Author: pmadmin

Allow me to start my speech with recalling the words of the German Pastor Martin Niemöller who was opposing the Nazis’ Aryan Paragraph and the Nazis’ state control of the churches for which he was taken into Dachau concentration camp. He survived the war and became a vocal pacifist and anti-war activist and campaigner of the nuclear disarmament.

He said the following:

“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—

Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”

Although, there is no war in Europe at the moment, and hopefully we will never see those days coming back, there are signs of reminiscence of that era. Yet, solidarity, mutual understanding and compassion is diminishing. Fear, anger and hatred is spreading instead.

We must all stand up against it until we can. Furthermore, since the second world was Europe and particularly the EU has been a guarantee of human rights and a forerunner on anti-discrimination and equal treatment, regardless of race, religion of sexual orientation. Even in its weakened position the European Social Model, the welfare system of the member states has been able to move forward the cause of equal access to all services, while much work still remains to be done.

More specifically, the integration and help of vulnerable groups from various backgrounds however has been taking a particularly worrying trend recently. We are amongst the wealthiest nations on Earth and we are capable of helping them financially, socially and emotionally. However, there are countries which are simply not willing to participate, to share solidarity either on European level or on national level.

For example my own country Hungary is not willing to follow the European model of integrating asylum seekers. The number of voluntarily integrated asylum seekers is zero. There is a nationwide campaign against the so called “forced colonization” of migrants organized by Brussels. The campaign and the referendum on the subject altogether cost much more for the taxpayers and the country than the integration of the approximately 1300 refugees Hungary supposed to accept.

It is clear that the government would be able to finance the refugees, but they rather play the Anti-Brussels and the Anti-refugee cards.

In the meanwhile the Government breaks the internal social contract as well. They silently but strongly incite hatred against those Hungarians who have been living in Hungary for at least 600 years: the Roma. The government is two faced in its relations with the Jewish communities as well. On one hand they acknowledge the loss of the Hungarian Jews on the other they deny the role of the governments and the citizens played in their discrimination and their ghettoization and extermination.

In order to stop the spreading of such thinking we should fight all kinds of discrimination together.

We must not allow people to believe that simplified answers exist for the problems of today’s society and the future of Europe cannot be the culture of isolation. Isolation from refugees, from Roma, from non-Christians and from those who migrate from one EU country to another in searching for a better life or decent work. Europe has been the melting pot of different cultures and different habits since the very beginning of its history. Diversity is the driving force that makes Europe not only survive struggles but also serves as the engine of development.

Solidarity between people facing different forms of exclusion is essential: Roma and asylum seekers, members of different religions, workers and unemployed people must act together. Any type of discrimination aims nothing else but to find those tiny disparities between these groups that can create misunderstanding, jealousy and even hate. What really threatens European culture is not Roma, refugees, LBTQIA people or different religions, but exactly this kind of thinking.

To have the Europe we want we all need to work together in order to secure peace and prosperity. I wish you a fruitful discussion during the event.

Dowload  Risk and respons in EU nuclear projects_flyer

Watch the video of the event

8:15- Welcome coffee served inside the room

8:30- 8:40 Opening

Victor Bostinaru, Vice-President of the S&D Group for Foreign Affairs

8:40-9:00 Introduction and state of play

Benedek Javor, MEP

Contribution from MEPs Jo Leienen and Dan Nica

9:10-9:40 Financing

*Financial viavility of nuclear, recent changes

Stephen Thomas, Emeritus Professor of Energy Policy, Business School University of Greenwich

*Financing of Paks II and financing concerns with Fennovoima

András Perger, Greenpeace

*Moderator: Victor Bostinaru, Vice-President of the S&D Group for Foreign Affairs

9:50-10:30 Impact on the environments and safety concerns

* Nuclear safety and waste management

Marin Constantin, senior researcher ICN Pitesti, chief editor, Journal of Nuclear Research and Development

*Russian nuclear boomerag to Europe,  Safety concerns, Leningradskaja 2

Oleg Bodrov, physicist, ecologist, expert of the International NGO Decommission Network

*Risks of incidents, analysis based on the EIA of Paks II

Oda Becker, a physicist and independent expert on nuclear plants

Moderator: Heidi Hautala, Vice-Chair of the Greens/EFA

10:30-10:50 Exchange of Views with the European Commission

10:50-11:00 Q&A, Concluding remarks

MEPs Victor Bostinaru, Benedek Jávor

(click on links to see the presentations of the speakers)

MEPs in Strasbourg vote 338 to 319 in favour of moratorium on hydraulic fracturing for shale until is proven safe – but vote will have no practical effect

A majority of MEPs supported a moratorium on fracking for shale gas for the first time on Wednesday, in a symbolic vote that may nonetheless signal uncertainty ahead for the European Commission and industry.

The report containing the amendment vote was not adopted and the result will have no practical effect. But anti-shale parliamentarians say that they have put the issue back on the agenda and now plan to push for a more consequential vote on the issue.

“We have sent a clear political message to the Commission and shown that there is a majority in parliament for further steps and actions, which may now be expected,” the Green MEP, Benedek Javor, told the Guardian.

A new fracking ban text could now be introduced in another text which, if passed, would trigger formal debates at the European Commission and among heads of state, he said.

Javor was a co-sponsor of the amendment, along with the Socialist MEP, Miroslav Poche. Its outcome may cause queasiness in Brussels. Last year, the Commission largely opted out of shale gas regulation after UK lobbying, while the vaunted “shale gas revolution” in Europe is currently viewed as a “dud” by analysts.

Shale companies are expected to get a fresh €15m handout from the EU for environmental impact studies, according to documents seen by the Guardian. While that money is unlikely to affect shale prospects in Europe, regulatory uncertainty might.

Today’s amendment, which was passed by 338 votes to 319, called for a halt to the authorisation of new shale explorations and drills “until this is proven safe for the environment citizens and workers”.

Its umbrella report is thought to have fallen because Greens and far left groups joined pro-fracking conservatives in voting it down, due to another inserted amendment supporting public funds for nuclear energy.

Theresa Griffin MEP, Labour’s European spokeswoman on energy, said: “It is hugely disappointing that the Tories have, once again, aligned with Ukip to vote down a very important report on energy security, which included support for renewable energy and energy efficiency.

“Labour MEPs want to make sure the UK’s energy security is reinforced by reducing our dependency on fossil fuel imports and developing renewable technologies. We are pro-business and pro-environment and know it is crucial to boost investment in renewable energy across Europe.

Even so, Geert de Cock, the director of the environmental group Food and Water Europe, said that it showed that Europe’s political winds were turning. “We consider this vote a milestone for the European anti-fracking movement and a clear indicator that the public acceptance for this industry is crumbling across the EU,” he said.

UKOOG, the representative body for the UK onshore oil and gas industry, said: “We are confident that our industry has already been proven to be safe and, therefore, fail to see any justification for a moratorium.”

In another confusing week for MEP’s at Strasbourg, a key vote on the TTIP trade talks planned for today was cancelled, ostensibly due to a huge number of amendments that had been added to the resolution.

The Plaid Cymru MEP Jill Evans claimed that the delay was merely intended to fend off internal divisions among centre-right political groups which were coming under public pressure.