Brussels, 05/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - Martin Schulz, the president of the European Parliament and president-in-office of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), seized the opportunity provided by a meeting between the presidents of the parliaments of UfM member nations, in Marseilles on 6 and 7 April, to state his intention to give renewed impetus to cooperation between the two sides of the Mediterranean.
Speaking on the eve of the meeting, to be attended by several presidents of EU national assemblies, he said the occasion would provide an opportunity to show that parliaments are ready to make up for the lack of political leadership from which UfM has suffered in recent years. Schulz's ambition is to help to give fresh impetus to implementing UfM projects at a time of great regional political and economic upheavals. He said the aim is to reform the link between the two sides of the Mediterranean. If the challenge of democratic transition under way in certain Mediterranean countries is confronted successfully, then it will be necessary to have powerful and effective parliaments that listen to their citizens, the president of the European Parliament went on to conclude. (FB/transl.jl)