XL - Eiropas Parlaments - Europa

114 16-02-2011
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Štefan Füle, Member of the Commission. − Mr President, I should like to thank the honourable Members for their valuable
comments and questions. I have very much appreciated today the opportunity to exchange views on the events in Egypt
and on the best response to them. I have heard a lot of constructive remarks and proposals and I will pass on your
messages to the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
We will reflect together on how best to address these issues and we will keep them high on the priority list as our response
to Egypt develops. Let me assure you that, through the ongoing review process, we will address comprehensively both
important elements: firstly the transition and reform needs of the countries concerned, but also, secondly, the strategic
reflection of these tremendous and historic transformations in our neighbourhood area and our neighbourhood policy. This
House has an important role to play to play in that.
The Egyptians have proven their ability to take their future into their own hands. They ask for democracy, they ask for
socio-economic reforms, and the European Union must be able to lend its full support to the democratic reform process.
As I have said, these are still early days, but the European Union is fully mobilised to listen and react to the demands
coming from the Egyptians themselves.
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Seán Kelly (PPE). – Mr President, I would like to compliment you on the way you handled catch-the-eye today. It was the
first time I have heard the names being called out in advance, when the number of speakers was limited, so that other
Members who would not be able to speak could go about their business. I did not ask to be included in catch-the-eye in
this debate, but I did note what you did and I hope other Presidents will emulate it.
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Πρόεδρος. – Η συζήτηση έληξε.
Γραπτές δηλώσεις (άρθρο 149)
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Mariya Nedelcheva (PPE), par écrit. – Les autorités égyptiennes ont projeté de faire réviser la constitution du pays. Un
groupe de juristes a été mis sur le coup et disposera de 10 jours pour mettre sur la table des propositions de modification.
C’est une très bonne nouvelle. Les articles les plus controversés, notamment sur la non-limitation du nombre de mandats
présidentiels, sur les conditions restrictives de candidature à l’élection présidentielle, sur le mode de supervision des
élections ou encore sur la limitation des possibilités de recours après des élections législatives, devront être revus. La
transition démocratique est donc en cours. Mais la révision de la constitution n’est pas le seul chantier auquel il faut
s’atteler. Le bien-être économique ainsi que la cohésion sociale sont des conditions sine qua non à l’émancipation d’un
peuple et au bon fonctionnement d’un pays. De son côté, l’Union européenne ne peut rester sans rien faire face à ces
changements. Après avoir salué la transition démocratique, Mme Ashton devra revoir les accords de partenariats vers le
haut en remettant l’État de droit, la justice et la défense des droits de l’homme au centre des préoccupations. Ces valeurs
ne peuvent être jetées aux oubliettes sous prétexte d’une recherche de stabilité de nos relations.
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John Attard-Montalto (S&D), in writing. – It is essential to define the role of the EU in the turmoil taking place in many
Arab countries in general and Egypt in particular. The turmoil has taken everyone by surprise and it does not seem that any
contingency plan was made for such an eventuality, which is not localised but widespread. The socio-political base
provoking the changes in the Arab world is not dissimilar across those countries which are now in transition to what we
hope will be a democratic environment.
Baroness Ashton is on record as stating that the EU has a ‘democratic calling’ to listen to people who want change – and
we are witnessing a changing world because what will happen in the Arab countries will have an effect on political, social
and economic issues worldwide. One particularly important issue is that of security and stability, and there is no doubt that
the ‘democratic calling’ concerns countries mostly considered as being allied with others that currently have democratic
political systems. At this point, it is not known where the democratic transitional process will lead or what position will be
taken by the traditional democracies and especially the EU.
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13 - Ο νόμος για τα μέσα ενημέρωσης στην Ουγγαρία (συζήτηση)
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Πρόεδρος. – Το επόμενο σημείο στην ημερήσια διάταξη είναι η δήλωση της Επιτροπής σχετικά με το νόμο για τα μέσα
ενημέρωσης στην Ουγγαρία.
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Neelie Kroes, Vice-President of the Commission. − Mr President, I am pleased to inform you that, when the plane was
touching down this morning in Strasbourg, I got the good news that the Hungarian Prime Minister has agreed to amend the