Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-10-08-Speech-4-011"
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"en.20091008.5.4-011"2
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"Mr President, Presidents, ladies and gentlemen, if I have asked to take the floor on behalf of the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) in this debate on freedom of the press in Italy, it is first and foremost to denounce the unfortunate use of this European Parliament to debate national issues. It is also to denounce an unfair and dishonest attack on the government of a European Member State in which the rule of law is applied as rigorously as it is in the rest of Europe.
On the first point, I will refer to the President of the Italian Republic, who I already quoted yesterday and who voiced his opinion last week: ‘The European Parliament’ – I quote – ‘cannot be a sounding board for the political conflicts and controversies that are a matter of course within the Member States and their national parliaments.’ I quote the President of the Italian Republic further: ‘Nor can the European Parliament be a kind of court of appeal that rules on the decisions of the national parliaments or on the behaviour of the national governments.’ I do not mean to offend President Napolitano, who is a friend, when I say that he does not toe the same political line as Prime Minister Berlusconi or myself or the group that I represent.
Please respect my freedom of speech, Mr Schulz! This morning, I would like respect to be shown for freedom of speech and freedom of the press alike!
We know who the troublemakers are. It does not bother me. I am not annoyed. Mr President. All I am asking is that you let me speak. This is not the way to have a debate.
However, these words express, in no uncertain terms, the respect that should be shown for our democratic institutions, be they national or European. The fact is, the debate that we are holding this morning has absolutely nothing to do with the reason why the European Parliament exists. Indeed, what is it about? Are Italian politicians prevented from organising a debate on freedom of the press or on any other subject in their own national parliaments? I think not. Are Italian citizens prevented from voicing their disapproval of any given law? No. Are the Italian courts prevented from enforcing the law? No, as we have clearly seen. Is the European Court of Justice incapable of punishing an Italian law that is at odds with the European treaties? No. The answer to all of these questions is clearly no.
Under these circumstances, the debate that has been organised in this House is nothing other than a petty political and partisan scheme to upset a political opponent. No matter what some of our fellow Members may claim, the Italian Republic functions as it should in Europe, democratically and in accordance with the rule of law. To claim the opposite is to ignore the reality of matters; no one is fooled by that.
The role of the European Parliament, ladies and gentlemen, is not to become a chamber for settling the scores of national political rivals. This Chamber is not the right place for trying to undermine the credibility of a government which, I would add, is politically accountable to its own citizens. This is why we have elections. Thank you for your attention."@en1
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"(Exclamation by Mr Schulz)"1
"(Interruption by Mr Schulz)"1
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