Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-02-25-Speech-3-127"
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"en.20040225.9.3-127"2
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"Mr President, this is the longest speech I have made as a MEP. I have never had three minutes’ speaking time, and now I – the representative of the Italian Pensioners’ Party – have been given this length of time to speak on a report that concerns young people.
I support and agree with the report on the participation and information of young people. A short while ago, however, when I was listening to my fellow Members speaking about the reports on the budget and other subjects – I do apologise – but I nodded off. In my state of drowsiness two questions popped into my head: Are young people really different to the elderly? Are the elderly really different to young people?
It is said that young people want love, but old people also want and need love. Young people want to have money, but old people also want to have and need to have money. Young people want to travel and dance, but old people also want to travel and dance.
No, there must be some difference! In 45 years of working for the elderly, I have heard them say many times – and I regret this – that growing old is terrible. As a result, I am sure that the European Parliament has not just thought about young people but also about elderly people and has prepared several different reports and communications for them. I will have to listen to them all in the final months of this parliamentary term because I am sorry to say that, to date, very few have been presented.
I have also been thinking about other matters. Is it right to get young people more involved in political life and in the decisions that affect them? Is it right that young people are the best placed to draw up regulations and laws that concern them? Are women the best placed to take decisions concerning their problems? Are old people the best placed to take decisions concerning their problems?
I do not think so, Mr President. The answer that I came up with will surprise you. I agree that young people must take decisions and have power over everyone and over everyone’s lives. How else could I justify the fact my daughter Elisabetta Fatuzzo, at 32 years old, is at this very moment preparing to give a speech on Lombardy television, on the subject of pensioners and the elderly? This would not be possible if we thought that old people were better at talking about old people than young people are, and vice versa.
I therefore call on the Commission to make every effort to ensure that Europe continues to help young people and draw them closer to Europe so that they are also in a position where they have more say in matters concerning men and women of all ages."@en1
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