ABSTRACT: On April 20, 1982 at Strasbourg an urgent request is presented for a resolution stigmatising the behaviour of the countries of "realised Socialism" and expressing solidarity with the demonstrators. This is signed by deputies of all groups with the exception of the Communists. The debate is held in the chamber with a massive presence of Eurodeputies. The Communist Veronesi makes a speech to explain the reasons of his own group for abstaining from the vote: these demonstrations should first be made at Comiso (1). In reality the Communists are far from abandoning their policy of "non-interference" in Soviet "internal" affairs. The complete text of the resolution approved by the European Parliament is No.1 - 143/82.

(NOTIZIE RADICALI No.6, May 28, 1982)

On the same day of the demonstrations, shortly after the news had arrived of the arrests made in the various capitals, a group of deputies presented the proposal in urgent form for a resolution stigmatising the behaviour of the authorities in the countries of "realised Communism" and expressing solidarity with the promoters of the demonstration.

Deputies of almost all political groups, except the Communists, thus presented a text to this effect to the President of the E.P. so that it might first of all be printed and distributed.

Marco Pannella, who participated in the final drafting of the resolution, also asked for and obtained condemnation for the attitude of the European Community Commission in continuing to refuse to provide the urgent plan that was supposed to be produced within thirty days, and asking it [the Commission] to fulfil this precise politico-institutional obligation at once.

On the following days the greatest job was to make sure that the debate in the parliament took place with the massive presence of deputies in the chamber, and this too was obtained by assuring that the discussion on the Eastern European demonstration was discussed immediately after the debate on the Falkland/Maldive crisis.

Expressions of esteem and sympathy came from everywhere along with a degree of legitimate worry over the fate of the Prague contingent, the last ones to remain in the hands of the police.

On Thursday morning the short debate took place in which the only discordant voice was that of the Hon. Mr. Veronesi of the Communist group who justified his party's abstention from the vote with the bland affirmation that these things should first be done at Comiso and then elsewhere. In fact he was reiterating an old reservation that the Communist leaders are far from having overcome which is that of "non-interference" in Soviet internal affairs - as if the mad arms race of the Moscow regime were not a contributing cause to the nuclear installations in our country. One must have the courage to oppose both sides at once and not certainly to make a devil of Reagan and the Atlantic Pact in general with great anti-Pershing and Cruise demonstrations, after which the missiles flourish more than ever.

The resolution was then put to the vote and, with the exception of the Communists' abstention passed unanimously. This was an important fact for showing the ability of the European Parliament at times to make instantaneous decisions, thus showing up the defects of other parliaments.

* * * *

Resolution No.1 - 143/82

The European Parliament:

In consideration of the fact that on Monday April 19 in numerous countries adhering to the Warsaw Pact, and specifically in Moscow, Prague, East Berlin, Budapest and Sophia, dozens of young non-violent Europeans were stopped or arrested because they distributed information to heads of state and Communist Party secretaries in support of the objectives of the 73 Nobel Prize Winners' Manifesto and of resolution 1-375/81 of the European Parliament, demonstrating in favour of the application and respecting throughout the world of individual rights as guaranteed by the Charter of Human Rights and the Helsinki agreement;

Considering that these demonstrations were interrupted despite the fact that they were strictly non-violent and in total conformity with the spirit and letter of numerous United Nations resolutions;

Considering that the goals and objectives of the pacifist demonstrations that were impeded coincide with the positions adopted by the European Parliament following publication of the Nobel Prize Winners manifesto against extermination by hunger throughout the world and in favour of development;

Considering that with this symbolic gesture the young demonstrators wanted to emphasise the refusal of the industrialised countries of the Soviet bloc to cooperate with the developoing countries and in particular to contribute 0.7% of their GNP as development aid and to participate in saving in 1982 of at least 5 million human beings within the framework of development:

1) Formally protests against the arrests that have taken place and that testify to the Soviet bloc's disdain for the respect of human rights and for the problem of extermination by hunger throughout the world;

2) Asks for the immediate release of the young demonstrators being held under arrest in violation of the principles that figure in the final Helsinki document which in particular guarantees the freedom of expression and information;

3) Asks the Commission and the Council to formally recall the Warsaw Pact countries to the respect of life and of peace, particulary in a way to win the struggle aggainst the current holocaust by hunger and malnutrition, and to reduce the extermination as of 1982;

4) Remionds the Commission to respect the resolutions of the European Parliament and asks them in particular to execute immediately the acts owing to the Council and the Parliament in view of resolution 1-375/81.

5) Charges its President to arrange delivery of the present resolution to the Commission and the Council and to the governments of the countries in which the demonstrations were held.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

TRANSLATOR'S NOTES

1) The site in Italy of a NATO missile base.