving Internal "Walls" at Differend Positions each time, so that the Big Room could be f.ex. Divided into 2 Equal Parts, or even at 1 Third facing 2 Thirds (1/3 + 2/3), etc, as "EuroFora" witnessed during the organized visit on the spot.

+ In Addition, that Huge Central Room, (over which are located many Other, Small or Medium Offices/Meetings' places, as well as a quite Big "Red Room", where Today's Press Conference took place, at the 1st Floor), is artfully surrounded by a beautiful, very Wide "Corridors" Space, for Supplementary Exhibitions, etc., ("since Conventions are usualy Accompagnied also by various Exhibitions", as Experienced President Rabut observed), as well as by a very Practical Outdoors' fully Covered area, extending all around the entire "Old" but ReNovated and New PMC Buildings, composed by many Modern Giant Columns, able to Protect Many People from any Rain, Snow or Heatwave, etc, and giving an Open Air View at the adjacent Parc's High Trees, as well as at the Nearby Hilton Hotel, etc., which has become the New Architectural Symbol of Strasbourg's reNovated "Palace of Music and Congresses", now logically renamed as "Convention and Exhibition Centre", (Comp. relevant Photos).
Already, several Big European/PanEuropean/International Conferences, f.ex. on Topical "Scientfic Issues", "are scheduled for 2016" at the fully ReNovated and Enlarged Strasbourg's Convention/Exhibition Centre (SCEC), as "EuroFora" heard from the City's Head of European/International Relations, and "Strasbourg-Events"' Monitoring Board Chairwoman, Nawel Rafik-Elmrini, even if it's too early yet in order to publish more details, at least for the time being.

The City of Strasbourg intends to keep "a Majority" of Shares in the Capital of a New Mixed Economy Corporation (SEM in French), called "Strasbourg - Events", which is bringing Together both Public and Private Funds, as well as "GL-Events" Business' "International Know How and Network", resulting mainly from its "Global Presence" at several Key Countries accross the World, as Chairwoman Rafik-Elmrini pointed out to "EuroFora".
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++ Earlier Today, Replying to the 2nd Question raised by "EuroFora" during the Press Conference, (Comp. Supra), the experienced President Gerard Dorey of the "Lepine" Competition, which will celebrate this Year (2015) in Strasbourg the 15th Anniverasry of its "European Award", regretted the fact that, due to a recent "Retriction of Government Subsidies for Solar Energy", added to a Strong "Competition mainly from China", particularly as far as it concerns "Solar Panels" and their Prices, exceptionaly, this year there wasn't any Solar Energy-related innovation, even if this didn't pre-judge the Future, since this situation could change, as he optimistcally observed.

- However, Dorey pointed at a growing "Franco-German cooperation", (Starting by Participants from neraby Offenburg, where Finance Minister Scheuble's Family Home is located), in this new Version of "Lepine Competition" which includes not only Ecology-Friendly "Recycling" of various Materials, even of "Car Tyres", etc., but, also offers an astonishingly great Number of various Cars powered "100%" by pure Electric Energy, (from a Popular German "Volkswagen" with an Autonomy of 100 km, or a prestigious French "Peugeot - Citroen" with an Autonomy of 120 Km, up to a superb German "Mercedes" Autonomous for 200 Km, obviously with Differend Prices...), as well as many Other small but "Smart" City Cars usable "WithOut Licence" and even by Young Kids "since (just) 14 y.o."...
The move naturally extends also to Electric Bikes, (particularly useful in order to Climb up to the French and/or German Mountains surrounding Strasbourg), as, f.ex. in a High-Tech "Plug and Play" System with simplified Refueling in Electricity, (which can serve also for E-Cars), Security, Handling, etc, equiped also with Internet Connexions allowing for remote Computers to know in advance where, how many, in what shape, and by whom have been rended the available E-Bikes...

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- President Doray told later "EuroFora" that he "would like to boost Franco-German Cooperation" in the foreseable Future of "Lepine Competition" for Innovative Products, as well as to, more widely, benefit from Strasbourg Future Bigger Region's TransBorder relations with Switzerland, 2 German Länders, Luxembourg and Belgium, from Jan. 2016, on order to Help Develop various kinds of practical "Cooperations" around "Innovation", particularly around the "European Lepine Prize" : - "It's not for nothing that we come at a European Capital City, as Strfasbourg, instead of anywhere else at a Provincial area", as he told us smiling : - It's precisely because we would like to Help also Develop European Cooperations, particularly between Small and Medium Enterprises, around Innovations, f.ex. in Digital Inventions, in view of an International Context, as he pointed out.
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+ Meanwhile, India's "BRICS" Dimension is symbolicaly completed with an Extensive Participation of a "Chinese Delegation" bringing a lot of useful, Everyday Life Innovations, going, f.ex., from Help into Cooking Meals without Burning them, until various Devices Helping to "Purify" the Air to Breath and/or add Oxygen, Filter the Water to Drink, etc., as well as a more pronounced presence of Russia, this year, including with a spectacular "Super Panoramic" Digital Camera structured like a round Ball (See Photo), and a System for the Security of Digital Data, E-Signatures, etc., at the Internet, proposed by the State National Research University of Bolgorod at this "After Snowden" era, up to a ... "Space Missions' Simulator" using "Virtual Reality" in order to Train Astronauts on how to Land on other Planets, use Remote-Control Vehicles, and deal with the various Meteorologic and Surface Conditions at the Ground in view of Space Exploration projects...
++ Last, but not least, the "Wired World" recently introduced component on Modern Digital Inventions, has now become "a must" in all "Lepine Competition" events, observed President Dorey, evoking a Fresh series of Innovative productsn, such as that of "Goya Phone" : a Mobile equiped with an Original Software which Helps Organize all Contacts, Notes, Data, Projects, Graphics, etc. particularly for Commercial Agents, (crafted at nearby German City of Offennburg) ; a "Smart" Wallet able to Protect SIM, Bank and other Electronic Cards from potentialy intrusive Outside Electro-Magnetic Waves ; a too good to be true : "Garderer -Robot" whose Young Creator claims that it can Digg in the Soil and Plant Flowers or Vegetables, etc ; a GPS - Guided Bicycle ; a Music Guitar Playing "Teacher" Computer Software ; a "3D" Robot able to take Measurements and fabricate "Tailor-made" slippers adjusted to each person's feet, etc.


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Indian Experts are notoriously Active on Digital Society Issues, including Cyber Law, Citizens' Protection and Fight against growing CyberCrime Attacks, as attests, inter alia, also, f.ex. the interesting series of Annual "International Conferences" organized at New Delhi by Supreme Court Advocate and Legal Expert, early participant at CoE's PanEuropean/Global CyberCrime/Democracy Fora in Strasbourg, Pavan Duggal, who has recently invited "EuroFora"s co-Founder to "Address" at one of those Global Gatherings, with various Partipants (such as Government Officials, Law Enforcement Agencies, Business Representatives, Service Providersn, International Organisations' Delegates, Information Technology and/or Legal Experts, International Press, Original/Leading Thinkers, etc) from many Countries accross the World, including the Indian Diaspora, on "CyberLaw, CyberCrime and CyberSezcurity" that he scheduled last year (2014) and this year (2015) on November, (unfortunately a very Busy Month for all those obliged to follow EU/CoE's Agendas)...
Nevertheless, the active Presence in Strasbourg's 2015 Euro-Fair, of at least an Interesting part of the Huge Indian Culture, as well as various Modern Products, may Help "Bridge" the Distance, (mutatis-mutandis as, already, Ancient Greek Macedonian Young King Alexander the Great, followed later-on by Venician Marco Polo from Italy, etc, had done in a Famous Historic Past) : Pedagogically Starting by a Brief .. Introduction to Indian Songs and Dances, by a Sympathetic Lady, Founder (together with her Husband), of a Cultural Association in Strasbourg, who stressed that "in India, most Classical Music and Dance point at Sacred" Horizons, (as, f.ex., a Song accompanied by 2 Dancers wishing for "God Shiva's support", f.ex., during the forthcoming 2015 EuroFair...), Strasbourg's Indian move will extend, from Next Week, during 10 Days, between 4 and 14 September, (i.e. EU Parliament's full Plenary Session's time included, as usual), mainly into 2 Exhibitions : the most Important one, about the "India of Maharajas", (i.e. the History of the 1,3 Billions Population -strong Country's Kings, from the Ancient beginnings up to 1947's Independence, when the regime became a Republic), and another one, specialy focused on the Biggest Federated State inside nowadays India : that of the North-Western "Rajasthan", (Comp. Supra), (whose Ancestral Language and Script, that of the "Indus Valley Civilisation", was found to be very Close to the .. Phoenician Alphabet, from which notoriously emerged the Internationaly spread Greek Alphabet and Language, the "French" or "English" Lingua Franca of Ancient Civilisations, whose Numbers, f.ex. sound strikingly Similar to that "Sanscritic" Hypothesis for the "Indu Valley Civilisation" established by Indian Scientist Rao). All this is accompanied also by Modern Indian Food recipes, (notoriously Tasty, as all those who have Dined at any Good Indian Restaurant .. in London, know perfectly well - including "EuroFora"s co-Founder, both since his Childhood, up to the latest British EU Presidency of 2005), and the Musical Dance Group called "Dhoad", famous for having performed, inter alia, also before the Indian and French Presidents, and even the UK's Queen Elisabeth (who is also Head of the Brittish "Commonwealth", from London to Delhi, Sudney and Toronto, etc), at her Jubileum, as the New Director of "Strasbourg-Events", Marc Wenger, observed, among various other "New" events at the EuroFair of 2015.
However, last but not least : The recent Fast developments of Solidarity between "BRICS" Member Countries, (India, Russia, China, South Africa and Brazil), probably incited the well known Mobile Phone Chinese Company "Xiaomi", this same Summer 2015, to anounce that its Astonishing Brand New "Redmi Note 2 Prime" Smartphones, (equiped with an octaCore Processor up to 2,2 Mhz fast, Dual Sim, 2 Giga RAM + 32 Giga ROM extensible, and a Camera of 13 Mega Pixels at the rear, as well as a Battery of 3060, Screen 5,5" etc., reportedly just for ...110 or 140 €, according to the amount of Memory, as advised by the Producing Company, i.e. a Global Record in Quality per Price !), beyond China itself, would be .. reserved only for Exports to India, (some speculated also for Brazil), at least at the Beginning...
So that, as things stand Now, obviously, Europe has to Choose between only 2 Options, for the Time being : - If things don't change fast enough, either our Indian Friends would better be as Kind as to ... Bring some "Xiaomi Redmi Note 2" SmartPhones with them, at Strasbourg's EuroFair from Next Week, (that would be Fairly Good in real Practice), or, Otherwise, "Lepine Competition"'s President Dorey (Comp. Supra), has the Duty to Urgently prepare, for the Next, 2016, "European Award", at Next Year's Strsbourg's EuroFair, to do everything possible, or impossible, in order to be Ready to Bring to Strasbourg's Next EuroFair a Brand New, really European SmartPhone, which should naturaly be Better (or at least Equal) to that of "Xiaomi", in order to prove, in real Practice, that Europe can still "Innovate" seriously in Tools necessary to EU Citizens' EveryDay Lives, and wash EU's hands from the recent scandalous (for every real pro-European,) phenomenon, for the Last EU Country which used to produce Good SmartPhones (and had even Pioneered, Worldwide, in the Initial Creation of the First Mobile Phones in the World, since early 1990ies !), that of Finland's "Nokia", to be sold to the American "MicroSoft" !
Never mind if such an obviously much needed, real European SmartPhone, might, eventually, be built Together with the Cooperation of China, Russia, India, or Japan, USA, etc, or many among them. What is most Important (and Urgent) is, at First, to Start Existing, with at least a substantial European Innovation component. (F.ex., another Chinese Company, "Siswoo", has just anounced that it will Unveil, at the Same Day of the Inauguration of Strasbourg's 2015 EuroFair, from September 4, at Berlin's IFA Electronic International Fair, even a ..." Dual Screen" (i.e. at Both Sides of the Phone !!) brand new SmartPhone, explicitly following the example of a Pioneer Russian Company, (with Offices also at nearby Frankfurt), which was initialy the First in the World to invent a SmartPhone with 2 Screens, (able also to work even with only a small bit of Electricity, in case of need), already a few Years ago. Where is EU Modern Industry and "Innovation", in such a Vital Area of Fast Growing Economic Importance, Power and Prestige ?....
- "Impossible is Not French", Dear President Doray ! And, meanwhile, for our Indian Friends, let .. "Godf Shiva" really enlighten them at the forthcoming 2015 EuroFair, (Comp. Supra), ....
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(NDLR : Fast Translation from the Original in French. + "DraftNews", as already send to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors, earlier. A more accurate, full Final Version, might be published asap).
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People in Europe and the World expect from CoE to make a succes of its "Monitoring" for Human Rights and Democracy, despite difficulties, said Finland's President Tarja Halonen to "EuroFora" at a crucial moment for the mecanism built 15 years ago by the paneuropean organization which celebrates its 60th Anniversary in 2009.
Halonen, known as "Mother" of CoE's "Monitoring" mecanism, a long-time MEP and former Foreign Minister before becoming Finland's President, holds a long experience in the mattter, after also serving twice as CoE and EU Chairwoman in the past. That's why she is well placed to judge how CoE's "monitoring" should deal today with some crucial issues of importance both to CoE and to the EU.
The move came just a Month before a crucial, last visit to Turkey, scheduled for June, by the President of CoE''s "Monitoring" Committee, Ukranian MEP Serge Holovaty, to finalize his Report on Ankara, the CoE Member State with the longest Monitoring procedure. From its results depends its overall credibility.
This is a Test-case, because, in fact, it's in order to avoid Sanctions threatened against Turkey by a CoE's Assembly's April 1995 Resolution for grave Human Rights violations, Democracy gaps, the continuing Military Occupation in Cyprus, the unresolved Kurdish problem, Aegean differend with Greece, etc., that MEPs decided to create, for the 1st time on April 1996, a "Monitoring" proces, allegedly destinated to check, without excluding Countries who did not fulfill all CoE's standards.
In the Past, the obliged withdrawal of Greece's Military regime and of its "Civil" cover-up out of the CoE had helped bring back Democracy in 1974. But, on the contrary, since April 1996, the idea was to "monitor" Human Rights' respect while keeping most concerned Countries inside the CoE. After Turkey's oldest example, this was extended also to several former "Eastern" European Countries, even if CoE's Assembly has imposed to some of them (fex. Ukraine, Russia, etc., after Belarus, Serbia, etc) various "Sanctions", that Ankara always avoided. Curiously more succesful even than .. USA itself, (a CoE "Observer" since 1995), which has been at least threatened with sanctions some years ago..
EU-effects of CoE's Monitoring process became obvious between 2001-2008, since the "closure" of this procedure, when CoE felt that a Country had met most of its Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law obligations, (i.e. the "Copenhagen Criteria" for the EU), helped trigger Negotiations with the EU for "Accession" or other closer relations : This occured already before the 2004 and 2007 EU Enlargements to former "Eastern" European Countries, as well as for the commencement of "accession" negotiations with Croatia, and of "open-ended" negotiations with Turkey in 2005.
But a stricking new development are Holovaty's recent findings that on core Human Rights issues as Torture and Freedom of Expression, Turkey, even "5 Years after" CoE closed its "Monitoring", back in 2004, inciting EU to start accession Negotiations in 2005, still presents grave problems.
His findings are of crucial importance after a 2008 CoE Resolution called, "if need be", to "seriously consider the possibility of Re-Opening the Monitoring procedure for Turkey" : A move which might affect Ankara's controversial EU bid, since EU Accession Negotiations are based on the Hypothesis that the Candidate fullfils the "Copenhagen Criteria" (See above)..
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Holovaty expressed his will to check "Matters still Outstanding" and those that he "didn't have an opportunity to discuss" at an earlier visit this year, "in order to discuss the more complex issues in greater depth", at his forthcoming New Visit to Ankara, before the December 2009 EU Summit. This is all based on the 2004 CoE Resolution which stresses that, CoE "will continue.. post-monitoring Dialogue with the Turkish authorities,...in addition to a 12-points list,..and on any Other Matter that might arise in connection with Turkey’s Obligations as a CoE member state".
CoE's Resolution also asks from Turkey "to secure the proper Implementation of Judgements, particularly in the Cyprus v. Turkey InterState case", of 2001, which concerns also the plight of many Hundreds of MISSING People. It adds Turkey's obligations to "execute" ECHR's Judgements in the Loizidou case,..and in particular adopt General Measures to avoid repetition or continuation of Violations found by the Court" to the detriment of Refugees.
Nevertheless, Holovaty said to "EuroFora" that "MISSING" persons,"might be included" and cannot be excluded, but he has yet to examine the situation "to find out which issues will be raised" to the Turkish Government.
Therefore, "EuroFora" asked Halonen, as the Historic "Mother" of CoE's Monitoring mecanism, if she thought that, "whenever there are grave Human Rights Violations, as fex. "MISSING" persons, attested even by ECHR's judgements, they should be always checked by a Monitoring process. Or could they be forgotten ?"
- "We (CoE) must be, at the same time, Fair, Realistic, but not in the mind that "now we have Forgotten", etc., replied to "EuroFora"'s question Halonen, speaking as a matter of general principle.
- "When we think of those People that are suffering from the lack of Democracy, of Human Rights, and of the Rule of Law", "we should find a base on how to deal with the (Monitoring) system more rapidly"', she stressed.
- "Sometimes it's very difficult to combine Transparency and Effectivenes together, particularly in this specific case", she went on to say. But, "I have not found a (CoE Member) Country who could be insensitive in this sens", Halonen answered concerning grave Human Rights violations attested by the ECHR.
- "I have no ready-made answer. I have the expectations that you, in the CoE, will, step by step, find the different types of the monitoring systems."
Also "because this is a part of the UN's Post-Conflict system, (fex. when it comes to Cyprus' MISSING persons), and it's a more Global system". So that, "If we make a succes in Europe, the others will follow", throughout the World. "But they expect that we (Europe) are this opportunity, this Opportunity to make a Succes", Halonen concluded.
In addition, she advised to extend CoE's Monitoring to all its 47 Member States, "because, as long as we hear that, all these monitoring systems are "OK for the neighbor, but not for me", "it's very difficult" to understand. Something which could make easier to Compare...
Finnish MEP Jaako Laakso, former CoE Rapporteur on the Occupied Territories of Cyprus and one of the 5 Signatories of the Historic CoE's call to create the "MONITORING" mecanism since 1996, was more specific : - "We (CoE Assembly) have to find a way for the issue of Cyprus' MISSING People to be better followed", he stressed, anouncing his intention to "speak to Mr. Holovaty" about that. "There might be also other ways", added Laakso.
- The 2008 "Year had been a very Bad one for Turkey with regard to Human Rights in general, and Freedom of Expression in particular", denounced, meanwhile, Holovaty's preliminary Post-Monitoringh Draft Report by Holovaty, published by the CoE on April 2009.
"Amnesty International believes that freedom of expression is not guaranteed given the various articles of the Criminal Code that restrict it. .. "For example, 1,300 Websites are said to have been closed down by the (Turkish) authorities in 2008" ! While "the new Turkish Criminal Code was used to bring a total of 1,072 proceedings between June 2005 and April 2008, and led to the conviction of 192 people", for expressing views. "Representatives of the Özgür Gündem newspaper, which specialises in Kurdish affairs, ..complained about Numerous Attacks on their Freedom of Expression ...as was everyone who advocated a settlement to the question by means other than the intervention of the army" "According to their figures, 19 Newspapers had been suspended 43 times between 4 August 2006 and 4 November 2008" !...
Moreover, on 2008, CoE's "Ministers adopted its 4rth Resolution on the execution of the judgments of the ECHR, ...and outstanding issues regarding 175 Judgements and decisions relating to Turkey delivered between 1996 and 2008... concerning Deaths resulting from the excessive use of force by members of the Security forces, the failure to protect the right to life, the DIisappearance and/or death of individuals, Ill-Treatment and the Destruction of property". CoE's " Ministers urged the Turkish authorities ...to ensure that members of Security forces of all ranks can be prosecuted without administrative
authorisation" for "serious crimes". Holovaty reminded.
"Nonetheless", Holovaty heard anew of "Several cases of Violence committed last year (2008) by the (Turkish) security forces". Amnesty International speaks of Many Cases of ill-treatment and Torture in the prisons and by the police". "Including, fex."'the death of Engin Ceber, a young man of 29 who died on October 2008 as a result of the TORTURE allegedly inflicted on him by police officers, prison staff and members of the gendarmerie. He was part of a group of people arrested on September 2008 during a demonstration and Press Conference in Istanbul'. Proceedings against suspects are "on-going" in this case.
- " I therefore noted an Obvious Contradiction between the Government’s stated “zero tolerance” policy.... of Torture and other forms of ill-treatment, and the different testimonies given", denounced CoE's Rapporteur. Turkish "authorities must make considerable efforts to guarantee that proper investigations are carried out into allegations of abuses by members of the security forces and that perpetrators are effectively punished" "In this respect, I have requested detailed Statistics on the number of Investigations, acquittals and convictions in cases involving allegations of abuse in order to show the positive impact of the measures taken to date", Holovaty said, repeating a permanently unsatisfied CoE's demand to Turkey since a Decade...
- "The Political Crisis that shook the country in the spring of 2008 highlighted the Weaknesses of the (Turkish) Constitution", which comes from the Military regime of 1982, "and the Urgent Need of Reforms", stressed from the outset CoE's Rapporteur in 2009. In particular, "the ...Democratic functioning of state institutions, including the independence of the judicial system, are crucial", he observes.
But, "the Electoral system and the ways in which it is circumvented do not appear to give those elected complete Legitimacy, and tend to pervert the course of direct universal suffrage", denounces Holovaty, observing that, even 5 Years later, Turkey did not yet change the 10% nationwide Threshold for a party to take any seat, which is "far higher" than the "3%" maximum in Europe and already condemned as contrary to European Standards by the CoE.
+ Moreover, EU Parliament's 2009 Report on Turkey, drafted by Dutch MEP Ria Oomen-Ruijten and adopted in Strasbourg on March, expresses "Concern over the Failure of the (Turkish) Judiciary to prosecute cases of Torture and Ill-treatment, the Number of which is Growing". EU also "is concerned about continuing Hostility and Violence against Minorities" in Turkey. It also "calls on the Turkish Government to launch, as a matter of Priority, a Political Initiatve favouring a lasting Settlement of the Kurdish issue, (while "condemning violence.. and terrorist groups"). EU "regrets that No progress has been made on establishing full, systematic Civilian suprevisory functions over the (Turkish) Military".
The final results of Holovaty's 2nd and last visit to Turkley will be known later this year, and, at any case, before EU's December 2009 Summit.