Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-05-05-Speech-2-235"
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"en.20090505.22.2-235"2
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"Madam President, I think this will be my last appearance here in front of this Parliament so I think it is the right moment to thank you. I would like to start with that because it has been a unique experience for me. Occasionally we have had some differences of view but I think in general my experience is that it was worthwhile working here. Despite all the problems at home, as well as in Europe, in facing the current crisis, we have achieved results. I am leaving early and you are also leaving early because you are going to campaign. The Presidency will meet with you here at the end of June. Some of the people may be different but the work continues. Once again let me thank you for the work we did together in the last couple of months, with you as the co-legislators. I think we did a good job.
Now I would leave you with my personal testament. We are talking about who is going to be the good leader, and I have no doubt that this gentleman is the real leader of the European Commission. If you want Vondra’s private recommendation – and I am a private man and just an ordinary Senator as from next Monday, looking forward to a trip to France because I have just read that the average time for sleeping in France is nine hours a day and I have been sleeping just two to three hours a day over the last months – I think that this is the man to lead us for the next five years.
I am leaving but the Presidency continues. A new government in Prague should take office in the afternoon of Friday 8 May after the last big Southern Corridor meeting ends. I have no doubt that it will contribute to a successful conclusion of the Czech Presidency. Today I had the opportunity to spend an hour with Mr Jan Fischer, who will be taking command. He is a committed European and a man who understands what it is all about. He will be ready to meet President Barroso on Tuesday in Brussels, during his first visit to the capital, and will be working hard until the end of June. I have no reason to doubt that the European Council in June will be held on time as planned and that the agenda will be professionally prepared.
On the Senate, many of you were talking about tomorrow’s vote. The Senate is sovereign and I cannot determine the outcome of the vote, but we have worked hard and I am pretty sure that there is no reason for concern. This also goes for the Presidency work regarding one of the most important outcomes of the June Council, namely the text of the declaration for Ireland. It will be prepared.
On the question of whether we are talking with the others, the answer is ‘yes’, but we do not want to exert any pressure. I am not calling on the German Constitutional Court. Of course, it is sovereign but we all believe that the outcome of the game will be positive.
Many of you talked about employment. In the context of the current economic crisis, this is the most important challenge for all of us. Jean-Claude Juncker talked about this on Monday – yesterday – before the Ecofin meeting started in the Eurogroup. We and the Commission have been working hard since the beginning of this year and we will be talking about this later here today. I would like to underline the meeting which will be held in Prague in the presence of the Czech Prime Minister, the President of the Commission and the social partners, as well as the two upcoming Presidencies – Sweden and Spain – to discuss measures and recommendations. The intention is clearly to prepare professionally for the June Council and the measures which can be taken, both at national and Community level, regarding the employment situation.
To Mr Rasmussen, I would say that it was José Manuel Barroso who assumed the leadership and encouraged engagement in discussion at a time when many politicians preferred rather to fix problems at home because it is a serious challenge.
I would not mix the Eastern Partnership with the challenges of employment. That is a strategic mission to promote stability, well-being and prosperity in our eastern neighbourhood. It has problems but we need to extend a helping hand and offer them help to fix those problems.
Going back to the June Council, many of you were talking about the future Commission. I said clearly that we, as the Presidency, will consult the European Parliament immediately after the elections. We have to wait for the result of the elections of course, but we will immediately engage in the consultation and can do this in the spirit, not in the letter, of the Lisbon Treaty."@en1
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