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| Europe |
| EU seeks to muzzle press to avoid bad publicity |
| 2005-03-17 |
| Irked by harsh news coverage of legislative perquisites, the European Parliament's leadership has quietly proposed tough restrictions to bar the photographing or filming of members when they are not involved in official duties at the institution's sprawling headquarters. Journalists who violate the regulations could be banned from the Parliament's public buildings for six months to two years, according to internal documents from the legislature's administrative bureau, which includes the Parliament's president, Josep Borrell Fontelles, and 14 other legislators who are vice presidents. The movement to rein in the press dates back to mid-February, after an unidentified German television station started filming members of the Parliament, according to an internal memo. However, earlier in February, the German weekly television magazine Stern filmed members after they had signed for daily allowances, which have drawn intense scrutiny as some legislators have left work immediately after jotting their signatures. and THIS is the EU that has the nerve to lecture the US on ethics? The corruption stinks all the way across the Atlantic. Hans Peter Martin, an Austrian member of the Parliament who has been a vociferous critic of its benefits and privileges, accompanied the Stern television crew, which insists that it followed existing rules by filming from a public corridor. The new internal rules would grant power to an obscure five-member committee within the Parliament, the Quaestors, more of that wonderful EU accountability and high moral stance to decide which areas of the complex are subject to a ban on photography and filming that can be established on a temporary basis. Europe deserves what it is choosing for itself. Pity. |
| Posted by:anon |
| #10 RA: good call - posing trouble for dictatorships everywhere.... |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-03-17 7:52:06 PM |
| #9 What are they going to do about camera phones and the ensuing world-wide web exposure? |
| Posted by: Richard Aubrey 2005-03-17 7:46:24 PM |
| #8 Tut, tut. They will just institute a EU wide law EU to license a all âjournalistsâ, Web loggers and anyone making commentary. No problem. EU censorship will be double plus good just ask them. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet 0â Doom 2005-03-17 4:02:49 PM |
| #7 This reminds me of an old Mel Brooks movie: "Sir! Sir!! The peasants are revolting!" King Louis XV : "Yes, I know...." |
| Posted by: Desert Blondie 2005-03-17 3:37:24 PM |
| #6 We can't talk here... |
| Posted by: .com 2005-03-17 3:11:09 PM |
| #5 "And now, here's Joze Cardozo with the story. Jose?" "Mmmmph! Mmmm-mmmph!" "Looks like we're having, um, technical difficulties..." |
| Posted by: mojo 2005-03-17 2:56:09 PM |
| #4 the elitist arrogance is surprising, even for the EU |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-03-17 2:23:13 PM |
| #3 Journalists who violate the regulations could be banned from the Parliamentâs public buildings for six months to two years, according to internal documents from the legislatureâs administrative bureau, which includes the Parliamentâs president, Josep Borrell Fontelles, and 14 other legislators who are vice presidents. SO? There will be two sets of journalists. The "Mr. Insides", who will follow the rules precisely, and have access to all official and desirable places (desirable according to the EU parliament) The "Mr. Outsides" Tabloid and Pajamadeen types who whill not have so much reservation about posting some slimy parliamentarian in the hot tub with a 16-year old... All they did was set themselves up for more trouble. And then they have this oddly named extra-legal group, "Quaestors", to come down from the mountain-top occasionally an pronounce which photos are OK and not OK... This is treading on a precipice. Be careful, boys. We now know why Eurobureaucrats ban private citizens from having most guns. They are afraid of revolution. |
| Posted by: BigEd 2005-03-17 1:52:05 PM |
| #2 Has that "inquisition" ring to it, doesn't it? The EU is taking on shades of Monty Python: "NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise... and ruthless efficiency.... Our three weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency..." |
| Posted by: Tom 2005-03-17 1:21:29 PM |
| #1 Quaestors? What, no Tribunes?... |
| Posted by: mojo 2005-03-17 10:22:10 AM |