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The president of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, said he was “troubled and surprised” by the pressure of the French government, in the current conditions of the pandemic, for MEPs to resume their activities in Strasbourg. The dispute over the seat of the plenary sessions of the European Parliament has been going on for some time and seems to be intensifying, writes AFP, echoed by Agerpres.
The official seat of the European Parliament is in Strasbourg, France, but the European institution still has a seat in Brussels. Usually, only plenary sessions take place in the French city.
Due to the health crisis, the European Parliament has not held plenary sessions in Strasbourg since February and will be held in Brussels to restrict travel.
On the other hand, more and more MEPs warn about the financial and environmental cost of relocating around 2,500 people from Brussels to Strasbourg each month. Resolutions were also passed calling for the establishment of a single seat, but this would require a treaty change, requiring a unanimous vote of the member states.
What France wants
On Wednesday, French Secretary of State for European Affairs Clément Beaune sent a letter to David Sassoli calling for “the resumption as soon as possible” of the European Parliament’s activities in Strasbourg, despite EU member states’ decisions to limit travel as quickly as possible. possible to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The President of the European Parliament said he was “surprised and shocked” to receive this letter, especially that “yesterday (Tuesday) he had a cordial conversation with Clément Beaune and the latter did not tell him anything about the letter”, which is right ” a Sassoli spokesperson told France-Presse.
In essence, the French official asks for the transfer of some employees from Brussels to Strasbourg, and “this goes beyond the relationship between a European institution and a national government”, added the spokesperson.
In the letter, the French official also called for “full transparency” regarding the transfer of other European Parliament services to Strasbourg, to seize the opportunity offered by the Osmose building, near the Parliament, whose construction will soon be completed.
Meanwhile, French lawmakers in the Strasbourg region have asked Sassoli to denounce a restructuring project for the Brussels Chamber, which they believe will cost around 500 million euros.
“We don’t know where this figure comes from,” said Sassoli’s spokeswoman.
“David Sassoli obviously remains available to organize a return to Strasbourg as soon as possible. But all this communication, as well as the letter from the region’s elected officials who have transmitted false information, does not help. Especially in this complicated pandemic situation,” he explained.
Publisher: Luana Pavaluca
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