Presidency candidate Hollande (S) to EuroFora: "Turkey doesn't meet EU Criteria ..for the moment..
*"Strasbourg Days 2012"/ACM/- Even if it's obvious that Turkey doesn't yet meet the Conditions for eventual EU Accession, on the contrary, it's not excluded that Ankara might enter inside the EU at any point in the Future, nor that some Technocrats won't, suddenly, claim that Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law criteria would have been met by the Turkish Authorities, even if this would be in blatant contradiction with the Facts, as back on 1999-2004, if we judge by the Replies that "Socialist" Candidate Hollande gave to "EuroFora"s Questions today ;
- "EuroFora" initially started by asking Hollande "what is really (his) position on EU's Enlargement".
- "To which Country ?", Hollande asked.
- "Obviously for the most controversial question : That of Turkey, considering, in particular the problems it raises for the EU, also on Human Rights, Democracy, and other issues", we pointed out.
- "I think that, for Turkey, the Conditions (to EU Enlargement) are not fullfilled", Hollande replied.
+ "And in the foreseable Future ?", asked, in an obviously necessary complementary question, "Eurofora" in addition.
- Today, "there is a Process, which must be respected", started to reply Hollande, pointing to the controversial and unpopular Turkey - EU Negotiations, that some persist still to call "Accession" Talks, (despite the Democratic mandate given by a Majority of EU Citizens to French and German, but also Austrian, Dutch, Belgian, Bulgarian and other Governments and/or Election Winner Parties, as well as to the biggest EU Parliament's 2009 Elections' EPP Group of MEPs, to Stop Ankara's EU claims), while others have started to name "Open Ended" Talks, (i.e. able to lead also to an eventual "Strategic Partnership", not to Full Accession), according also to Official EU Council's Decisions since 2006. This same "process" also serves, in practice, as a Legal and Political pretext in order to start Funding the Turkish Government, since 2001 with a growing, Big amount of Money, now near to 1 Billion € each Year in Grants, (i.e. the equivalent to some 400 Billions € in Loans), from EU Taxpayers'Money (including the Poor who pay VAT), equal to... EU's most important Space program for High-Tech Innovative Infrastructures on "Global Monitoring for Environment and Security", alias GMES, which is notoriously threatened recently, because of lack of available EU Funds, ... (See relevant, recent "EuroFora"s NewsReports).
+ "But the conditions (for Turkey's EU Accession) are not fulfilled..." yet, he reiterated carefully.
- "... for the Moment", as the 2012 "Socialist" Party's candidate for the forthcoming French Presidential Elections, chosing carefully his words, concluded, by adding a Crucial point which obviously Changes everything...
=> I.e., to put it in a nutshell, for Hollande, only the present (i.e. up to the late April - early May 2012 Vote) situation is certain, (because of Turkey's blatant reluctance to fulfill EU Conditions, particularly on Democracy - Human Rights), while, on the contary, ... anything may happen afterwards !
Including, last but not least, for French and other EU Citizens to have to face, sooner or later, at some "Other Moment" during the 2012-2017 period, eventually, a "Socialist" Government in Paris and/or elsewhere inside the EU, suddenly claiming, anew, that the notoriously undemocratic, oppressive and aggressive Turkish Government would have "fulfilled far enough" the EU Conditions, even if, in fact, it would not have done so at all, except from a few cover-up, "Publicity" attempts to Mislead the Public Opinion with False Appearances or even Grossly Erroneous Claims by some astonishingly stuborn proponents of Ankara's controversial EU bid, probably most driven by some shady, in fact Anti-European Networks notoriously searching a way to undermine Europe through Turkey's unpopular attempts to enter into the EU, which would obviously Exclude any European Identity, Destroy Social Cohesion, Dangerously Expose Europe to Iraqi, Syrian and Irani Borders, empty EU's Budget, grossly violate Modern Europe's Values on Human Rights and Democracy, practically throwing EU Citizen's Rights to the WasteBasket, inundate the EU with Mass Immigration from Asia notoriously unwilling to integrate so that EU Countries would be infiltrated by "Ghettos" monitored from Abroad by "remote control", while also giving a Right to Vote in immediately forthcoming Local/Regional Elections in France (2013-2014) to Non-European Immigrants, so that a recent Massive Turkish Immigration, rejected by Switzerland and/or Germany/Austria, penetrates even more in N/E France, (according to Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan's 2010 call in Paris), to take the formal "Papers" needed in order to start Manipulating several French Votes by its, Externaly Monitored, non-integrated Ghetto-Lobbying (comp. supra)....
Already, EU's 1999 and CoE's 2004 decisions, to, respectively, accept Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU "Candidacy", as well as to claim that Turkish Authorities would have fullfilled almost all Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law commitments vis a vis the CoE, so that the famous "Copenhagen Criteria" would have been, reportedly, already met, allowing Ankara to start lucrative EU Accession Negotiations (costing more than 850.000 € each Year) from 2005, notoriously astonished and revolted many People, resulting to the three "No" to EuroReferenda since 2005 in France and the Netherlands, followed by Ireland, etc., after the sudden emergence of rapidly growing, unprecedented Majority Abstentions in EU Parliament's Elections, precisely, from 1999-2004.
=> Such a Dangerous Ambiguity about the Future, particularly on a so Crucial issue as that of Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, (Comp. "EuroFora"s 2nd, complementary Question to Hollande and his Reply : Supra),
cannot but aggravate precisely what the "Socialist" candidate himself had denounced, earlier today himself, as "a Feeling of Deprivation and a Disillusion,...in European Politics", "when a Sovereign People feels that it has no more of the capacity to decide itself on its own Fate", and when appears "a growing distance between Promisses and Acts, and a growing Gap between the Expression of Political Will, and the Heavy Obstacles which might oppose progress" ...
Because it's simply scandalous to Threaten People even on 2012 with Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU entry demand, while crystal-clear Majorities have already Voted to exclude any such risk, repeatedly, since the 2005 "NO" to EuroReferenda in France and the Netherlands, particularly on 2007 French Elections, on 2009 in German and EU Parliament's Elections, etc. as well as in various other EU Countries between 2009-2011 !
+ Moreover, it's Incompatible with any wish to "help emerge a European Dream", as Hollande said that he wanted to do "though a French Dream", if anyone brought EU Citizens, on the contrary, face to face with the "Nightmare" of a notoriously undemocratic, Oppressive Turkish Government, with Thousands of even Elected MPs, Mayors or Journalists currently Jailed in Prisons, Press Liberties and Freedom of Expression arbitrarily oppressed, Turkish Army occupying the Northern part of Cyprus, threatening Greece in the Aegean Sea, launching Deadly Attacks inside Iraq, blocking Armenian survivors of the 1st Genocide in Modern History, a scandalous Impunity of Torturers or Murderers, (often Turkish State's Agents), Hundreds of Thousands of Refugees still Hindered to return to their Family Homes and Ancestral Land from which they were Brutally expelled, still Disposessed of their usurpated Homes and private Properties contrary to ECHR's case-Law, Families of "Missing" Persons still ignoring what really happened to their beloved ones and who is Responsible for their Enforced Disappearance, with Archives and other vital information being kept Secret by the Turkish Authorities and Killers totally unpunished in blatant Violation of ECHR's judgements : A Dangerous Precedent full of obvious Risks also for the Future of Humankind, (etc)... Particularly if such scandalously unpunished and dangerous Criminals and other Corrupted and Abusive Turkish State Agents, started even to ..circulate among EU Citizens' children, inside the EU, spending EU Taxpayers' Money, by consuming EU Funds equivalent to those from which is currently deprived even he biggest, High-Tech Space Program of the EU : the famous "Global Monitoring for Environment and Security" (GMES : See relevant "EuroFora"s recent NewsReports),..
Hollande, who had just finished, before speaking to "EuroFora", a Dialogue with a German Socialist Philosopher from nearby Karlsruhe, in Strasbourg's Opera, in the framework of a 3 Days-long Annual Political Debates event organized by "Socialist" Magazine "Nouvel Observateur" and the Association "Europa Nostra" (where his participation was anounced only at the last minute), except from ostensibly drinking a ..."Turkish coffee" earlier in a Suburb, (an apparently "innocent", pittoresque act), hasn't yet done anything, at least at our knowledge (which is, however, rather limited as far as his Past activities are concerned), which might, eventually, lead to Doubt about his personal Objectivity and/or Honesty concerning key Facts on Turkey. But, given also the Fact that he's notoriously surrounded by other "Socialist" Politicians who unquestionably have serious Responsibilities already for attributing to Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid the lucrative Status of "EU Accession Candidate" back on December 1999, (such as former PM. Jospin, former MInister for EU affaits Moscovici, and others), as well as the recent trend of most "Socialist" Parties to systematically accept and even push Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU Bid (at least since 1999-2000+), added to the Total Absence of Any Guarantee that, this time, any eventually Crucial Decision on EU-Turkey relations would be really taken on the basis of Objective Criteria, contrary to the Negative, obviously Arbitrary and/or Irrational Decisions taken on December 1999 and 2004 falsely claiming that Ankara would have fulfilled its Human Rights/Democracy and Rule of Law obligations (sic!), it's naturally very Difficult, if not totaly Impossible to Blindly Trust Now his Hypothetic "Bona Fides" alone, particularly in an issue with so High Stakes, even in Global GeoPolitics, as Turkey's EU relations....
------------------------
Hollande's approach on Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, as it was resumed today in his replies to "EuroFora"s question, (Comp. Supra) differs from that of President Sarkozy mainly on the following crucial points :
1) - Hollande accepts that Turkey could become, one day, a full EU Member. On the contrary, Sarkozy believes that Turkey is not a European Country, and (as Merkel and others) rejects Ankara's EU bid as dangerous against the desired development, in the Future, of a Strong, Political Europe with an Historic and Cultural Identity able to attract a large Popular support.
2) - But, "for the moment" Hollande says that "Turkey does not fullfil the Conditions" for EU Accession, without, however, giving any idea about when this might be done : F.ex. in the following few years up to 2014 or after 20 Years ? Obviously, this Fact inevitably provokes the Suspicion to be only a pre-Electoral truc, since he could Change his mind at any moment afterwards...
On the contrary, Sarkozy (as well as Merkel and others) have a crystal-clear stance on this point, considering that Turkey, similar to other Neighbouring Countries, from Morocco (which had been already refused EU candidate status in the Past) through Ankara up to Russia, should better get a kind of "Privileged Partnership" solution, allowing "closer relations" with the EU, but not full entry inside the EU.
This Democratically supported Franco-German stance, which has, in the meantime, won a clear Majority of EU Citizens, as not only France 2007 and Germany's 9/2009 Elections proved, but also People's Votes in EU Parliament's 7/2009 Elections, as well as in several other EU Countries since then, where it has started Spreading all around the EU : F.ex. in Austria, (even inside the UK in the 9/2009 Vote !), the Netherlands, Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, Finland, etc. Despite Turkish Government's provocative attempts (and even threats, if not Blackmails !) to change this into a Cultural Conflict, claiming even to bring (real or artificial)"Terrorism" and other more or less Violent Clashes in Europe, nevertheless, the growing opposition to Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid appears as the only common point in recent political developments throughout all Europe between 2005-2012...
3) Meanwhile, Hollande openly supports a process of EU - Turkey's "Accession" Negotiations, (as most "Socialist" parties in the EU), which gives to Ankara's Government some 1 Billion € each Year in full Grants, i.e. the equivalent of about 40 Billions € in Loans each Year !!!!), costing in EU Taxpayers' money (including the Poorest, who are obliged to pay VAT) as equally Expensive to EU's ... most important, High-Tech Space program GMES ("Monitoring for Environment and Security" : See recent "EuroFora"s NewsReports on MEP's protests and EU Parliament's Resolution denouncing the Lack of Money for the European Space Industry, while similar sums are currently wasted in Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, even in the present time of Global Financial Crisis), scandalously, given the Democratically expressed opposal by a Majority of EU Citizens and several EU Governments (comp. Supra), and falsely claiming (Comp. Hollande's 2nd Reply to "EuroFora"s Question) that EU would be legally obliged to continue doing so, even if Turkey still Refuses to respect its own Commitments that it officially undertook, precisely, since 2004, as a Condition for such EU - Turkey Negotiations to start ! (i.e. to Stop Discriminating against EU Member Cyprus' related Ships and Airplanes, etc., the failure to do so, normally, being enough in order to Suspend the Negotiation process, particularly considered in addition to many other Turkey's persisting Failures to respect also several more of its Obligations, f.ex. on Human Rights/Democracy, etc).
On the contrary, Sarkozy, after initially promissing to put a clear and unequivocal, full Stop to EU - Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, was notoriously obliged (by EU Commission President Barroso and some former "Socialist" Governments' opposal back on August 2007, at the same moment that even his personal life was notoriously hit), to propose a Compromise (together with Prime Minister Fillon) consisting in 2 Conditions in order not to Block EU - Turkey's Negotiations : (a) Refusal to open 4 or 5 Negotiation Chapters which are considered as part of a Full EU Membership, (f.ex. participation to EU Institutions, Cohesion funds, EU Citizenship, Free Movement/Shengen, €uroArea, etc), and : (b) A call to start a serious, EU-wide Debate on Europe's Future, (which would include also the issues of EU's Political dimension, Identity, Borders, etc).
Since then, as it is well known, the EU Commission was obliged to respect the 1st Condition, (which, of course, remains Valid, in practice, as long as ... Sarkozy will remain France's President, risking to "vanish" as hot air if things turned otherwise...
But it scandalously undermined the 2nd Condition, after a Bureaucratic manoeuver in Brussels' corridors scandalously "burried" the issue, by Excluding EU Citizens' Public Debates, and downgrading it only in a controversial small "Committee" Report on 2010, prepared by an appointed Secretariat directed by a certain "Dr. Türk", a Slovenian Expert in ... Computer issues, completely unknown to EU Citizens, and then hired only by ...Turkey's Instabul University for a part-time Job, as well as chaired by former "Socialist" Spanish P.M. Gonzalez, a notorious suppporter of Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, known for having formed a "Duo" with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan in a MultiCultural project, etc, (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/colmarbrussels.html ), so that the matter wasn't pursued at all until now.
However, EU's Political 2012 Landscape is much Better and adequate now, than what it was back on August 2007, for the realization of that Sarkozy's idea, (a compromise deal with EU Commission's President Barroso : Comp. supra). Because, meanwhile, Democratic Elections in many EU Countries allowed to the People, at least partly also inspired by France's 2007 example with Sarkozy, to Vote into power several Political Leaders and/or considerably strengethen New Political Parties, whose views on Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid are closer, if not quasi - Identical to the French President's : F.ex. in Germany, Austria, Holland, Belgium, Hungary, Bulgaria, Sweden, Finland, Greece, Ireland, etc., and even in the UK an unknown Party surprised by winning more MEPs than the Liberals and even than the then Governing Labor Party immediately after it entered the Vote with No 1 issue the "No to Turkey's entry in the EU", while also EU Parliament's 2009 Elections were largely won by Sarkozy's allies of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Party both in France and Germany but also elsewhere throughout Europe.
Moreover, several experienced or new EuroPoliticians have already told "EuroFora" that they also feel that Time has come for such a Debate to start in Europe, by a potentialy interesting coincidence, at the same moment that Sarkozy anounced his intention to start using a "Referendum" method of reaching out to the People whenever "intermediaries" might eventually refuse to move on key issues, and the same year that "EU Citizens' Initiative" is expected to start working probably from April 2012, as informed EU sources told "EuroFora"...
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=> Could the "crossroads" issue of Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, (in fact, a meeting point of many crucial problems in Human Rights/Democracy/Rule of Law, EU Budget and Cohesion, European Culture, History and Identity, Europe's Borders and GeoPolitical games between EU and USA, etc.), became as crucial for 2012 French Elections as back on 2007, considering also wjat the experienced former Prime Minister, Michel Rocard, (PSoc.), said immediately after the Hollande's dialogue in Strasbourg's Opera to "EuroFora" ?
- Questioned in general about "European issues", Rocard replied that "EU matters, recently appear rather risky and complicated, so that I think that the don't have a big importance right now".
+ " But I am convinced that it (Europe) can emerge anew, this time, during the confrontation... " at the 2012 French Presidential Election's campaign, Rocard speculated....
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However, in this case, it doesn't seem that the far more Crucial issue of Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, which affects so many EU matters, (f.ex. Human Rights/Democracy, Europe's Borders, History and/or Identity, Social Cohesion, High-Tech. Development or Low level "services" and over-Exploitation, the well-known Dillema : "a weak Market, or a Strong Political Europe with Popular support ?", EU's message to the World, etc), might be overshadowed by the also important, but not equaly crucial issue of Hollande's controversial wish to review the €uroArea Governance Treaty, (which, naturally sparked a growing "Hot" debate recently) :
- "Do you need a Large ReNegociation for the Changes that you want on €uroArea (Governance) Treaty, about Economic issues ?", "EuroFora" asked later Hollande.
- "Yes !", firmly stressed Hollande, without any hesitation, in reply to "EuroFora"s question if he meant "Big" Changes, or small.
- "In order to add also (something on) Growth", he went on to add, but wihout specifying at this moment.
Speaking shortly later in Strasbourg, in a Public Debate with former Greek Prime Minister Giorgos Papandreou, "Green" Group's vice-President, MEP Daniel Kohn-Bendit, initially tried to Minimize the scope of the Changes wished by Hollande in €uroArea Governance's Treaty :
- He (Hollande) just wants to add 2 "simple" References : 1) on the aim of Growth, and 2) on CEB's role for that purpose, softly - softly said Mr. Kohn - Bendit with an unusually ..."relaxing" tone..., as if it was nothing important, just a tiny, innocent butterfly flying in the woods...
But, considering the fact that the Official EU Text already Signed by 25 Heads of State/Government, already has some References on "Growth", (comp. "EuroFora"s recent, relevant NewsReport), while Sarkozy, (in what looks as a kind of silent but efficient Deal with Merkel and Monti, etc., since End November - beginning of December 2011), has already managed to succesffully launch the European Central Bank's interventions in €uroArea's Financial Markets twice until now, (in both cases, with very Positive Results : December 2011 and Februar 2012),
and taking also into account even the notorious fact that .. Mr. Kohn-Bendit doesn't really use to speak so .. "Softly" (Comp. Supra),
=> we'd bet that, probably, Hollande's pals will soon anxiously try to Cover-up this starting 2012 Turkey, really "Hot" issue, with anything might excite and divert attention away from it, including, precisely, the €uro-Treaty Change Controversy, (as well as ANYTHING ELSE)....
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(../..)
(NDLR : "DraftNews", as it was already sent to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors earlier. A more accurate and full, Final Version is due asap).
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An "Eugenic" loophole Amendment, which might expose to Dangers reminiscent of "3rd Reich's" notorious Genetic Abuses, hidden at the last minute inside an otherwise Good, larger Health policy Package scheduled to be voted on Thursday, was strongly denounced by a coalition of MEPs from various Political Groups and Countries, in a Press Conference held this afternoon at EU Parliament in Strasbourg.
Mainly calling to "Select Human Embryos", via "Genetic Counselling" and "pre-implantation" Techniques including "Genetic Tests", in order to "Eradicate Hereditary rare Diseases", it might open ways to Dangerous Practices in Future, they denounced in substance.
But they also made it clear that a much larger Report inside which this Controversial Amendment "No 15" was added in dubious circumstances, officialy destinated to struggle against "Rare Diseases", and drafted by Professor Antonios Trakatellis, was otherwise "an Excellent Report", aiming at a "completely Uncontroversial target" of Health policy on which "all MEPs and Experts are united, believing that Europe should act" to protect People's Health (See "EuroFora"'s earlier News).
The controversy came at a particularly delicate moment for the EU in relation to Citizens, at the eve of June 2009 EU Elections, and shortly before Ireland re-votes for "Lisbon Treaty"..
- Denouncing risks of "an Eugenic demand, very similar to what we had during the 3rd Reich in Germany, but now coming from some Scientisists themselves", German ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Dr. Peter Liese stressed that critical MEPs were against "Eugenic" engineering with "Selection of Human Embryos", and anything which might ultimately lead up to to a "Selection of Human Race". It doesn't help to "eradicate" Human Lives, he added.
Several Experts and NGOs expressed "Deep Concern", as f;ex. DR M.C. Cornel of the "European Society of Human Genetics", which stressed, on this occasion, that "the importance of Non-Directiveness in Reproductive issues is a Central characteristic of Human Genetics, after the Atrocities committed in the name of Genetics in the first half or the 20th Century".
- "This is completely Unacceptable", stressed Italian Liberal MEP Vittorio Prodi, on the Controversial Amendment, also because pushes to "eliminate early Human Life", as he noted.
- "This opens a Dangerous Road, rather a Motorway", denounced Danish MEP Mrs Margrette Auken, from the "Greens", observing that various similar attempts were made in the Past "not only in Germany, but also in several other Countries, "even at the 1970ies", "f.ex. on forced Sterilisation of Roma" People, and other criticisable situations f.ex. in the UK, in Sweden, etc. as she said.
+ Other NGOs, as f.ex. "LebenHilfe" from Berlin, added that, among various other Risks, could also be that, by exploiting the pre-implantation Genetic Diagnostics and the Selection of "healthy" Embryos, some may "propagate" several "Eugenic" aims, starting f.ex. by pushing to eradicate Human Livies which might "Cost too much" to preserve, ultimately exposing to dangers reminiscent of the "3rd Reich"'s atrocious abuses.
In consequence, ChristianDemocrats/EPP and "Green" MEPs "decided by Majority to vote against" this Controversial Amendment, anounced to Journalists the 5 MEPs who participated in the Press Conference, representing a wide spectrum, from Liberals to "Greens" and ChristianDemocrats, and from Hungary, Italy, Germany and Danemark up to Ireland (Gay Mitchell), etc.
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Hungarian ChristianDemocrat MEP Laszlo Surjan said "that it was "Suddenly, at the End of the Procedure" in Committee, that "appeared this (Controversial) Amendment, which has nothing to do" with the main purpose of the Report, on which all agreed.
He denounced an "Unhonest" move, and called to "avoid this kind of unacceptable situations". Nobody should "Select People", Surjan stressed.
- "We (MEPs) had No Chance to Discuss" this last-minute Amendment earlier added at a Committee's level, said German MEP Peter Liese
Speaking to "EuroFora", Dr. Liese, the Spokesman of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Group in EU Parliament, said that MEPs didn't oppose other references of the Report f.ex. on "Genetic Tests", because they were "no proposals" to impose them, while, on the contrary, there was "a Problem" if anyone attempted to "impose" f.ex. this or that Genetic Technique and "Genetic Counselling", etc. to the People on human reproduction.
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The precise Text :
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Controversial parts of Amendment No 15 ask mainly "to lead finally to the Eradication" of "Hereditary" "rare diseases", "through Genetic Counselling .., and ..pre-Implantation Selection of healthy Embryos".
But EU Rapporteur Professor Trakatellis, said to "EuroFora" that fears should be alleviated by Guarantees that all this should be done only "where appropriate", when it's "not contrary to existing National Law", and "always on a Voluntary basis", according to other Parts of the Amendment.
He stressed that the main aim was to allow "a free and informed choice of persons involved", without imposing them anything : - "It's not an obligatory, but advisary" text, he said.
To make that point clear, he was ready, in agreement with many MEPs, to eventually drop at least that part of the controversial Amendment which initially called for "efforts to ..lead finally to the Eradication of those rare diseases" "which are Hereditary".
But, until late Wednesday evening, reportedly together with many other MEPs, he stood by all the rest of the controversial Amendment, (fex. on the "Genetic Counselling" and the "pre-implantation Selection of healthy Embryos"), so that critical MEPs, going from ChristianDemocrats as Dr. Liese, to "Greens" or "Ind/Dem", observed to "EuroFora" that "this was not enough" to close the dangerous loophole.
Particularly since, as Professor Trakatellis noted himself, "this is already allowed to the U.K.", and "other National Legislations would probably follow, sooner or later" in a similar direction. As for a general call to "Eradicate Hereditary rare Diseases", this "should happen, at any case, in practice, de facto", to protect public Health.
On the contrary, "our goal should be to help patients suffering from rare diseases, not to eradicate the patients. In case of genetic disease risk, the decision should not be guided by scenarios" made by politicians. "Perents who may decide to accept a child, even if handicapped or with genetic disease, must be respected and supported with solidarity", critical MEPs stated.
- "Any Pressure" to "a patient or couple (who "should be able to make an informed choice consistent with their own values"),"from health Professionals, Public Health Policies or Governemental Institutions, or Society at large, should be avoided", stresses the "European Society for Human Genetics".
----------------------------------
Each MEP's vote will be registered !
-----------------------------------
The Socialist Group requested a "Split vote" on the Amendment 15, first without, and afterwards with the words "lead finally to the Eradication" etc.
But the first "split vote" leaves intact all the other parts of the Controversial Amendment, (i.e. "Genetic Counselling", "Selection of healthy Embryos", etc).
That's why, 3 Groups of MEPs : ChristianDemocrats/EPP, "Greens/EFA", and "Ind/Dem", have asked for "Roll Call Votes", on everything regarding the Controversial Amendment No 15, and on the final outcome of the resulting Report as amended, which will register all the individual positions to be taken by each MEP.
Something which will obviously make each MEP think twice before voting for one or another choice, to be sure that he/she will make the right choice in front of EU Citizens, particularly at these pre-Election times...
Crucial Votes were scheduled between 12 Noon and 1 p.m. local Strasbourg time, in the middle of a long series of various other Reports, and after a long Public Debate on the larger Health policy package, from 9 to 11.50 am.
The specific Report inside which was hidden the controversial Amendment is due to be debated between 11 and 12 am.
So that more last-minute Surprises may not be excluded a priori...
Particularly at the present Historic moment, when even the Institutional Future of the EU depends on the result of a second Referendum on "Lisbon Treaty", later this year, in ...Ireland, a mainly Catholic country, where People are particularly sensitive in such kind of socio-cultural and values issues...