Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-06-22-Speech-3-087"
Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
---|---|
rdf:type | |
dcterms:Date | |
dcterms:Is Part Of | |
dcterms:Language | |
lpv:document identification number |
"en.20050622.13.3-087"2
|
lpv:hasSubsequent | |
lpv:speaker | |
lpv:spoken text |
"Mr President, I would like to make three points. The first point is that we should not blame Luxembourg; quite the contrary: it did an excellent job with the presidency and showed what small countries can do while running presidencies in general. The speech today from Jean-Claude Juncker was one of the best that we have heard in this House for many years.
Secondly, we need a positive vision. I am sick and tired of listening to everyone blaming everyone, coming up with scapegoats. The two worst scapegoats that I have heard so far are firstly enlargement and secondly the liberalisation of markets. I do not think the results of the two referenda or the European Council should mean that we close the borders of Europe and stop competitiveness. Quite the contrary: the best thing that has happened to us in the past ten years are the last two rounds of enlargement. We must avoid protectionism and we must avoid nationalism.
The third and final point that I wanted to make is that in Europe we now have a leadership vacuum. It is clear that France and Germany are no longer the engine of Europe. Someone needs to come and pick up the pieces and drive things forward. In the media it seems that Tony Blair would be the person. If Tony Blair is the person, he needs to do two things. Firstly, he needs to argue for more, not less Europe. Secondly, he needs to combine this with economic reform. If he can do this he can grab the leadership vacuum, but unfortunately what we have seen and heard from Tony Blair when he has tried to get into the heart of Europe in the past is something that can be called ‘NATO’: ‘no action, talk only’."@en1
|
lpv:spokenAs | |
lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples