Last votes before elections

Go ahead to three legislative texts that advance Banking union; firm position on Ukraine, a warning to Putin’s Russia from carrying out menacing provocations that risk igniting an uncontrollable spiral; new rules for actions coordinated by the Frontex agency in the Mediterranean and in other bordering regions. The last plenary session of the European Parliament (Strasbourg 14-17 April) before the May vote has addressed 150 items on the agenda, including 70 legislative reports. Several regulatory provisions. Among the themes examined by MEPs, the Assembly decided to cut the use of light plastic shopping bags, the most common and most polluting (50% reduction by 2017); it approved a draft legislation to “ensure that harmful psychoactive substances”, known as “legal highs”, are “rapidly withdrawn from the EU market”; it decided to take steps to improve the protection of expatriate workers for the transfer of pension rights abroad, along with antidumping measures in the trade sector and stepping up aid delivery to Countries hit by natural disasters. MEPs also voted on non-legislative reports including a report on the situation in Syria, a tragedy of “biblical” proportions, neglected by the media owing to the focus on the situation in Ukraine; and a document on religious freedom in the world. After the elections of May 22-25 the eighth legislature will kick off with the creation of political groups in June and the installation of the new Parliament on July 1st in its seat in Strasbourg. Religions and minorities. The European Parliament “Condemns in the strongest possible terms the killing of Father Frans Van der Lugt”, Dutch Catholic priest, “an inhumane act of violence against a man who stood by the people of Syria amid sieges and growing difficulties”, it “pays tribute to his work, which extended beyond the besieged city of Homs” for the survival of its people in a spiral of violence that caused 150 thousand victims and over 6 million refugees. The resolution on Syria, notably on the “situation of specific vulnerable communities”, underlines the oppression and acts of violence against Christians, Kurds, Armenians, Druze, Turkmens that have always been part Syrian society. These small communities “had tried to avoid taking sides in the conflict”, fearing Assad’s oppressive regime and for the fear that, “if the government is overthrown”, they will be “targeted by Sunni jihadist rebels, calling for the establishment of an Islamic state”. The resolution underlines that “Dutch Jesuit Father Frans van der Lugt, who had been living in Syria for many decades”, “was beaten and shot dead by gunmen on 7 April 2014”. “Other Christians remain in the monastery where Father van der Lugt was killed” – continues the resolution – and many civilians are still trapped in the city of Homs. Long-lasting solution. The EU Parliament put on the table several problems linked to the situation in Syria. Moreover, “Father Paolo Dall’Oglio has been missing since July 2013”, while “Bishop Boulos Yazigi of the Greek Orthodox Church and Bishop John Ibrahim of the Assyrian Orthodox Church were seized in April 2013 from their car by gunmen outside the northern city of Aleppo; whereas their fate is still unknown”. The Resolution equally denounced the difficult situation of the Kurd minority, Palestinians refugees, women and children, “victims of aggression, sexual violence and abuse”. For MEPs it is possible “to reach a long-lasting solution in Syria can be reached only through an inclusive political process guided by Syria with the support of the international community”; urgent humanitarian aid is requested along with a negotiated solution that may benefit all members of the Syrian society. Rispecting faiths. During the plenary MEPs also discussed the freedom of religion in the world. The Resolution underlines “concernat the escalating intolerance, and deplores all acts of violence against religious communities, including Christians, Muslims, Jews and Baha’is that in various countries are deprived of fundamental human rights solely because of their faith”. It “strongly condemns” the “numerous attempts to shut down or destroy churches, mosques, synagogues, temples and other places of worship in the world”. Several proposals were advanced especially re EU’s foreign policy. The EP invites “the leaders of the three Abrahamitic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) to set up an interreligious dialogue in a spirit of unity and tolerance towards all the various organized expressions”.