” “While in Europe there is "a general tendency to a decrease in poverty and extreme poverty" but the poor are still 72 million, that is, 16% of the population it is true that, within it, the inequalities between rich and poor countries are increasing: the 5 poorest countries in the EU have for instance 32% of the spending power of the 5 wealthiest countries, and the difference between the national living standards is 7 to 1 between Luxembourg and Latvia. This was the fact found today by Bronislaw Geremek, Polish MEP, in his speech for the 81st session of the Social Week of the French Catholics, in progress until 26th November in Paris, at the congress centre of "La Defense". This year’s topic, that concerns 3,500 participants, is: "What is a fair society?", starting from the fact that 20% of the world population owns 80% of its wealth. The Pope too sent a message to the participants, which was read at the opening of the meeting. As well as exploring the topic through 9 workshops and some authoritative lectures (including, tomorrow, the current French Interior Minister), the participants in the meeting will release for public consideration, at the end of the event, 12 factual proposals for the nominees for the next election in France. In addition, lots of attention is given to the European dimension with a special workshop and foreign guests, such as Geremek, who today spoke precisely of social justice in Europe.” “
