Lisbon, 03/03/2000 (Agence Europe) - On Friday, the political situation in Austria influenced the first day of the informal meeting of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers of the Fifteen in Lisbon. From the very beginning of the work, chaired by Portuguese Minister Antonio Costa (Justice) and Fernando Gomes (home affairs), the "Garde des sceaux", Elisabeth Guigou read out a brief statement "prepared with several colleagues", on behalf of the future French Presidency of the Council. Having recalled that the EU was "based on the principles of liberty, democracy, the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as the rule of law, principles that are common to all Member States", and that it respected "fundamental rights such as guaranteed by the European Convention on the safeguard of human rights and fundamental freedoms", Mrs. Guigou declared: (unofficial translation)
"There is no question here of speaking out against the Austrian people (…). But allow me (…) to re-state, on the occasion of the first Council of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers in the year 2000, how shocked we have been by statements as reported to us in the press, which underline so-called positive aspects of the policy of the Third Reich, relating to the actions of the Waffen SS, or that deny the specific abomination of the concentration camps. Being European demands, not only totally rejecting such sentiments, but resolutely combating those that hold them! What a slight on History! The very year when a Charter of Fundamental rights is to be adopted, when we are engaging in enlargement negotiations! This must lead to both denials through actions and attentive and constant vigilance so that the European family ties tighten around its common values: freedom law, justice, dignity, respect for the other, its culture, its expression.. Respect of these common values is crucial on the eve of enlargement. The prospect of opening Europe to other States must be an opportunity to affirm the necessity of implementing these values. And we must therefore be exemplary! Consequently, we are striving (…) for this year to be an opportunity to strengthen Europe, area of freedom, security and justice, where fundamental rights are assured, guaranteed and developed".
The new Austrian Justice Minister, Dieter Bohmdorfer, member of Jorg Haider's party, answered (but before some empty seats) that the Schuessel Government was wholly attached to the values of democracy and the respect of human rights, and that it was united in the undertakings, in the field of JHA, made at the European Councils of Tampere and Vienna.