Opening: Schulz condemns terror attacks in Istanbul and Ouagadougou 

Press Releases 
 
 
Opening of January 2016 plenary session© EU 2016 - European Parliament  

President Schulz condemned the terror attacks in Istanbul and Ouagadougou on 12 and 15 January and called for more EU-wide cooperation to counter terrorism. He pledged that terrorism would be fought on the basis of democratic values, using the police, the rule of law, and EU-wide cooperation.

The new year began as the old one ended, with murderous violence and deep sorrow. After the brutal terrorist attacks in Paris, Copenhagen, Tunis, Jakarta and elsewhere, the 12 January attack in the heart of Istanbul, Turkey, left ten German EU citizens dead, and nine injured, some seriously. The 15 January attack in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, killed more than two dozen people from seven countries, and injured fifty, noted Mr Schulz.


He conveyed Parliament’s grief to the victims’ families and friends and its wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured.


“This terrorism without borders targets our freedom and threatens us all, in Turkey, in Europe and elsewhere. We shall not be intimidated by these cynical murders” promised Mr Schulz, stressing the need for more EU-wide counter-terrorism cooperation.

Agenda changes


Wednesday afternoon

 

EU-Kosovo Stabilisation and Association Agreement to be taken before the statement by foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini on the systematic mass murder of religious minorities by ISIS.

 

Outgoing MEPs

 

Juan Carlos Girauta Vidal (ALDE, ES) has resigned his seat, which is vacant as of 12 January 2016

 

Inês Cristina Zuber (GUE/NGL, PT) has resigned her seat, which is vacant as of 31 January 2016.