– Πριν από την ψηφοφορία επί της τροπολογίας 2:

  Giles Chichester (ECR). - Mr President, while you are enjoying yourself with your jokey and unorthodox approach to dealing with requests from the floor for check votes, may I humbly submit that, if you were to go a little slower, the interpretation could keep up with your announcements, and we could then vote in a more timely fashion. You are going a little fast and there is a little delay.

  President. − Mr Chichester, what I will retain from this intervention is what I assume is your approval of my unorthodox ways.

– Πριν από την ψηφοφορία επί της παραγράφου 33, αρχικό κείμενο:

  Gabriele Albertini, relatore. − Signor Presidente, è inutile che lo citi: è inserito nella dichiarazione di voto: inizia da "welcomes" e finisce con "manner". Potete leggerlo nel testo.

(Η προφορική τροπολογία κρατείται.)

– Πριν από την ψηφοφορία επί της τροπολογίας 7:

  Gabriele Albertini, relatore. − Anche in questo caso il testo è inserito nella lista di voto. Solo un'osservazione: il tema riguarda la protesta per la condanna di manifestanti in Bahrein e la censura per questo comportamento.

  President. − Mr Albertini, no, it is the oral amendment to Amendment 7 after paragraph 45.

  Gabriele Albertini, relatore. − Ho sbagliato a leggere il testo. Abbiamo soppresso il termine "Macedonia" per non urtare talune sensibilità, tra cui anche quella, credo, del Presidente.

Quindi, permane soltanto l'espressione "già Repubblica jugoslava di Macedonia". Abbiamo eliminato il termine "Macedonia".

(Η προφορική τροπολογία δεν κρατείται.)

– Πριν από την ψηφοφορία επί της τροπολογίας 14:

  Nick Griffin (NI). - Mr President, I have to echo Mr Chichester’s earlier intervention. We are being given by our interpreters the choice to vote ‘no’ after you have said ‘Εγκρίνεται’ [‘Adopted’]. I am not aware that the ability to speak Greek is required of MEPs. If it is going to be, please tell us. If not, please slow down slightly.

  President. − The answer to this question is that the ability to speak Greek is required by MEPs.

(Applause and laughter)

Listen. I can do this extremely slowly but this is how this goes, dear colleagues, I have not changed the way I do the votes every time. As you know, all the interpreters have a voting list in front of them. If they do not, they should. It does not depend on how fast or how slowly a President announces in whatever language the numbers, the interpreters have the list in front of them. At any rate I will try to be a little slower if that would make it better. Is that OK?

  William (The Earl of) Dartmouth (EFD). - Mr President, you speak very good English, as you have amply demonstrated. Why, therefore, do you persist in this charade – pantomime – of speaking this unnecessary Greek?

(Prolonged noise)

– Πριν από την ψηφοφορία επί της παραγράφου 85:

  Gabriele Albertini, relatore. − Signor Presidente, chiedo scusa: non vorrei sbagliarmi ma non ricordo di aver votato l'emendamento orale al paragrafo 68.

Insomma, se non vado errato, abbiamo saltato l'emendamento orale che avevo citato prima riguardo alla condanna dell'atteggiamento del governo del Bahrein. Dovremmo dunque procedere alla sua votazione.

  President. − Mr Albertini, the answer to that is that we adopted Amendments 13 and 18 and so the original paragraph on which you had the oral amendment fell.

– Before the final vote:

  Robert Goebbels (S&D). - Mr President, I wanted to support Mr Albertini. I think we could vote his oral amendment as an addition to the paragraph we voted on because it would be positive if this House were to condemn what is happening in Bahrain, especially the death sentences.

(Applause)

  Hannes Swoboda (S&D). - Mr President, I want to support that because it must have been a mistake, either in our voting lists or in our voting procedure, but there was such unanimity in supporting it that it would be very strange if it were not included.

I think the House would agree with the proposal by Mr Goebbels and Mr Albertini to vote on it as an addition or as a separate paragraph.

(Η τροπολογία επί της παραγράφου 68 κρατείται.)