Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-10-23-Speech-3-024"
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"en.20021023.1.3-024"2
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"Mr President, Commissioners, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, I just want to look at the problems that will arise for the people of Kaliningrad as a result of transit arrangements, and the solutions that have been proposed for them. The transit permit, or Kaliningrad passport, as proposed by the Commission, is in my opinion a good solution for both sides. It would make it easier for the Kaliningrad Russians to travel to their mother country than is the case with normal visas, but it would also safeguard Lithuania’s sovereignty. The option of establishing a train corridor has been put forward. This idea, however, does not tie in with current reality. The point is, how many of the present Member States would agree to have a train tearing along through their own country, coming from another country that does not belong to the European Union and whose passengers could not be checked? Would Belgium, Spain, Italy or France agree to this?
It is good that the Council since yesterday has had a common position on transit arrangements for the people of Kaliningrad. In examining the way opinion has been formed I have noticed that the further away from Kaliningrad a current Member State is, the more unrealistic the points it has put forward to solve the problem. This is, frankly speaking, go-it-alone irresponsibility. Russia’s suggestion for visa-free travel between herself and the EU has also, unfortunately, gained the support of some Member States. It is regrettable to find that people are unable to view the drawbacks or dangers which that would bring realistically. If we want to start relaxing visa policy radically should we not start with Turkey, which at least has candidate country status? Visa-free travel is not, however, today’s issue. For that reason, it is rash for just one individual EU country, for example, to promise such a thing, and I seriously fear that merely discussing the issue would harm the favourable attitude the citizens of countries applying to join the Union have towards the EU.
I nevertheless give my wholehearted support to policy with regard to Russia that backs that country’s long-term development and makes it possible for visa-free travel to be introduced one day. Incidentally, I would like to suggest that it might be worth asking the Russians why, as they have renounced Lenin in Leningrad and Stalin in Stalingrad, they still sully a major area of European culture with the name of Mikhail Kalinin. Immanuel Kant’s Königsberg should once again have the honour.
Finally, I should like to raise the matter of the Eurobarometer. The Commission is quite right to say we must share this information, but 70% of our citizens expect to hear the truth and information from their national governments. Why do they do nothing? This is hardly a speech by the opposition, as I am a member of the party in government in Finland."@en1
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