Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-04-09-Speech-3-030"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20030409.3.3-030"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the worst has been averted. We have been participants in this psychological drama for a number of days now, a number of weeks indeed. Parliament was certainly entitled to demand the reestablishment of those prerogatives that had been somewhat limited. Nevertheless, at the same time, I am happy that good sense has prevailed. If we had not been able to surmount the difficulties surrounding the decision we have to make today, it would have been a real snub for the whole of the European Union. It would have left those countries wishing to join the Union feeling rejected and isolated yet again.
My group responded favourably to the proposal before us this morning. Almost all members will vote in favour. Only one member will abstain on the issue. We are fully aware of the implications of our votes. In voting, we want, on the one hand, to heal the scars on the body of the old Europe, which, as has been said, are the terrible consequence of war. On the other hand, we also want to put right an old injustice. These candidate countries, which found themselves on the other side of the Iron Curtain after the Yalta conference, lost both their independence and cultural identity. Now these have at last been regained.
As I have said before in this House, I count myself among those who think that when the Berlin Wall came down we should have demonstrated our joy at this in immediately opening our doors to the countries of Eastern Europe. I am sorry this did not happen; it would have been in line with our traditions. I was afraid that we would allow ourselves to get bogged down in interminable bureaucratic discussions. Thankfully, these have now been concluded. We have therefore arrived at the decision we will take today, that will allow us to heal the old scars.
As I have just said, the peoples of the candidate countries lost their cultural identities under their old regimes. We are glad that these identities have now been re-established and that they will bring about significant change to the European Union when they join. I do not know if everyone understands the consequences of this. I believe this step will promote freedom and cooperation between countries, but that the concept of federalism will lose ground. I am delighted at this prospect. I would like to point out that if, by any chance, we had been unable to overcome the difficulties arising from the latest arduous discussions, we would have been held up for public ridicule.
We must therefore welcome the positive solution we have finally achieved, even if it does not entirely satisfy everyone. Parliament will have other opportunities to defend its prerogatives. In any case, what had do be done, will have been done. Europe will be reunited. In our opinion, this represents European reunion, not enlargement. Those who are about to join us are our fellow European citizens. They should never have been separated from us and we are delighted to be reunited with them."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples