Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-02-03-Speech-2-475"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2009-02-03"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Voting rights for non-citizens of Latvia in local elections (debate)2
dcterms:Language	"es"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20090203.24.2-475"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2009-02-03-Speech-2-4762
lpv:speaker	lp:David Hammerstein2
lpv:spokenAs	unknown; Los Verdes (2004-07-20--2009-07-13)3 substitute; AFET (2007-01-31--2009-07-13)3 member; ITRE (2007-01-31--2009-07-13)3 member; G/EFA (2004-07-20--2009-07-13)3 member; Delegation to the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (2004-09-15--2009-07-13)3 member; Delegation for relations with Israel (2007-03-14--2009-07-13)3 member; PETI (2007-01-31--2009-07-13)3 substitute; Delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council (2007-03-14--2009-07-13)3
lpv:translated text	"− Mr President, there is a Member State of the European Union that uses the concept of ‘non-citizens’ to designate hundreds of thousands of people living in that country. The vast majority were born in that country, work in that country but nevertheless are given the epithet ‘non-citizens’. This is an aberration in the European Union. This is an aberration because the European Union is based on the concept of non-discrimination, on the principle of equality, which today is being negated in that country: it is failing to recognise those people’s rights and is subjecting a group to historical discrimination purely on account of its ethnic origin. This is not acceptable. We have examined specific cases in the Committee on Petitions. The first case was that of a man who came and said ‘the first time I was able to vote was when I was studying in Germany. I was able to vote in German local elections, but in my own country I have not been able to vote because they do not recognise me. I do not have another passport. I do not have another country. I only have this country and I cannot vote.’ That is an aberration. We have dealt with another case in the Committee on Petitions concerning a man who has passed the language examinations in Latvia, who knows all the laws and who, nonetheless, is not granted citizenship because the state considers that – and I repeat what the Ambassador said to us – ‘this man is not loyal to the state’. How is that possible? How is it possible that this situation affects 20-25% of the population of a member country of the European Union? We ask that people’s fundamental rights be respected and that everyone be made aware of the situation, given that some countries have joined the European Union without fulfilling the Copenhagen criteria. We also ask that pressure be exerted on the Commission since, up to now, the European Commission has only shown weakness and a total lack of interest or concern."@en1
lpv:videoURI	<go to Events_and_structure europarl>2

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