Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-01-14-Speech-2-158"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2003-01-14"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Work programme of the Greek Presidency2
dcterms:Language	"de"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20030114.5.2-158"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2003-01-14-Speech-2-1592
lpv:speaker	lp:Hannes Swoboda2
lpv:spokenAs	unknown; Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 vice-chair; Delegation for relations with the countries of south-east Europe (2002-02-07--2004-07-19)3 member; Delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council (2002-02-07--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee (2002-03-07--2004-07-19)3 vice-chair; PES (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, Mr President of the Commission, it is only right that much should have been said about Iraq, which is very much a live issue. I would nonetheless like to touch upon a topic that is not a live issue – at any rate, not at the moment – by which I mean the situation in the Balkans. You have announced a sort of Integration Summit in Saloniki, with the intention of opening up for the Balkan countries the road that leads to the European Union, and I regard that as highly meritorious, although we must not be deluded. Even today, there are manifestations of crisis, and there has been a recent recurrence of gunfights in Sandzak. We know that neither the situation in Yugoslavia – now Serbia and Montenegro – nor that in Kosovo have really been resolved to the satisfaction of all parties. This leads me to see it as important that the Greek Presidency, and of course the EU as a whole, should send out signals to the Balkan countries to the effect that a way is open for them to join the European Union, a difficult and lengthy way though it may be. We must be guided by the need for adaptation of the mechanisms for encouragement and support. There is a great difference between what we are currently giving to these poorest of poor countries and what we gave to the countries that are about to join us, so these instruments need to be adapted. The next, post-2004, Commission will have to give consideration to how to allocate responsibilities for the Balkans within itself. If, though, unmistakeable signals go out from Saloniki, even the Commission will be able to adapt itself as necessary. There is also a need for annual progress reports. These countries need to know when they are moving closer to the European Union, when stagnation is setting in, and when, indeed, their progress is being set back. All the forces in these regions need to know that the chance of moving closer to the European Union is there, but that we will monitor, very closely and country by country, whether real use has been made of these opportunities. Mr President of the Council, I believe that, one day in the distant future, Saloniki may well mean for this region what Copenhagen – by which I mean the 1993 Copenhagen Council – meant for the present candidate countries. Let the signal you send out be a bold one, one that is readily understood, and one that also awakens a sense of responsibility in these countries."@en1

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