Brussels, 29/01/2004 (Agence Europe) - The president of the Socialist group at the European Parliament, Enrique Baron requested on Wednesday afternoon that the four Member States that blocked the Council's approval for the draft on the status of MEPs explain themselves. "These four countries, Germany, France, Austria and Sweden owe us an explanation that is both public and transparent. Parliament's proposal has constitutional implications and expressed the result of exhaustive negotiations led throughout the legislature and its rejection cannot be agreed to in silence, declared Enrique Baron from Spain.
German Social Democrat Willi Rothley did not appreciate the attitude of the head of the list of his party at the forthcoming European elections, Martin Schulz. The following is an extract from a press statement he issued on Wednesday: "Some German MEPs, particularly Martin Schulz, supported by the gutter press and by putting pressure on the German government, prevented implementation of this necessary reform of parliament. they have severely damaged parliament, perhaps in the long term…this anti-European and anti-parliamentary behaviour is for me, who's been fighting for twenty five years for this parliament, totally unacceptable. That's why I am resigning from the SPD delegation at the European Parliament. Obviously, as a Socialist, I still wish to remain in the Socialist group. I'll remain an SPD member, which I joined thanks to Willy Brandt and which I won't leave.