Brussels, 06/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - On the sidelines of the European Parliament plenary session which will open in Strasbourg on Monday 9 July, the town and the Lower Rhine départment will pay homage to Pierre Pflimlin, former mayor of Strasbourg (for over 20 years), who also held several ministerial positions, and was president of the Council in May 1958, an MEP for ten years and president of the European Parliament from July 1984 to January 1987. A statue erected in the Parc de l'Orangerie, opposite the Council of Europe will be unveiled at 6.15 pm. The ceremony will be followed by a concert at the Palais de Congrès, after which the mayor of Strasbourg Fabienne Keller, German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble, European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pöttering and former French minister Pierre Méhaignerie will pay tribute to Pierre Pflimlin. The IPE III building (the former press centre) will be re-named in honour of the former president of the European Parliament. A stamp illustrated by Tomi Ungerer will be put on sale the same day. (oj)