Strasbourg 22/09/10

Speaking during the European Parliament debate this morning on the conclusions of the last European Council, French GUE/NGL MEP Patrick Le Hyaric said:

"One of the main issues the media highlighted at the last European Council was the sinister controversy nurtured by the French President against the Commission to defend the manhunt organised in France against a part of the European population, the Roma.

In the name of universal values, of human rights, the French government, but also other governments, must immediately cease this stigmatisation and these intolerable expulsions.

What kind of initiative do you intend taking to bring the Roma people out of poverty and misery? This is the fundamental question.

This policy against migrants is breaking the moral and political influence that Europe could have in the world.

I hasten to add that anti-European populism undermines policy, fires xenophobia, nationalism and fundamentalism and feeds what Berthold Brecht once called "the unacceptable beast".

And at the European Council you produced once again conclusions which are highly unfavourable to ordinary people and to the very European ideal itself. For example:

At a time when neo-liberalism has driven the world into crisis, you decided, and I quote, 'to permit ambitious free trade agreements'. You decided to accelerate the building of the transatlantic market, i.e. the alignment of our standards with those of the United States, and greater involvement in NATO. Mr President, free trade, submission to the United States and the militarisation that you propose, will result in Europe smashing into pieces.

In the field of foreign policy, you refer to the project, I quote 'of clear strategic guidelines'. What does this involve exactly?

Should good foreign policy not consist of combating poverty, famine, cancelling debt, promoting food sovereignty, disarmament and peace and taking vigorous action to make a success of the Cancun Summit on climate?

Why then, while your text shows that we are the leading trading zone, do you not initiate a process of taxation on financial transactions? What do you intend to do, other than this sweet-sounding text, to make the talks between Israel and Palestine succeed and be active in these talks. I note that you speak neither about the borders of 1967, nor of Jerusalem East as a capital, and that you are incredibly indulgent on colonisation ".

Beyond the controversies, people must know exactly that the contents of your conclusions are contrary to their interests."

GUE/NGL PRESS CONTACTS:
Gianfranco Battistini + 32 475 64 66 28
David Lundy + 32 485 50 58 12
Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20
Sonja Giese + 32 486 94 50 21
www.guengl.eu