Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-02-03-Speech-2-436"
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"en.20090203.23.2-436"2
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"(
) A debate at European level on the situation of various minority groups is very welcome. A common view of the rights and obligations that should apply to national, ethnic or linguistic minorities, immigrants and stateless persons would benefit these groups and the whole of the Union in many ways. Nearly a tenth of EU citizens currently belong to a national, linguistic or ethnic minority. Some, like myself, as a Swedish-speaking Finn, are treated well. Others are discriminated against or disavowed. It is important for the historical national minorities to be able to see themselves as full members of the Union. The EU needs the support of its minorities and must not neglect to give them the opportunity to participate actively in decision making and the work of ensuring a safe and harmonious common future.
It is clear that the same rules cannot apply to national minorities as apply, for example, to immigrant minorities. Immigrants require special support to help them integrate into their new homelands. Stateless people are a separate issue and should be encouraged, using all means available, to apply for citizenship in their host country.
The EU also needs a common view on minority issues in order to be able to defend itself and its Member States against outside pressures and provocations, where minority rights are used as weapons to sow division and create confusion. Russia’s involvement and propaganda in Estonia and Latvia, for example, is a cautionary example. We must not put weapons in the hands of those who want to harm us.
Europe needs a representative minority forum that would act as an advisory body on issues dealt with by the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. It would also be important for this parliamentary committee to be given explicit responsibility for issues relating to minorities. This Parliament should approve a statement on the rights of minorities.
Finally, I would like to ask a specific question: is the Commission prepared to take responsibility for initiating a European debate on minorities and is it prepared to actively promote the fair treatment of the Union’s minorities and not simply linguistic diversity, which is often used as a way of ignoring the minority groups. (
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