Brussels, 14/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - Over the course of the last two days, 151 MEPs have signed a letter in which they call on Commissioner Günther Oettinger to retract his comments advocating flying the flags of heavily indebted countries at half mast as a punishment, or resign. Among those signing the letter are five European Parliament (EP) vice-presidents and the leader and two deputy leaders of EP political groups.
The European Commission has tried to back-track. “It was not my idea and I do not support it”, Oettinger replied on Wednesday 14 September through his spokeswoman. She said that the suggestion that has caused such a furore came up in the course of an informal discussion in the Bild newsroom. She added that the suggestion engages neither the commissioner nor the Commission.
The letter from the 151 MEPs, sent to Commission President José Manuel Barroso, was initially drafted by Rui Tavares (Greens/EFA, Portugal). Tavares claimed that Oettinger's suggestion would demonstrate that the European Union has lost its principles, ideals and objectives. “This letter shows that MEPs do not think that this is a question of peripheral against central countries or southern against northern Europeans, but of standing up for European ideals instead of succumbing to ignorant populism”, Tavares stated. A Commission spokesman promised on Wednesday that Barroso would give his response to the letter “as quickly as possible”.
Oettinger is reported in an interview with the Bild newspaper as saying that there was the suggestion that the flags of sinner countries be hung at half mast. He also said that these countries should temporarily hand over their budgetary sovereignty to the European Union. (D.D./transl.rt)