Antonio TAJANI, EP President opens the EP plenary session (28-31 May 2018) in Strasbourg by paying tribute to Nicole FONTAINE, former EP President (1999-2002). MEPs take a minute of silence.

TAJANI, Antonio (EPP, IT)

Strasbourg

plenary session

speech

minute of silence

FONTAINE, Nicole (EPP-DE, FR)

Introductory remarks by Antonio TAJANI, EP President: tribute to Nicole FONTAINE, former EP President (1999-2002)

SOUNDBITE (French), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, In the name of the European Parliament I would like to express warm regards to Nicole Fontaine who left us few days ago after long life in politics giving to serving society and fighting for her ideals. We would like to express recognitions and thanks.

SOUNDBITE (French), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, Twenty years after Simone Veil, she was elected president of the Assembly. &ldquo;In Veritate concordia&rdquo;, we stand together in diversity, that was her motto that became us and it was adopted during her presidency. Beyond symbols, she was very much committed in strength and this motto expresses all the thought, the red lines of her political activity.

SOUNDBITE (French), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, We need to have Fundamental rights properly anchored and that is something that Nicole Fontaine thought very important. In 1999 as president Nicole Fontaine signed up to the need to a greater proximity to the European citizens, I would like to homage the work that she did, and also the fact that she was very regular fixture among citizens. During her presidency, she was very much active in hundreds of conferences and so on. A presence, a closeness to people was essential for Nicole Fontaine and she had an incredible ability to listen and she was very persuasive in many different ways.

SOUNDBITE (French), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, On behalf of the European Parliament I would like to thank the president Nicole, so thank you Nicole for what you did to the passion, courage and coherency you had in your work for people of Europe, throughout your life. As you often said, turn to bring everything in life. Thank you

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, I would like now to take a minute of silence, to remember our friend Nicole.