Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-01-17-Speech-1-032-000"
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"en.20110117.11.1-032-000"2
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"Mr President, the recent popular uprising in Tunisia is unprecedented in the modern history of the country. On 17 December 2010, a young university graduate set himself on fire out of sheer desperation after police seized the fruit and vegetables that he was selling for a living. Less than a month later, nationwide protests have brought about the definitive departure of President Ben Ali.
The European Neighbourhood Policy is based on essential values shared by the European Union and its partners: democracy, human rights and an open market economy, with a view to building together a shared area of democracy, stability and prosperity. The Commission has always stressed that these values were an essential component of our neighbourhood policy, towards both our southern and our eastern neighbours.
With its strong middle class, high level of education, closeness to Europe and overall moderation, Tunisia is well placed to take the leap towards democracy that people have now asked for with such force and courage, and I think everyone should agree that the European Union also has a strong interest in a democratic, prosperous and stable Tunisia. We have a long-standing and robust relationship with Tunisia and close links between our peoples and our business communities. It is my ambition, and that of the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, that we should now strengthen our bilateral relations on the basis of new commitments by our partners on governance, respect for the rule of law and for fundamental freedoms, and economic and social reforms.
We will do our utmost to help the Tunisian people to turn their aspirations into reality.
The European Union has condemned the violence of the repression during the last days of the regime. As I speak, the security situation remains precarious. Looting and violence are still being reported. Tunisia remains in a very delicate phase, although the first news about the formation of a national unity government is just coming in.
Despite some uncertainty, the message of the Tunisian people is loud and clear: Tunisia wants to be a stable democracy that fully respects fundamental rights and freedoms. It wants free and fair, inclusive elections. The people want to write a new page in their history and we want to support them in that endeavour. Respect for the Constitution and the steps being taken, as we speak, to bring together a national solidarity government, are moves in the right direction.
Of course, this is only a start. The European Union has never ceased to remind Tunisia of its international obligations in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Ever since the start of my term of office – since my hearing before this House in fact – I have repeated that enhanced status clearly means enhanced commitments in all areas of our relationship, including fundamental freedoms and human rights.
I have stressed in all meetings with the Tunisian authorities, on behalf of the European Commission, that they had to deliver on their democratic and human rights commitments. At the very first session of negotiations on the action plan for
I insisted personally, in an unprecedented and extremely clear way, that any use of the new Article 61a of the Penal Code would be seen by us as incompatible with
and with our shared values.
And, by the way, if there were still sceptics on both sides who thought that these values were shared only in theory, they should listen again and again to the voice of the Tunisian street over the last days and weeks. What was this if not a solemn demand for democracy and for more economic justice?
As Catherine Ashton and I stated this morning, the European Union stands ready to support a truly inclusive electoral process with appropriate guarantees. We hope its modalities can be announced as soon as possible, once the government of national unity has been shaped and starts its work. We are ready to provide immediate assistance in preparing and organising the electoral process, as well as lasting support for a genuine democratic transition.
We are also working on a broader package to assist – as soon as the situation stabilises – with, inter alia, economic development, close attention to the social problems faced by Tunisia’s youth, and consolidating the rule of law and the judiciary.
We will, of course, continue consulting closely with this House and with the Member States on this process."@en1
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