- Press releases
In the period from 14-16 July 2014 a delegation of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) consisting of President Hans Heinrich Hansen, Vice Presidents Halit Habip Oğlu and Loránt Vincze, Speaker of the European Dialogue Forum of FUEN Jens A. Christiansen and FUEN advisor Frank de Boer visited Strasbourg and had meetings with several MEPs. On Wednesday the delegation also visited the first informal meeting of the Intergroup on Traditional Minorities that will have to be re-established in this new parliamentary term.
The delegation of FUEN went to Strasbourg shortly after the European Elections of May, to speak with MEPs from many different parties and countries about the election benchmarks that FUEN asked them to support before the elections and to discuss about how to realise the goals of FUEN in Europe and to engage in a genuine dialogue with the politicians. The delegation noticed once again that the knowledge about the minorities in Europe is rather limited. Therefore, one of the tasks for the coming period will be to inform the politicians about the national and linguistic minority communities in Europe and their added value for the European society and convince as many MEPs as possible to join forces.
“We had many constructive discussions with different MEPs. It is important that we also spoke with several MEPs who do not belong to a minority themselves, but who are very supportive towards FUEN and our objectives: to create a portfolio dealing with minority issues at the European Commission. This is what we advocated during these days” said President Hans Heinrich Hansen. “We are very pleased with the statement of President Juncker in his political programme that he wants to entrust a Commissioner with the responsibility for Fundamental Rights and the Rule of Law. The portfolio of this Commissioner should include the national minorities.”
In regard to the Minority SafePack Initiative, the delegation informed the MEPs about FUEN’s experience, that is very difficult and costly for citizens to use this instrument.
It will be necessary to start a debate in Europe on the conditions for engaging in a European citizens’ initiative. The citizens do not receive support from the European Commission for these initiatives, but have had the experience that the apparatus of the Commission is used against the initiative of the citizens.In the upcoming months FUEN will continue with its actions at the European Parliament, meet again with MEPs and try to influence the policy agenda of the European Union.
