19th October 2021
Portus Inimici
Visiting via hologram North Diessen, United Duchies and Gania
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After a few days break, to rest after the debate and prepare the campaign's last days, Jean-Claude Juncker went back to the road and arrived to Inimicus, one of his last stops of the campaign. With the rally at Portus Inimici, there were just 2 rallies left: one in Reitzmag, that he would held in the capital city of the Eurasian country and the campaign closing one in the capital of the European Union, the Free City of Europolis. The polls now projected he is due to win the election, but he didn't want to believe anything until it became real, so he didn't give the polls many importance.
Juncker decided to arrive by train to Portus Inimici, using the rail connection from Telum after arriving in the Eurorail, one of his star projects. It worked well for him to take the train from Madrid, where he arrived from Luxembourg, where he lived. It was fast and comfortable enough to prepare a good rally. The news were spreading fast, and the attack in North Diessen did worry him, more did the Reutland separatists. Of course, that should be a topic to speak about, and even more important to make his stance clear after the Premier Commissioner released a statement. Every candidate was socially pressured and by thus, mandated, to make their stances clear so people knew who they could trust for the next four months. Hours later, the Spanish candidate arrived to where the rally would be held, and Grace Kelly by MIKA started to play as it marked the start of the rally.
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"Good evening Portus Inimici, as well as to our friends in North Diessen, the United Duchies and Gania! Thank you very much for coming to this rally, no matter if I am there in person or just as an hologram. It's a pleasure to be here today.
Just before we start, I would like to send my deepest condolences to the families and friends of those killed in the cruel attacks in Het Goor, the capital city of North Diessen. As a candidate, as someone who loves your country, I want to tell you these hard times will end someday, and North Diessen will go back to what it was, a great, peaceful country. And we will speak about what is happening there later, as I cannot ignore what is happening and how the European Union shouldn't answer to this challenge to the sovereignty of a member state, and the same applies for any other territory in Europe defying their country's sovereignty by violent means. Violence is never the way to achieve your goals, and I want to send a message to those terrorists. I don't care if you come after me, if you try to kill me after what I am going to say, but you don't scare anybody, you will not get Europe's help to achieve your goals. Stop killing people and cease your attempts to make more damage to your country.
And why have I brought this topic up to start the rally? Well, you know that the current Premier Commissioner believes in national sovereignty, even she defended to stay away from the Copala City's affair, something I do agree with. During the debate, there was a question about the sovereingty boundaries each candidate had, and Sofie Čikarová answered the following: "the EU shouldn't concern itself with the internal affairs of its member states"; "the EU should also not aim to establish a unified foreign policy". Something many could agree with, I am sure some of you watching from the United Duchies for example could. But now, when North Diessen requests Inimican help to tackle this terrorists, something normal and that the EU, according to the Premier's own words, should respect, the Premier Commissioner changes her criteria and says: "I also call to any outside actors to refrain from conducting military operations in the region without prior consultation with the rest of the European Community and to immediately cease any ongoing military operations in the region that were not consulted with the rest of the European Community." For those that yet don't understand: Ms. Čikarová aims for a unified foreign policy and concerns itself with the internal affairs of its members. Is this really the European Commission we want? The one that hides the truth, does nothing for our region and contradicts itself? In my opinion, this is not what Europe deserves, nor do the Diessan people.
With that said, let's move on to the main topic of this rally. Today, we are going to speak about Chapter I of the European Progressive Alliance Election Manifesto, also known as Ms. Muzhare's and my agenda. And I am going to focus on the first section, which is called "Modernising Europe". There are 4 proposals on this section, and I am going to make an attempt to explain all of them as much as possible today, so the Inimicans, the Diessans, the Duchians and the Ganians can have some clear ideas about what I propose for them. Firstly, I propose to push forward a Constitutional reform by sections, negotiating and listening to everyone’s voices: European Councillors, leaders and citizens; something we do need. Let's be honest, Europe has a constitution that disengages many, the same happens with its structure. When you ask a Mennrimian about their opinion on the union, he is likely to answer this: "they focus too much on the continent and leave us apart". Why does that happen? Because we have had just a few Commissions that actually cared about what happened in the other side of the ocean. That is, ladies and gentlemen, a structural problem. But let's go a step further: if you ask a Duchian about their sovereignty, most of them believe the EU should have some sort of limit, a Spaniard says the EU works fine but needs minor changes. The truth is that the current European Constitution does not have a boundary and thus it legislates on everything. That's why I propose to set up an agreed, reasonable boundary in the Constitution, and such will be reformed by sections. Every section will mean a new negotiation, new brainstormings and opinion sharing, before taking the amendment to a discussion and then to the Council for its passing. And by the way, I am setting myself a goal: I aim to reform one section before the end of my term.
Some of you might be curious about what we are going to speak about in those talks about the European Constitution, and the answer is so simple you will not believe it: about everything. If the European Union wants to move forward, if we want to update ourselves, to imrpove the region we live in, to include those non-continental countries, we will then be unable to afford taboos. As a result, that means we will speak about how Europe works, and many countries will surely bring up their concerns: Inimicus, for example, will show concern about the budget, Reitzmag about piracy on the Caspian. And every single concern will be heard, considered and treated. If we want an united Europe, if we want a long-lasting Constitution, we will need to hear and respect everybody, along with reaching important agreements.
My third proposal is the perfect balance between sovereignty and integration by hearing member states’ governments. Before I get to explain this one, I want to make something clear: the EPA and myself stands for cooperation between member states as well as in supranational level decisions taken by the EU. But we need to make a difference between those areas we should let the European Union decide, like in Human Rights; and those that it should not touch, like a joint foreign policy or concerning with the internal affairs of its states unless they request it. And this also has a deep relation with the Constitutional reform we are proposing: sovereingty boundaries means more engagement with Europe. And finally, we will open the European Court of Justice’s reform debate. During this term, we have seen a very inactive, even inexistant European Court of Justice; and something needs to be done with it. The ECoJ needs new functions, but also to become active and effective. That is why, to my point of view, I consider we should open the debate and get a new ECoJ that works correctly.
And now, ladies anf gentlemen, we have reached the end of this rally, which has been very entertaining for me and also helpful. Today, I have been able to explain my proposals to change this Union and make it better than it is right now. But I need you to trust, and overall, to be aware of the challenges we will be facing for the next months. If we continue to have this kind of Commission, be sure we will not be able to succeed, not even to move forward. But if you vote for me, if you decide to believe in this humble and honest project, you won't be disillusioned. Soon, the polls will open, and I hope this time, we can get the European Union we deserve.
Thank you very much and good night!"
(The new European Progressive Alliance's anthem plays in the background at the end of the rally)