This week, gaffe-prone Günther rides again, golden passports are met with disdain and Malian hero earns widespread acclaim.
Italy remains in the news this week as political machinations mean it is still without a government. So who better to wade into the fray than gaffe-prone Günther Oettinger.
Somewhere in EUHQ a flunkey wearily wipes a whiteboard pic.twitter.com/Kuc2yUqTRG
— Martini Seltzermayr (@mseltzermayr) May 29, 2018
In a Deutsche Welle interview the German Commissioner reportedly said that “the markets will teach Italians to vote for the right thing!”
? PAZZESCO, a Bruxelles sono senza vergogna.
Il Commissario Europeo al Bilancio, il tedesco #Oettinger, dichiara “i mercati insegneranno agli italiani a votare per la cosa giusta”.
Se non è una minaccia questa…
Io non ho paura, #primagliitaliani! pic.twitter.com/r5mFYh79Ou— Matteo Salvini (@matteosalvinimi) May 29, 2018
European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker was quick to distance himself from the remarks. “It is the Italians and only the Italians who will decide on the future of their country,” said chief spokesman Margaritis Schinas.
.@MargSchinas clarifies position of the @JunckerEU @EU_Commission on #Italy: "It is the Italians and only the Italians who will decide on the future of their country." pic.twitter.com/3uLNvacjoa
— European Commission ?? (@EU_Commission) May 29, 2018
Donald Tusk appealed to all EU institutions to please respect the voters. “We are there to serve them, not to lecture them.”
My appeal to all EU institutions: please respect the voters. We are there to serve them, not to lecture them. #Italy @dwnews
— Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) May 29, 2018
Berlaymonster though it was a case of Kommissar Grosseklappe Rides Again.
Kommissar Grosseklappe Rides Again? pic.twitter.com/SuD2DMGfTx
— Berlaymonster (@Berlaymonster) May 29, 2018
But it all turned out to have been a mistranslation!
“In my first Tweet on the exclusive Oettinger Interview I misquoted the commissioner. That‘s why I deleted it. It was meant to be a rapid reaction summary of the interview. I apologise for the confusion and the mistake,” explained Bernd Thomas Riegert in a mea culpa.
In my first Tweet on exclusive #Oettinger Interview I misquoted the commissioner. That‘s why I deleted it. It was meant to be a rapid reaction summary of the interview. I apologize for the confusion and the mistake. Please, read the translated quotes (still plenty there). #Italy pic.twitter.com/2yEQSd5LRx
— Bernd Thomas Riegert (@RiegertBernd) May 29, 2018
Sven Giegold shared the correct quote.
#Europe must not get lost in translation! Here's the correct quote of @GOettingerEU on #Italy. He didn’t use the word “teach“. pic.twitter.com/5KT2RsUSe8
— Sven Giegold (@sven_giegold) May 29, 2018
Stephen Kinsella said it would be a travesty if Oetti is finally torpedoed by a really crass stupid thing that he DIDN’T quite say.
It would be such a travesty if Oetti is finally torpedoed by a really crass stupid thing that he DIDN’T quite say.
— Stephen Kinsella (@Kinsellas) May 29, 2018
….no it wouldn’t Stephen – it would be hilarious!
It’s a Strasbourg week and so-called Golden Visas were high on the agenda as MEPs from all political groups condemned the selling of passports.
Tanja Fajon said EU citizenships should not be for sale. How can some member states justify refusing to accept a single refugee fleeing war or persecution on one hand, while selling citizenships to potential criminals she asked.
EU citizenships should not be for sale. How can some MS justify that on one hand they are refusing to accept a single refugee fleeing war or persecution, while they are more than willing to sell citizenships to potential criminals, corrupted imdividuals #EPlenary @TheProgressives
— Tanja Fajon (@tfajon) May 30, 2018
Sophie In’t Veld said there was a need for strict and harmonised European rules. “It is national competence” is no justification for state-facilitated money laundering.
Consensus across the political groups in @Europarl_EN on the need for strict and harmonised European rules for #GoldenVisas. “It is national competence” is no justification for state-facilitated money laudering.
— Sophie in 't Veld (@SophieintVeld) May 30, 2018
Robert Szile said countries were selling benefits including the freedom of movement for “dirty money.”
'Member states selling #GoldenVisas & EU citizenship are selling benefits that don't just belong to them such as freedom of movement – the right to live & work in another Member State. What do they receive in return? Dirty money.' @robertszile #EPlenary
— ECR Group (@ecrgroup) May 30, 2018
Ilkka Penttinen joked that he’d never seen a Parliamentary debate get so hot as it ended with a fire alarm.
Today's #EPlenary debate on #GoldenVisas ends with a fire alarm. Never seen the parliamentary debate get this this hot #badumtis pic.twitter.com/5G9b0AysW2
— Ilkka Penttinen (@penaolli) May 30, 2018
A compromise agreement on posted workers reform promoted by Emmanuel Macron was supported by 70% of MEPs
The compromise agreement on #postedworkers was supported by 70% of #MEPs! ??????#ALDE remains split on the reform sponsored by #Macron.
For further details, check out our upcoming #EPlenary report… ?#SocialDumping #EP pic.twitter.com/LPrvMOrrep
— VoteWatch Europe (@VoteWatchEurope) May 30, 2018
Marianne Thyssen welcomed the vote saying the spirit of compromise & shared resolve can lead to a fair agreement for all.
I welcome final @Europarl_EN plenary vote on #postedworkers. Today's result & broad majority show that spirit of compromise & shared resolve can lead to a fair agreement for all. Posted workers will be guaranteed equal pay for equal work at the same place. #SocialEurope pic.twitter.com/UbTOPMTWye
— Marianne Thyssen (@mariannethyssen) May 29, 2018
Linda McAvan said the new rules would ensure workers receive the same pay for the same work across the EU.
MEPs in the @Europarl_EN have approved new rules on #postedworkers ensuring they receive the same pay for the same work – this will help prevent the undercutting of local wages in the UK & across Europe. #PostingofWorkers https://t.co/RpT8bqcAQ8 pic.twitter.com/h01H8y4BX5
— Linda McAvan MEP (@LindaMcAvanMEP) May 30, 2018
Jude Kirton-Darling Agnes Jongerius said the law will end the conflation of free movement with the undercutting of local workers by EU migrants. UK gov must implement the reforms into UK law so British workers can benefit too.
.@Europarl_EN passed a new law that will end the conflation of free movement with the undercutting of local workers by EU migrants. UK gov must implement the reforms into UK law so British workers can benefit too | @Jude_KD & @a_jongerius #postingofworkers https://t.co/0GdkxZsuPG
— NE Labour MEPs (@Labour4NE) May 30, 2018
And Pascal Hansens decided to name and shame those who voted against.
Here those who voted against the trilogue agreement on #postedworkers, mainly MEPs from Eastern Europe (but several Polish MEPs voted in favour – Lewandowski, Grzyb, ), with some exception notably the French Younous Omarjee (France insoumise) #socialrights pic.twitter.com/thxS2vsACS
— Pascal Hansens (@p_hansens) May 29, 2018
Finally in Paris, Malian immigrant Mamoudou Gassama – now dubbed the black Spiderman – performed an amazing feat to save a toddler hanging from the side of a building.
#MamoudouGassama #ParisChildRescue
Bloody immigrants!
Coming over here and defying the laws of gravity to rescue 4yr old children dangling from balconies.pic.twitter.com/jmBiaYuXBK— Cromwell (@Cromwell606) May 28, 2018
He was later thanked by President Macron and granted French citizenship.
Ladies and gentlemen the Malian spiderman getting recognition for selflessness ??.
Now thats #MondayMotivation on another level.Today, #MamoudouGassama received a certificate of bravery from french President Emmanuel Macron.pic.twitter.com/M6rzaJanM9
— KasiTweets?? (@Gwabvus) May 28, 2018
Man, that new French citizenship test looks tough said Ben Coates!
Man, that new French citizenship test looks tough https://t.co/mCmlSVSs8s
— Ben Coates (@bencoates1) May 28, 2018
Nicanory Muhando reckoned other immigrants would follow suit.
After #MamoudouGassama Spider-Man stunts, immigrants in the EU this morning busy seeking citizenship ??? #Goteana pic.twitter.com/ALPKv2X0t9
— NICANORY MUHANDO (@nicmuhando) May 29, 2018
Tjeerd Royaards wondered if it was a case of good migrant, bad migrant?
Good migrant, bad migrant? pic.twitter.com/SDGxx0BTrt
— Tjeerd Royaards (@Royaards) May 29, 2018
Kim Willsher said the fact that Gassama was an illegal immigrant makes his actions doubly heroic because drawing attention to himself meant risking deportation.
To those who ask why it’s necessary to point out #MamoudouGassama is an illegal immigrant…it makes his actions doubly heroic; drawing attention to himself meant risking deportation. Today he meets the French president and, hopefully, secures his future.
— Kim Willsher (@kimwillsher1) May 28, 2018
Many on Twitter pointed out that media glossed over the fact that the hero is Muslim.
Imagine how different it would have been if he committed a crime!
Why do I repeatedly mention #MamoudouGassama—the hero that risked his life to save a toddler—is MUSLIM?
•Media won’t report it. Here are the top 20 news stories on him—not 1 mentions he’s Muslim
•Now imagine if he committed a crime? Think media wouldn’t try & blame his faith?? pic.twitter.com/crOsQOfZrN— Qasim Rashid, Esq. (@MuslimIQ) May 29, 2018
And more credit should also go to another Muslim hero this week, the cleaning lady taken hostage in Liege who convinced a lone wolf gunman to spare schoolchildren during an attack in which he murdered two police and a bystander.
Hero hostage , a Muslim cleaning lady, convinced the Liege gunman to spare schoolchildren at high school after he murdered two copshttps://t.co/vQefMZ2xs5
— James Crisp (@JamesCrisp6) May 30, 2018
This week we want to give a big shout out to all the women and men of Ireland who voted in last week’s referendum to repeal the eighth and grant abortion rights to women. Well done! Northern Ireland next!
And that’s it for this week. Join me again next week for more heroics, hysterics and hectic happenings in the Brussels Bubble Twittersphere.
