ALERT: Schengen to be suspended ahead of ESF meeting ??
alert reposted from italian esf list | 16.10.2002 15:30 | European Social Forum
Alert from Italy (15th Oct): Seems there is the possibility that media tycoon and fascist Berlusconi + his government may try to suspend Schengen agreement for the European Social Forum in Florence next month. Previously schengen has been suspended ahead of large protests for the purposes of stopping protestors and political activists attending events...
Dear friends,
While we were going to positively close all the agreements with the Local Authorities and the Local Representative of the Government in Florence, a very bad rumor appeared today in some newspapers.
It seems the Italian Government is planning to suspend the Schengen agreements' application during the ESF week.
Until now, there is no official confirmation of it.
We decided to open a very strong campaign in order to stop this decision before it will became a reality.
Today we interrupted the meeting with all the Local Representatives in Florence, as a symbolic action, explaining it's impossible to go on with the technical negotiations until we will know by sure which kind of scenario we will have in front of us.
In the Parliament today several parliamentarians from different parties asked formally the Government for an answer, and are planning other kind of pressures.
We are trying to organize a campaign at the level of the European Parliament.
We asked the Local Authorities in Florence to express clearly against this decision, and it seems they will do it.
There has been a press conference today. In the next days we will go on with a press campaign, and a specific campaign devoted to the citizens in Florence. And of course, we will go on with the preparation of the ESF!
We need your support!
We ask you to organize press conferences in your country to ask the Italian Government not to take this decision.
We ask you to send official statement to the Italian Government through the Italian Embassies and the Consulates, organizing - where possible - symbolic actions in front of the Embassies.
We ask you to involve intellectuals, politicians and prominent people to write appeals.
We ask you to send statements by all the international networks and coalitions.
Please, send copies of these statements in the mailing list.
We believe it's possible to stop this decision. But we have very very short time. According to our informations, it can become official at the end of this week. So, we have to move quickly.
Let's defend together our rights! A Europe without citizens'participation is a Europe without democracy.
Thank you very much to all of you.
The ESF Italian Coordination
While we were going to positively close all the agreements with the Local Authorities and the Local Representative of the Government in Florence, a very bad rumor appeared today in some newspapers.
It seems the Italian Government is planning to suspend the Schengen agreements' application during the ESF week.
Until now, there is no official confirmation of it.
We decided to open a very strong campaign in order to stop this decision before it will became a reality.
Today we interrupted the meeting with all the Local Representatives in Florence, as a symbolic action, explaining it's impossible to go on with the technical negotiations until we will know by sure which kind of scenario we will have in front of us.
In the Parliament today several parliamentarians from different parties asked formally the Government for an answer, and are planning other kind of pressures.
We are trying to organize a campaign at the level of the European Parliament.
We asked the Local Authorities in Florence to express clearly against this decision, and it seems they will do it.
There has been a press conference today. In the next days we will go on with a press campaign, and a specific campaign devoted to the citizens in Florence. And of course, we will go on with the preparation of the ESF!
We need your support!
We ask you to organize press conferences in your country to ask the Italian Government not to take this decision.
We ask you to send official statement to the Italian Government through the Italian Embassies and the Consulates, organizing - where possible - symbolic actions in front of the Embassies.
We ask you to involve intellectuals, politicians and prominent people to write appeals.
We ask you to send statements by all the international networks and coalitions.
Please, send copies of these statements in the mailing list.
We believe it's possible to stop this decision. But we have very very short time. According to our informations, it can become official at the end of this week. So, we have to move quickly.
Let's defend together our rights! A Europe without citizens'participation is a Europe without democracy.
Thank you very much to all of you.
The ESF Italian Coordination
alert reposted from italian esf list
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