Verbatim report of proceedings

Wednesday, 4 July 2012 - Strasbourg

6. Statement by the President

  President. –I would also like to make a statement on behalf of the President.

As you know, ladies and gentlemen, in the Autonomous Community of Valencia in Spain, since last week there has been one of the worst forest fires in the last 20 years.

More than 48 000 hectares of forest have been reduced to ashes in the areas of Andilla and Cortes de Pallás.

These fires have unfortunately cost the life of a helicopter pilot who was taking part in the work to put out the fires.

On behalf of the European Parliament, I would like to express our most sincere condolences to the pilot’s family and our recognition of the self-sacrificial work of all those fighting the fire.

  Hannes Swoboda (S&D). - Mr President, of course we are very sorry about what has happened in Spain, but if I may, I would like to draw your attention to a declaration which seems has been made by the Prime Minister of Britain. I would ask my colleagues from Britain perhaps to look into that. Many of us saw reports that the Prime Minister, Mr Cameron, had said that, if Greece were to leave the eurozone, he would introduce particular border controls against Greek people. I am sorry to hear some applause for that.

Maybe this declaration is not true. But if it is true, I would like – because I know there are many responsible Conservative colleagues here – to ask the Prime Minister to refrain from such declarations. We do not need this kind of declaration or this kind of action against certain citizens of the European Union. Therefore, this is my request to colleagues.

(Applause)

  Martin Callanan (ECR). - Mr President, I do not want to provoke a big row about this, but David Cameron did not say that. He said, when asked at a parliamentary committee, that there are lots of contingency plans to deal with all sorts of eventualities, and this may be one of them in the event of a particular event happening. I think that if Hannes reads the detailed press coverage and the comments about it, he will find that the reports that he has read are not true.