Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-09-13-Speech-1-045"
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"en.20040913.4.1-045"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, I am grateful for your speech and for the solidarity that you have shown. This summer’s fires, in the case of Portugal, devastated more than 100 000 hectares, in addition to last year’s disaster. The Algarve was the worst hit area, with 40% of its total area burnt. What we are witnessing is a veritable environmental, economic and human tragedy that has become a public catastrophe. It is therefore a matter of urgency that we hold a debate on fire prevention measures, backed by real investment. Otherwise, in a few generations’ time, there may be no forests. The Mediterranean forest is part of the common heritage of the people of Europe and must therefore be preserved. Some of the cork trees burnt were over two hundred years old and most were between one hundred and two hundred years old. Some EUR 80 million of damage was caused and replacing these trees would take approximately one hundred years. The tendency these days is to channel more funds into addressing the consequences of natural disasters than into preventing them. We do not have an unlimited capacity to repair damage and prevention requires political courage and coherent regional development. I ask the Commission to show that courage in the face of this tragedy and to table here a restructuring and reorganisation of the Structural Funds, so that these people can see on the horizon at least the possibility of rebuilding their livelihoods to pass on to their grandchildren."@en1
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