Debate on the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, during the plenary session (13-14/11/2019) in the European Parliament in Brussels. Statements by Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), Dacian CIOLOŞ (RE, RO), Ska KELLER (Greens/EFA, DE), and Martin SCHIRDEWAN (GUE/NGL, DE).

30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall: extracts from the debate

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SOUNDBITE (German), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Helmut Kohl knew that the fall of the wall was not a separate national event, it was not an event by a country. We own this unity to the strength many in the East such as Lech Wałęsan and J&oacute;zsef Antall not only for freedom in their own country but for all of Europe. We need to bare in mind the spirit of the peaceful revolution.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARC&#205;A P&#201;REZ (S&amp;D, ES), Now those walls are ideological between pro-Europeans and nationalists, territorial ones between rural areas, town and cities, or between the working classes and the wealthy. Yes, there is general support for democracy around the world and of course in Europe, the populist are gaining ground and this is obliging us to ponder on what is going on to make sure that we do not go back to the dark pages of history. 1989 was a moment of hope and victory for the West and for the values that we defend, it was not easy to achieve this. Our biggest mistake would be to forget what defending freedom is all about. 

SOUNDBITE (Romanian), Dacian CIOLO&#350; (RE, RO), 30 years ago this veil of democracy crossed Europe and other parts of the world as well. Yet, over the past 10 years freedom and democracy is loosing ground on the world scenario. Many people live in regimes where they are deprived of their fundamental freedoms. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Ska KELLER (Greens/EFA, DE), Europe as we know it only exist because the wall that divided us all finally was torn down. But the 9 November 1989 is not a date where we should talk commemoratory speeches and just congratulate each other on how well it all work back then. I believe it is an anniversary to remind us to be courageous, to tear down the walls that divide us and to be the change that we want to see in the world.

SOUNDBITE (German), Martin SCHIRDEWAN (GUE/NGL, DE), These are the stories of people lives that we need to tell, we need to understand to stop the far-right to try to take the history of Germany, and the history of the Wall. If you see what they are doing today as people in Hungary and Poland that want to live in an open Europe, but you are harking back Europe of the past, a Europe of nationalisms and walls. Those who want to build walls at European external borders forcing people to flee instead of helping them have not understood anything from the fall of the Wall.

Evenemangsdatum	2019-11-13
Reference:	I180177V
Format:	16:9 format
Copyright:	© European Union
copyrightYear:	2019

30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall: extracts from the debate

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