Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-10-27-Speech-3-011"
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"en.20041027.3.3-011"2
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".
Mr President, the Group of the Party of European Socialists has concerns about the Dutch Presidency. We are afraid that you are pushing Europe further and further into the conservative corner, and thus actually exchanging the Lisbon agenda for a right-wing agenda. This means harder work and longer hours for the same pay, instead of entering into global competition by maintaining protection, by means of more intelligent manufacturing, by investing more in people and in knowledge networks, and also creating scope for this in public funds; thus revealing social Europe. It is no wonder that Queen Beatrix said yesterday in this House that Europe has a regrettable lack of enthusiasm.
We are also concerned that you are found wanting at critical junctures in the political drama set to reach its climax here this morning. Whilst Heads of State or Government such as Mr Verhofstadt of Belgium and Mr Persson of Sweden are adamant that they would not want the likes of Mr Buttiglione either in their own or the European administration, you refuse to give the President of the Barroso Commission a signal to indicate that he must back down and meet the manifest wish of a majority in the European Parliament. What is more, the Dutch minister Mr Bot even says that he is squarely behind Mr Buttiglione. You are very free with your opinions on tax reductions and economising; yet lacking as a Presidency when it comes to the utterances of the Commissioner-Designate who constitutes a threat to European values: the values that you yourselves advocate so fervently.
At a time when citizens seem to be seized with political passion, the Dutch Presidency is found wanting; yesterday morning it was even physically missing. However good the Dutch Presidency’s technical ability, it is politically divided and is thus becoming a sickly figure. Europe deserves something better, more socially focused, stronger and above all more democratic. We challenge you, the Dutch Presidency, to develop your profile and political face. European citizens are entitled to this, beginning with a clear statement from the Council asking that Mr Barroso meet the demands of the European Parliament; or is your talk of a strong European Parliament really just for show? The choice is yours."@en1
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