Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-03-15-Speech-3-046"
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"en.20000315.2.3-046"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I read the Ludford report with great interest and I would like to compliment the rapporteur on her remarks on Austria and the Austrian situation. However, I would stress that these remarks are out of place in a report on human rights. When we hold a debate on Austria, when we draw up a document on the Austrian situation – if Parliament judges it appropriate so to do – then we might even be able to give Baroness Ludford the task of drawing up a document which we will debate together. These remarks have no place in a document on human rights, as they should not be using up the time allocated to the Baroness’s report, and so they have acquired the bitter taste of political exploitation of a very serious issue such as human rights.
I would like to say something else on the subject of this report, regarding the right of Europeans to their own identity. Throughout the document, the identity of Europeans, of the European nations, is not once referred to in a positive sense but always as a possible framework for xenophobia and racism. I am a practising Christian who is sure of his beliefs: now, is this a reason to accuse me of xenophobia? On the contrary, xenophobia is more likely to be caused by a decline in religious convictions. Religion
is a factor which promotes fraternity. I am a staunch Italian patriot, so, according to paragraph O of this document, I could be accused of xenophobia. This seems to me to be indicative of a cultural attitude which encourages xenophobia, for it encourages fear of globalisation, which prompts many local communities to become inward-looking and refuse dialogue, dialogue which takes identity into account.
We must make it clear that Europe does have a cultural identity, based on our Greek and Judo-Christian heritages and on enlightenment, which enters freely into dialogue with other identities. A multicultural Europe which does not include European culture would lead to disaster and its decline. This is not a not a question of black or white cultures: there is no connection between colour and culture. Culture is based on values, not colour.
There are many issues related to xenophobia and racism, but these must be dealt with by the local communities. It is not our place to define labour market quotas, or police or any other labour market quotas, and if we were to do so we would hinder integration, not encourage it.
Lastly, are we really of the opinion that all those who are not in favour of completely uncontrolled immigration are racist? And do we really think that the Constitutions of all of our nations are racist because their criteria are different from those espoused by Baroness Ludford? These aspects of the report need to be evaluated carefully and many of them changed, or we will find it hard to obtain a general consensus in this Chamber."@en1
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