EU Parliament locked in by Terrorist Attack in Strasbourg as Cyprus President arrives

Written by ACM

Tuesday, 11 December 2018

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*Strasbourg/EU Parliament/Angelo Marcopolo/- All People working in EU Parliament s Plenary Session this week in Strasbourg were suddenly locked in, as a Security precaution, after a Deadly Terrorist Attack reportedly killed 3 and wounded more than 9 civilian victims targetted by at least one gunman who apparently escaped downtown.

The unprecedented incident occured just after Cyprus President Nicos Anastassiades arrived to Strasbourg in order to address EU Parliament early tomorrow morning, and while EU Commissioner Wolfgang Oettinger, earlier in charge of Energy, and nowadays of the Budget, was speaking in the Plenary.

Cyprus Ambassador to the CoE in Strasbourg; Mr Attias, speaking to "Eurofora" by phone, said that the President was well and safe, as several MEPs referred to the tragic incidents, while the 1st speaker, German ChristianDemocrat/EPP Monika Hollmayer, Rapporteur also for Security issues, was curiously absent, perhaps locked out of the Parliament, as the 2019 Budget debate was starting when the incidents were anounced, followed by the creation of a European Defence Fund (see infra).

The recognized armed Terrorist reportedly attacked Civilian People at a well known pedestrian street, not far away from the Cathedral, crossing Strasbourg's Central Square Kleber, from which pass most Public Transports, including some coming from, or going towards the Quarter of European Institutions' Headquarters. Shots and victims apparently continued also towards a touristic Square Gutemberg, where has now been set up a nice "village" from Finland, the current President of PanEuropean CoE for the periiod of November 2O18-May 2019. Afterwards, a gunman reportedly run into a traditional commercial street, at the older and more touristic area of the city.

Initially, Strasbourg had quite strong Security Measures during its Traditional "Christmas Market", each December, even Earlier than Other Cities, because of a Strange but anodynous Incident in the Past, at nearby Frankfurt, etc., when a Video had revealed that Islamist Extremists might seek to destroy Christian Historic Cathedrals in Europe. Often, the French JHA Minister was visiting to verify the Security Measures in Strasbourg, before the Christmas Market starts, and this was done, Recently, this year, also with the New JHA v.Minister Laurent Nunez, (Comp. his Replies to "Eurofora"s Questions, precisely about Terrorist Risks and European Cooperation, at : ...).

But, some Days ago, we had been Surprized to find out that, soon After 8 p.m., almost all those Security Measures were routinely Lifted, everyday, except during the Week-End, (reportedly because the Christmas Market was closing then)...It's precisely that Lacuna that the Deadly Terrorist(s) of Today Exploited in order to Cowardly Target and kill innocent Civilian People, at the Time when they were Leaving to Return back Home...

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+In the Meantime, inside EU Parliament, all the Locked in MEPs, Assistants, Civil Servants, Journalists, etc., had gathered at the Hemicycle in order to hear the President Antonio Tajani speak about the Practical Organisation of a Way out, in the best possible Security, as long as the Armed Terrorist(s) had Not yet been arrested by the French Police, which was still Searching to find at least 1 armed Suspect, Blocking, for that purpose, almost All the Center of DownTown (where many MEPs' Hotels were located), including most Transports.

Interestingly, from the point of view of Human Solidarity, several MEPs loudly Refused to Leave the First, with Cars and Drivers Protected by the French Police, as long as there wasn't yet found a Satisfactory Solution for their Assistants, the Civil Servants, and other EU Parliament's staff ! Curiously, Nobody hadn't yet spoken aloud for the numerous Journalists (including "Eurofora"), who were still working in the Press Room...

In Addition, a Call was Launched for the confined MEPs to Hold a Minute of Silence, in Memory and with Respect of the Victims of that Terrorist Attack, (See relevant "Eurofora"s Photo), while the Incoming News kept Augmenting the Total Number of persons Wounded or Killed...

But, Most of the Time sped in Plenary, overNight, until more than 4 a.m. in the Early Morning, (and withOut Any Translation, while some spoke French, other English, or German, even Italian, etc), seeking to organize a Safe Return back to MEPs' a.o. Hotels, Homes, etc, while, a the same Time Down Town reportedly several Hundreds of Policemen were sreportedly Searching to Find and arrest one or more Armed Terrorist(s) who still circulating free, so that Noone was Safe, unless protected by special Police Cars....

Finaly, "Eurofora" (with a Wounded Leg, etc), was obliged to leave almost the Last from EU Parliament's PressRoom, Later than 4 a.m...

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Brixen-Bressanone/ACM/3.8.08

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An appeal to make the "World more Human", by defending basic Human Values, helping those in need, and paying hommage to Nature, figured high in Pope Benedict's long-awaited speech at his "First Angelus" in the symbolic, beautiful historic small town of Brixen/Bressalone at the Alpes.

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- "No Dictature, nor any destructive force can rob us of the most important goods wich are God's gift", stressed Pope Benedict, referring to elementary Human Values, in a last-minute improvisation of his draft speech, before launching also a call to "help those in need", in order to "make the World more human".

- "Jesus is the focus .. In him is Justice and Freedom", said earlier Brixen's Bishop Wilhelm Egger, after prayers including calls to "Truth, Justice and Freedom", read at a Mass of thousands in the town of Archangel Michael, known as defender of christians against the devil.

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In what looks as a reference to BioEthics' dillemas of crucial impportance, raised at Strasbourg's unique in the World legally binding International Treaty on BioMedicine and Human Rights (1998, with the "hottest" issues added later through additional protocols, some of whom are imminent), he spoke also of the splendid "Nature" at this Alpen's ressort : This fits well Vatican's earlier anouncement that Pope Benedict's "prayer intentions for August" are mainly to "respect God's design for the world", and "become ever more aware of the great gift of God which Creation represents for us".

- "The most important things in our lives cannot be bought, but are only given as holy gifts : The Sun and its Light, the Air that we breath, the Water, the beauty of Earth, Love, Friendship, Life itself", Pope Benedict added, extending also to Natural Environment, another topical issue after recent Climatic upheavals at several parts of the World.

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The "preparation of Pope Benedict's visit to France", which currently heads the EU, at mid-September, among exceptionaly important Council of Europe meetings on Human Rights in Paris and Strasbourg, is part of his work, together with his "book on Jesus", during brief Summer Holidays in Brixen, said his Spokesman, Federico Lombardi.

- The Pope's message is mainly religious, theological. But we are living in a concrete world, and ideas may be taken by readers as references to the actuality. However, it's better to wait to se what the Pope will say in Paris and at Lourdes, added to EuroFora Lombardi, who is also Director of Vatican's Press Office.

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Brizen/Bressanone is similar to Strasbourg by succeeding to make a fertile synthesis of Germanic and Latin sources of Europe, like the two local rivers who meet at the historical center of the town, among spectacular ressorts at mountains' hights.

Headquarters for an Historic Religious Seminar, it attracted recently also a Free University's Educational studies. Well-known as a long-time preferred rest place for former cardinal Radzinger and his brother Georg, it includes areas named "St Benedeto" and "St George"...

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But Pope Benedict's first speech gave also another symbolic rendez-vous :

- "Next Wednesday, August 6, we shall commemorate the 30st anniversary from the death of late Pope Paul VI", who "concluded Vatican II", and "the Transfiguration of Jesus, mystery of the divine light, which exerced a unique fascination to his soul", he said to some 12.000 applauding People, among the happy few who succeeded to have a rare place for an open-air Mass inside the Domplatz a particularly sunny day at the Alpes.

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* My Media didn't clearly say which political positions won in 2009 EU Elections. It left it gray and confused.
* Develop New Media, willing and able to boost EU-wide Citizens' interest on debating topical EU issues
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* Stimulte EU Citizens' active involvement in important EU decision-making, to completely reverse the 1999-2004 trend towards Majority Abstention, (and not only reduce it, as in 2009).
* There is nothing to do ; except, perhaps, to take an airline ticket for a refuge at the Canadian Rocky Mountains, far away from all these false, pseudo-democratic appearances...
* What Elections ? Which Europe ? And what has Ankara and Diyarbakir to do with Wienna or Poitiers ?
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