Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-03-07-Speech-1-006"
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"en.20050307.2.1-006"2
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"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to begin this sitting by making a statement on certain issues which are topical and which have been raised by some Members of this Parliament.
After this statement on topical issues, some painful and some happy, I must make another statement on what we may call historical commemorations.
As you know, centuries of fratricidal wars between our countries are etched on our memories. As President of the European Parliament, I frequently receive requests for minutes of silence to commemorate the events which remind us of the saddest moments in our history.
Just a few days ago, our Polish colleagues asked that we observe a minute’s silence to remember the massacre in Katyn, Miednoye and Jarkov, when 14 000 Polish officers were executed in cold blood by the Stalin regime on 5 March 1940. There is no question that this is a legitimate request and it is our duty not to forget those events or the victims of them. But every day, given the history of our continent – a tragic and turbulent history – the calendar is going to record sad events for each of our countries. This is the case because Europe has been divided by wars in which millions of our fellow citizens have died.
Nevertheless, although we must remember the past – and we do – last week the Conference of Presidents agreed not to observe a minute’s silence or make statements systematically at every plenary session on every occasion when we are reminded of a painful event.
Our current history, our reunification, must help us to overcome the events of the past and to remember that the consolidation of peace and democracy, the values of the European Union, must prevent them from ever happening again.
Finally, while I hope that all our fellow Members understand the resolution we have adopted in this regard, I must mention the police repression suffered by women who were demonstrating in Istanbul ahead of International Women’s day. Before coming to this plenary session, I issued a press release in which I strongly condemn these events and I call on the Turkish Government to apply exemplary penalties in relation to events that in no way send the correct message in terms of Turkey’s possible entry into the European Union.
Ladies and gentlemen, last Thursday, the Conference of Presidents of the Political Groups unanimously adopted a statement on the situation of journalists in Iraq for me to read to you today. This statement was the result of meetings I held with heads of the French and Italian media organisations of the European journalists held hostage in Iraq and representatives of the ‘Reporters Without Borders’ organisation.
The Conference of Presidents issued this statement, which was very widely reported in the European media.
A little later, on Friday afternoon, we were overjoyed to hear of the release of Giuliana Sgrena. That joy was soon overshadowed by the death of Nicola Calipari, who died tragically while using his own body to protect Giuliana. Let us acknowledge today the courage and sense of duty that lost Nicola Calipari his life in carrying out that duty.
In tribute to him, I would like today to join with the Italian authorities, in particular Presidents Ciampi and Berlusconi, who have called on the United States authorities to clarify fully the dramatic circumstances in which Nicola Calipari died. As in other similar circumstances, we must know how and why these tragic events have taken place.
This morning the whole of Italy paid a posthumous tribute. I would like our Parliament to join the Italian people in their acknowledgement and, on behalf of all of you, to communicate our solidarity and friendship to his family at this painful time.
Today, Giuliana is back amongst us and enjoying freedom, but we must continue our efforts to achieve the release of Florence Aubenas and her interpreter and guide, Hussein Hanun Al-Saadi. They are still being held captive, held by people who reject the right to information and, therefore, democracy.
As from today, pictures of them will be displayed at the entrance to our Chamber. They are a visual demonstration of our solidarity. The European Parliament wants them to return to their friends and families as soon as possible.
In these circumstances, the European Parliament must once again state that there can be no democracy without freedom of information and that the security of journalists must be protected in every part of the world. We must take every possible measure to ensure that the media can carry out their duties, particularly in regions where there is armed conflict, including Iraq."@en1
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