[fse-esf] Calling Our Portugese ESF Companieros!

[CymruEuropaPress]

Portugese Companieros!   
There was Zero coverage of the "biggest demonstration seen in Portugal for 20 years" around the 18th-19th October EU Summit in the Corporate or non-Corporate Media over here.
Please could you let us know what happened? Who called the demonstration? What were the demands of the demonstrators?

We now have an ESF Webteam (webteam2008 at fse-esf.org) and one of our aims is to  build an All-European Newsline/ ESF Activist based 'Alternative Media' connected to the ESF Website ( www.fse-esf.org ).
To begin with- the activities of the ESF Networks are begining to become visible  on the website(have a look) -but in the mean time big 'European Action' Reports  could be sent to this ESF E-list no?
Hoping to see you all in the EPA in Istanbul.
Cyberspace Magic for ever! Viva !
Merlin xx

"Moreover, if members of the European Council had opened the windows of their conference hall on 18 October, they could have measured the force of this disaffection first hand as it was expressed in the streets of Lisbon by the biggest demonstration seen in Portugal for 20 years. I'm sure that Mr Socrates and Mr Barroso will not deny this".
  
 Francis Wurtz
 After the Lisbon Summit
 EP - Strasbourg
 23/10/2007
  
 Mr President,
  
 
 Speaking about Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, General de Gaulle said: "his problem is the people". The same could apply rather well today to the European Council! 
  
 In terms of haggling at the Summit, the 27 once again proved themselves quite creative. An inventory of the favours made to the most obstinate is worth a mention. It was at this price that agreement was reached between all of them: from the heirs of the "founding fathers" of the Community to the most inveterate Euro-sceptics. 
  
 In the end, there are only two or three issues which seem untouchable - and, what's more, no one in the European Council even dreamt of touching them.
  
 This, for example, is the restrictive framework that the Union's economic and social policies must imperatively fit:
 "an open market economy in which competition is free";
 the aims of the ECB;
 the rules of the Stability Pact;
 strict respect for the free movement of capital;
 the  gradual suppression of everything that "investors" consider to be "barriers" to trade;
  
 Or even the concentration of essential powers in institutions that are inaccessible to citizens, to national parliaments and even to governments themselves - in particular in those countries which carry less weight; 
  
 Or, yet again, the space occupied by military policies in the Union's external policies... 
  
 These are the "red lines" - as we say in English - that cannot be crossed, according to the Union's leaders.
  
 The problem is that it is precisely on these issues that the main questions or criticisms are being made by our respective peoples.
  
 And it is the persistent absence of responses to these questions and the repeated refusal to listen to these criticisms that is fuelling the crisis of confidence that the Union is suffering in the eyes of our fellow-citizens. 
             
 Moreover, if members of the European Council had opened the windows of their conference hall on 18 October, they could have measured the force of this disaffection first hand as it was expressed in the streets of Lisbon by the biggest demonstration seen in Portugal for 20 years. I'm sure that Mr Socrates and Mr Barroso will not deny this.
  
 The supreme challenge (of the Union) - read in the Commission communication at the Lisbon Summit - is to explain to citizens what the EU represents for Europeans.
  
 We're forever "explaining", never "taking into account"! Always "communicating", never "debating"! And therefore, a fortiori, there will be no referendum!
             
 Yes, the problem of the European Council is the people. Except that without the people, there is no future for a more ambitious Europe.
             
 Does this question not deserve a frank debate one day? This is my question to you.
  
 Thank you
  
 GUE/NGL Press
 Gianfranco Battistini +32 475 64 66 28
 David Lundy +32 485 50 58 12
 www.guengl.eu

For Full EU Institutions coverage of Portugese Summit:
'Europe by Satelite'    http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/ebc/  


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