13/03/2001 (Agence Europe) - At the opening of its plenary session, the EP observed a one minute silence in homage to the victims of the bridge that collapsed in Entre-os-rios in Portugal. Another minute's silence was observed in memory of Inaki Totorika, a member of the Basque regional police, who was killed by a car bomb explosion in Hernani. The Parliament also paid homage to the former MEPs Undine Bloch von Blottnitz (German, Greens) and Panayotis Lambrias (EPP, Greece), who died on 3 March. Nicole Fontaine recalled that Ms Bloch von Blottnitz was a member of the EP during ten years and Mr Lambrias during fifteen years. Ms Bloch von Blottnitz fought a sincere political battle using her force of persuasion and even those who did not share her convictions have always respected her force of commitment, declared the president. She also stressed that all the colleagues who knew Mr Lambrias appreciated his human qualities and his determined commitment in favour of European integration.