2. Statement by the President

Verbatim reports

The President gave a statement to mark the International Day of Families. He stressed that Parliament had always striven for a better balance between work and family life and would continue to do so.

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The following spoke:

—   Peter Lundgren on Marita Ulvskog's participation in a demonstration in front of the chamber in Brussels;

—   Rosa D'Amato on the deadlocking in Council of a decision on the aid to earthquake-hit regions in Italy; (the President reminded her of Parliament’s position);

—   James Carver, on what Konstantinos Papadakis had said about Israel (minutes of 14.2.2017, item 15) and to ask why the Bureau had not taken a decision (the President replied that he did not see fit to censure political debate provided that it remained in keeping with the EU's values and was not offensive towards persons);

—   Lefteris Christoforou on the tensions provoked by Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean.