Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-09-03-Speech-1-065"

PredicateValue (sorted: default)
rdf:type
dcterms:Date
dcterms:Is Part Of
dcterms:Language
lpv:document identification number
"en.20070903.16.1-065"2
lpv:hasSubsequent
lpv:speaker
lpv:spokenAs
lpv:translated text
"Mr President, the huge numbers of fires that have ravaged Greece, many of which were caused by arson, in conjunction with high temperatures, prolonged drought and strong winds, have resulted in the loss of lives, destruction of houses and crops, and the loss of thousands of livestock. Fires have destroyed large areas of very beautiful forest, causing an unprecedented ecological disaster. One of the key principles on which the European Union is founded is that of solidarity. Solidarity has been pledged by many Member States, the Commission and other countries, and Greece is grateful to those who have taken swift action against a natural disaster arising from conditions beyond anything we could have imagined. However, if we want a quick and coordinated show of solidarity, and an effective one at that, we need to set up a Community mechanism for civil protection against natural disasters, especially when their severity completely exceeds all the capacity of local and national protection bodies. Amongst other things, the joint resolution proposes restructuring and new, flexible rules for the European Solidarity Fund, coordination of preventive action, and also effective help in combating natural disasters. There is strong support for the establishment of a special European civil protection force to be mobilised in such situations, and always, of course, as a supplement to national action, in accordance with the Barnier proposal. I should like to believe that a Community mechanism will be set up soon and that the Solidarity Fund will prove to be more effective in the management of disasters and disaster victims. We must not remain inactive again, and the European Union must not wait for the inevitable occurrence of another disaster in a Member State before returning to this question. Now is the time to act decisively; we must cast aside any small-minded, petty political approach to the issue of natural disasters and civil protection."@en1

Named graphs describing this resource:

1http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/rdf/English.ttl.gz
2http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/rdf/Events_and_structure.ttl.gz
3http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/rdf/spokenAs.ttl.gz

The resource appears as object in 2 triples

Context graph