Official Journal of the European Communities Debates of the European Parliament 1989-90 session. Report of proceedings from 25 to 28 July 1989

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ISSN 0378-5041
Annex Official Journal
of the
European Communities
No 2-379
English edition Debates of the European Parliament
1989-90 session
Report of proceedings
from 25 to 28 July 1989
Europe House, Strasbourg
General contents Sitting of Tuesday, 25 July 1989 \
Resumption of the session (first sitting of the newly elected Parliament), p. 1 —
Address by the Oldest Member, p. 2 — Election of President, p. 7 — Election of Vice-
Presidents, p. 13.
Sitting of Wednesday, 26 July 1989 14
Approval of the Minutes, p.4 — Address by the President, p. 15 — Agenda, p. 19 —
Meeting of the European Council in Madrid and term in office of the Spanish
Presidency, p. 20 — Election of Quaestors, p. 34 — Meeting of the European Council
in Madrid and term in office of the Spanish Presidency (continuation), p. 35 —
Commission statement, p. 58.
Sitting of Thursday, 27 July 1989 gi
Approval of the Minutes, p. 61 — Welcome, p. 62 — Programme of the French
Presidency — Measures to assist Hungary and Poland, p. 62 — Votes, p. 85 —
Programme of the French Presidency — Measures to assist Hungary and Poland
(continuation), p. 86.
Sitting of Friday, 28 July 1989 10
Consultations (Rule 136), p.1 — Adjournment of the session, p. 104. NOTE TO READER
Appearing at the same time as the English edition are editions in the eight other official
languages of the Communities : Spanish, Danish, German, Greek, French, Italian, Dutch and
Portuguese. The English edition contains the original texts of the interventions in English
and an English translation of those made in other languages. In these cases there are, after the
name of the speaker, the following letters, in brackets, to indicate the language spoken :
(ES) for Spanish, (DA) for Danish, (DE) for German, (GR) for Greek, (FR) for French,
(IT) for Italian, (NL) for Dutch and (PT) for Portuguese.
The original texts of these interventions appear in the edition published in the language
spoken.
Resolutions adopted at sittings of 25 to 28 July 1989 appear in the Official Journal of the
European Communities C 233, 11.9.1989. No 2-379/1 25.7.89 Debates of the European Parliament
SITTING OF TUESDAY 25 JULY 1989
Contents
1. Resumption of the session (first sitting of the Mr Langer, Mr Cot, Mr Klepsch, Mr Giscard
newly-elected Parliament) d'Estaing, Mr Prout, Mrs Mota Santos,
Mr Colajanni, Mr de la Malène, Mr Goll-
Mr Pannella
nisch, Mr Ephremidis, Mr Vandemeule-
broucke, Mr Delors (Commission), Mr 2. Address by the Oldest Member
Ch. Jackson, Mrs Green, Mrs Fernex, Mr El­
Mrs C. Jackson, Mr Dalsass liott 7
4. Election of Vice-Presidents 3. Election of President 13
IN THE CHAIR: MR AUTANT-LARA PRESIDENT. — Mr Pannella, we need half an hour to
print the voting slips. This is why 10.15 has been given
as the deadline for nominations. Oldest Member
I would also draw Members' attention to the fact that
(The sitting was opened at 10 a.m.)
their seats in the Chamber have only been allocated
provisionally.
All documents concerning the announcement of the 1. Resumption of the session (first sitting of the
election of Members will be forwarded to the Commit­newly-elected Parliament)
tee on the Rules of Procedure, the Verification of
Credentials and Immunities.
PRESIDENT. — I declare resumed the session of the
I would remind you that under Rule 6(3) of the Rules of
European Parliament adjourned on 26 May 1989.
Procedure until such time as the Members' credentials
have been verified or ruling has been given on a dispute, I would remind you that under the Rules of Procedure
the Members shall take a seat in Parliament and on its no debate con take place with the Oldest Member in the
bodies and shall enjoy all the rights attaching thereto. Chair.
I have received from Mr Andreotti, President of the
In accordance with our Rules of Procedure, we shall
Italian Government, the following message: elect our President this morning.
'The task entrusted to me of forming the Govern­
Under Rule 12 of the Rules of Procedure, the candidates
ment of the Italian Republic does not allow me to
for the President of Parliament must be nominated, with
take my seat as a Member of the European
their consent, by a political group or by at least
Parliament and means that I have to forego my
13 Members. I suggest that the deadline for the
nomination. I wish to express my pleasure at the
nomination of candidates for the first ballot for the
confidence placed in me by the electorate and at the
office of President should be 10.15 a.m. These
same time to give an undertaking in my new role to
nominations must be given to the Oldest Member. As
give greater importance to the functions of the
soon as these are known, I shall select four tellers by lot.
parliamentary institutions which are destined to play
a growing role in the process of European integ­
ration in line with the wishes expressed by the Italian PANNELLA (NI). — (FR) Mr President, it is five
people in the referendum which took place together
minutes past ten. I ask that the deadline be set at the end
with the elections to the European Parliament'.
of your speech or, if appropriate, at ten twenty.
(Applause)
Mr President, I am convinced that you will defend the
rights of Members of Parliament and not just the I have also received a message from Mr Pier Luigi
demands of bureaucracy, understandable though they Romita, Minister for the Coordination of Community
may be. I therefore ask you to let us have 15 minutes. Policies in the Italian Government, confirming that his No 2-379/2 Debates of the European Parliament 25.7.89
PRESIDENT
office as a Minister in the Government of the Italian half the people of Europe don't care about Europe is no
Republic is incompatible with the office of Member of slight on European democracy. And to back up this nice
the European Parliament. little idea, he hits us with a sledgehammer of an
argument which seems to have silenced our happy little
I have received a similar message from Mr Nino
analysts.
Martinazzoli, Minister for Defence in the Italian
Government. I shall therefore inform the Member Look to the USA, says Mr Delors — and I quote —
States concerned of the incompatibility of the offices which is undeniably a democracy although the president
held by these three Members to enable those authorities and all the administration are elected by less than half
to inform the European Parliament of their deliber­ the American voters. According to him, this means that
ations on this matter without delay. then Government is only elected — seriously
— by less than half a minority.
PANNELLA (NI). — (FR) Mr President, I would like to
Democracy, I have been told, means power by the
point out that the messages you have just read to us
people. One may well ask whether that particular
confirm a very serious aspect of these elections, at least
majority isn't seriously beginning to wonder about the
in Italy. Several political leaders went to the voters
decisions of the greatest number being necessarily the
announcing that they were going to be members of the
best. Anyhow, it's not democracy when one voter out of
European Parliament. They knew that this was not true
two couldn't care less about the democracy itself.
and were thus deceiving their voters. I have to say this
America observes — indeed it advertises — democracy,
because it seems regrettable to me that voters,
but a democracy in which so few people are concerned
particularly Italian ones, did not know for whom they
doesn't take me in. Other forces hold the power — the
were really voting. We shall thus have among us
real power, that is — and this democracy is nothing
colleagues for whom the voters did not vote.
more than an incontestable pretext but perhaps at my
age I might be allowed to contest it.
PRESIDENT. — I note your point, but it is not a point
Nevertheless, I can still admire and try to understand of order. 1
the terrific show they put on for us. When you go to a
country which is a vassal of the United States — and
2. Address by the Oldest Member God knows there are plenty of them — and there is a
good chance of the genuinely democratic election of
PRESIDENT. — (FR) Honourable Members, Ladies certain 'progressives' threatening the real American
and Gentlemen, an artist who has created works he feels power, this great democracy has no hesitation, as we
to be important cannot be content to know that he has have seen, in getting the CIA to have the undesirable
the heavy burden, and indeed the honour, of talking to leader assassinated and a dictator put in his place, even
you on this solemn occasion not because of them, but if he has to be dropped or betrayed if it turns out not to
because of this birth certificate and to his insolent good be in its interests.
health — for which I apologize. It takes more than great
One may even wonder what would happen to the age or youth to give you talent, even in politics. And I
United States if all the Americans did start going to the am not a politician. So if I talk politics, it will be briefly,
polls and put, sa