Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-09-03-Speech-1-082"
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"en.20070903.16.1-082"2
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"Ladies and gentlemen, a debate concerning such an important subject is bound to touch on other topics that are directly or indirectly related.
Allow me to make a few general comments on European solidarity, on the Solidarity Fund and on some events that may provide lessons for the future.
In 2002 I had the experience of leading a country that was struck by terrible floods, together with the Federal Republic of Germany and Austria. It was the scale of that disaster that provided the incentive for the creation of the Solidarity Fund. The disaster occurred in August and the first payments were received by the Czech Republic the following January. I can say without hesitation that it was incredibly fast: starting from zero, formulating a political concept, setting up the structure and putting the aid into practice. That aid was significant and it was very much appreciated in our country.
I have been aware ever since of the importance of solidarity, not just on financial terms, but also in general. I will never forget those Danish and French fire-fighters and the many people from all other parts of Europe who played their part in helping us to cope with that disaster.
My experience made me realise that no matter how well organised a country may be, there will always be disasters that go beyond its own borders. No country can permanently maintain the level of resources necessary to cope with such extreme situations. I therefore believe that it is right to strive to find ways and means that allow us to act in such situations in a coordinated manner at EU level. This is absolutely crucial. The concrete form it will take may still be open to discussion. What is evident, however, is that the capability to react and mobilise all of the possible resources at EU level or through the EU is enormously important and is still insufficient at present. There has been little mention of the fact that Bulgaria did not receive any assistance. The capacity was simply exhausted. There was no hidden deliberation: there were just no aircraft; there was not enough trained personnel.
As regards the aid to Greece specifically, it is now clear that the assistance is ready. It will be implemented at the request of the Greek Government. In any case, all of the Commission bodies will make every effort to ensure that the aid is implemented as quickly and as effectively as possible.
Allow me now to reiterate briefly what I said in my opening statement. We should consider the Solidarity Fund, which since its establishment has already been mobilised in at least 20 or 30 cases. It was created in the aftermath of the floods. It has intervened or helped in cases of devastating hurricanes, such as Hurricanes Gudrun and Kyril. It will now be used to provide assistance in relation to these devastating forest fires. Such are the possibilities of the Structural Funds, which can be restructured as a result of new experiences and new needs, and we are prepared to do just that, galvanised, among other things, by Commissioner Hübner’s visit to Greece. Another important lesson I have learnt is that personal experience of such disasters is worth a multitude of television documentaries.
Ladies and gentlemen, in our present debate we have touched upon the problems of climate change, prevention, flood prevention, the environmental protection strategy, urban planning and development, and many others. All these matters are undoubtedly interconnected. That is why it is so important to look for answers at a European level, which is, after all, what we are doing here.
Ladies and gentlemen, let me conclude my speech with a few simple words. Solidarity is necessary, and when you experience it, you feel, even in very difficult situations, that you are much stronger than you ever expected. Thank you."@en1
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