12/10/2005 (AN/NA) - In a stinging press release, MEP Othmar Karas (EPP-ED, Austria) slams the behaviour of the British EU Council Presidency. “We have lost the President of the Council. From what we hear he is the Britisih Prime Minister Tony Blair, although nobody has seen or heard of him since the summer recess ended. Useful indications concerning his whereabouts and especially his activities will be gladly received by the European citizens”, is the ironical comment from the elected party representative, Chancellor Schüssel. By limiting the work at the informal summit at Hampton Court to just one day (27 October instead of 27 and 28 October: see EUROPE 9045), the British Presidency shows once more that it has little inclination to act on the European scene, the ÖVP representative says, going on to add: “Since Blair torpedoed the Financial Perspectives at the last EU summit by delivering a declaration of war against European farmers and at the same time defending his own country's financial privileges, Blair seems to have gone into European hiding. His last sign of life as EU Council president was when he brilliantly performed the role of the 'European Statesman' in front of the Members of the European Parliament on June 23. Since then, he seemingly has left the stage”. (We recall that Tony Blair is to present to the EP the priorities of the informal summit, which is to open during the morning of 27 October at Hampton Court, but only during the plenary session on the afternoon of 26 October, in Strasbourg).