Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-03-10-Speech-4-078-000"
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"en.20110310.5.4-078-000"2
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"Mr President, this was a natural disaster which had terrible consequences for many people. However, if we compare it with the floods and the simultaneous hurricane in Australia or with the earthquake in Christchurch in New Zealand, we all escaped unharmed. Safety had absolute priority, and rightly so. Commissioner Kallas made the right decision in agreement with the EU transport ministers in the Member States.
I cannot understand the criticism directed at the airlines. They clearly suffered a loss – a figure of 2 billion was mentioned. However, it is wrong to lay the responsibility as to whether or not flights go ahead at the feet of the airlines. That decision must be made at a political level. Safety must be given top priority. Imagine if an aeroplane had crashed as a result of the volcanic ash. We would have had a completely different debate, namely, how irresponsible it was to even allow one aeroplane to take off.
We need a plan B, as has quite rightly been said, and the rail system is the alternative. As a result of their exemption from fuel tax, airlines receive EUR 30 billion per year from European taxpayers. This money must be invested in the rail system, at least in parts of it, so that we have an alternative in the event of this sort of disaster.
Safety first – that is what people are calling for, and rightly so. It must also be the case in the future, too."@en1
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