Brussels, 09/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - During a meeting organised by the six German political party foundations at the Tervuren Palace, near Brussels, Germany Green, Reinhard Bütikofer stated that, “with the refusal to vote on the nomination of Barroso in July, the European Parliament is off to a good start” in its legislature. Bütikofer mentioned a declaration made by Werner Langer MEP (CDU), who said that in the event of a “no” vote for the outgoing president of the Commission, the EPP would not have any difficulty in finding another candidate over a period of 24 hours. Mr Bütikofer welcomed this comment and stressed that in the difficult period the European Union is currently going through, “we need a strong Commission” and not a general secretariat of the Council. The Greens MEP also welcomed the fact that the European Parliament would be endowing itself for the very first time with a president from a new member state of the Union, Jerzy Buzek MEP (EPP). Together with Cem Özdemir, Bütikofer made a lengthy appeal for the rapid implementation of the Lisbon Treaty. The co-president of the German Greens, who will be leaving the European Parliament, is committed to continuing to serve the European idea in his new role in Berlin. Cem Ozdemir also appealed for developing a stronger common European foreign and security policy, particularly for helping the cause of peace in the Middle East. (H.B./trans/rh)