Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-11-16-Speech-2-074"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20041116.9.2-074"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
".
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, it cannot be said often enough that the European Agency for Reconstruction has made a considerable contribution to the EU’s positive image in the Balkans. Indeed, before 2000, the European Union was, above all, a bureaucratic monster that delivered on all kinds of promises either far too late or not at all. After 2000, the European Union, via the agency, was very much capable of providing prompt and efficient aid, often under difficult circumstances. It has never happened before that such a large proportion of funding that was budgeted for granting aid was actually spent. Once again, all credit for this.
Having said that, the question remains, which we in this House have discussed with the Commissioner on different occasions, as to what exactly the Commission’s thought process was when allocating a certain task to the Bureau, the various offices of the Bureau or to the decentralised delegations, the embassies of the European Union. Although the Commission may not admit to this out loud, it does suggest now and again that Parliament is going on about this
while insisting on an answer. The reason is that we want to avoid further ambiguity. Allow me to give you an example. There is every chance that the European Union will be allocated more tasks in Kosovo in the course of 2005 and 2006: in other words less UN, less UNMIC and more European Union. Does this now entail a greater role for the Bureau or does it mean that we can expect a larger, all-singing, all-dancing delegation and a larger embassy? It is important for Parliament to know, because it is we who must take difficult and awkward, political and financial decisions.
I will not conceal the fact that I am also overcome by a certain wistfulness. This debate is the last of the many debates we have had with the Commissioner. I think that one of the reasons for the Commissioner’s popularity in this House is that he has given the EU’s Balkans policy a face and a voice, and has done a sterling job of it. I should like to take this opportunity to thank him for this. I wish the Balkans a sound successor and, above all, wish the Commissioner much enjoyment in governing Oxford University and in penning fine books."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples