Amendment to the Europe Day Act

[Kingdom of Reitzmag]

DEFINITIONS

I. Europe Day: The official regional day of the European Union which celebrates the values of the European Union, bringing EU citizens closer and celebrates the realities of life in a European Union based on the principles of the rule of law, a Union that possesses a democratic order founded on popular sovereignty and on values that are now accepted and shared by the vast majority of European people.

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SECTION I - EUROPE DAY OBSERVATION OF THE DAY

I. Europe Day shall be celebrated every year on July 25th.
II. If it cannot be celebrated on the proposed day, the European Commission would decide a new date for that year.
III. The day shall be a public holiday for employees of the European Union's institutions and agencies.

Friedrich van Allen
Councilor, Kingdom of Reitzmag

[Inquista]

Debate on this starts NOW and will last until 09:00 GMT on September 11th, 2020.

I suppose I agree with these amendments, at least personally. Clause III is certainly appreciated. Although if you actually followed the original debate on this legislation, you'll find that there are states which will object to Clause IV.

Edward Firoux
Council Speaker and Councillor for Inquista

[Spain]

I'm partially opposed to this amendment. I think that there's no need of changing the preamble of this act entirely, just the start of it, and the original preamble describes much better what Europe Day is intended to be than your Cllr. van Allen. I also oppose to Clause IV as many countries refused to apply it in the past and I think they will still oppose to it. That's why I'm submitting an amendment to the amendment, despite that sounds really confusing:

DEFINITIONS
The official regional day of the European Union which celebrates the values of the European Union , bringing EU citizens closer and celebrates the realities of life in a European Union based on the principles of the rule of law, a Union that possesses a democratic order founded on popular sovereignty and on values that are now accepted and shared by the vast majority of European people.

SECTION I - OBSERVATION OF THE DAY
I. Europe Day shall be celebrated every year on July 25th.
II. If it cannot be celebrated on the proposed day, the European Commission would decide a new date for that year.
III. The day shall be a public holiday for employees of the European Union's institutions and agencies.

Donald D. Tusk
Councillor for Spain

[Kingdom of Reitzmag]

I find it agreeable Mr. Speaker, Mr. Tusk. I very much agree to the amendment of Coun. Tusk, I only disagree to his amendment regarding the definition.

Friedrich van Allen
Councilor, Kingdom of Reitzmag

[Fayrrendel]

Councillor Firoux must have sensed what my reaction was going to be because, I do indeed have an issue with Clause IV. Councillor van Allen, it is all well and good for there to be a Region-wide holiday, I am sure nobody is opposed here to such an ordeal. Councillor, do you know how many holidays our country has on its calendar? We have 24 days of official public holidays a year, all of which are religiously important holidays in Ruthund. One of these holidays is July 25th, the first day that marks the Harvest Rite in which farmers and workers bring offerings to the Patron Spirit of their workplace. It is tradition that no work is done on this day so not to spoil the ritual. In other words, largely nobody works on July 25th for this reason.

I am sure to many of you, our ways my seem backwards or even silly. But we are a highly religious people that take our traditions and holidays seriously. I cannot look straight into the eyes of the Ruthenish people and announce to them that Europe Day shall also be observed next to one that starts one of the most important rites of the year. That would degrade the holiday! Ruthund has no problem member states implementing their own policies concerning this holiday. Even Ruthenish employees working in European institutions, we will have some leniency on since we are strongly in favor of the EU remaining secular. But Ruthund is not a secular nation and to preserve our values, I cannot go by silently with this bill until Article IV is removed.

Helhuan Zihuruthstukur
EU Councillor, Ruthund

[A Former User]

Austria will be opposed to Clause IV, as well. Holidays here are not decided by a central institution but by professional and ethnic groups, a system meant to ensure both harmony and national unity. And it has worked very, very well for us. This act, however, would cause enough disruption to this system to throw things off balance. Yes, our arrangement is is meant to be flexible, that is true; but this is simply a bit too much. The minority ethnic groups would be angry as a result of the possible erasure of their culture; the professions would feel the same as the result of the sudden disruption of labor, one that, unlike other holidays and possibly strikes, would be unwanted by almost everyone. Negotiation could be used to implement it, as has been done in the past; but this would take months, possibly years, and likely would fail in the end.

Eugen Freund
Councillor for the Federal Republic of Austria

[Pravoslaviya]

It is extremely disappointing that, literally three weeks after this Act was passed, Cllr Van Halen is attempting to eradicate my amendment from it. I think it's clear to everyone involved in that debate that, without my amendment, neither I, nor perhaps some other councillors, would have voted for the Act. While there's no provision preventing this proposal from being brought forward – although I'm rapidly being tempted to believe there should be – I'd like to think a basic level of civility would discourage councillors from this kind of legislative warfare. This, frankly, is the sort of thing that punctures my desire to work constructively in this chamber.

As for why I oppose this amendment, I'd refer my colleagues to my comments in the previous debate, way back on the, er, just checking my notes here, 9th August. Ancient history, I know.

Cllr Tupac Shakur

[Duxburian Union]

The Union of Duxburian Dominions also opposes Clause IV. Individual groups, entities, and industries need to have the flexibility to decide how or whether to observe the holiday. There are also places out there like the City of Azrekko, where EU policies have devastated their economy and created catastrophic unemployment. Forcing them to not work to celebrate the EU would be pouring salt into an open wound. Everyone's EU experience varies, it has not been a smooth ride for all. It's easy to shut yourself in a positive feedback bubble and ignore or become oblivious to the consequences of the laws that we pass, but these are real people and they aren't going away.

Wesley Greene
Councillor of the Duxburian Union

[Inquista]

Debate is now over. Time to vote on amendments. There is one amendment, proposed by Councillor Tusk:

Amendment I
DEFINITIONS
The official regional day of the European Union which celebrates the values of the European Union , bringing EU citizens closer and celebrates the realities of life in a European Union based on the principles of the rule of law, a Union that possesses a democratic order founded on popular sovereignty and on values that are now accepted and shared by the vast majority of European people.

SECTION I - OBSERVATION OF THE DAY
I. Europe Day shall be celebrated every year on July 25th.
II. If it cannot be celebrated on the proposed day, the European Commission would decide a new date for that year.
III. The day shall be a public holiday for employees of the European Union's institutions and agencies.
IV. The day shall be observed as a special-non working holiday in all of the European Union's member-states.

Voting on the amendment will start NOW and will last until 23:15 GMT on September 14th, 2020.

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I vote for Councillor Tusk's amendment.

Edward Firoux
Council Speaker and Councillor for Inquista

[Spain]

I vote FOR my amendment.

Donald D. Tusk
Councillor for Spain

[Fremet]

I vote FOR Councillor Tusk's Amendment.

Charles Michel
Councillor for the Kingdom of Fremet

[Kingdom of Reitzmag]

I vote FOR Coun. Tusk's Amendment.

Friedrich van Allen
Councilor, Kingdom of Reitzmag

[Mennrimiak]

I vote FOR Councillor Tusk's Amendment.

Adam Karlssen
Councillor for the United Kingdoms of Mennrimiak

[Inimicus]

The Empire of Inimicus votes FOR Cllr Tusk's amendment.

Hetty Tilki

[Fayrrendel]

The Realm of Great Ruthund votes FOR the admendment.

Helhuan Zihuruthstukur
EU Councillor, Ruthund

[Nofoaga]

The Republic of Nofoaga votes FOR the amendment.

Mrs. Paul-Gabrielle Muzhare
EU-Councilor for the Republic of Nofoaga

[Inquista]

With 8 votes for, Councillor Tusk's amendment has passed. The legislation has now been updated to reflect the passed amendment. Final voting begins NOW and will last until 00:45 GMT on September 18th, 2020.

On behalf of the Most Blessed State of Inquista, I vote FOR this amendment.

Edward Firoux
Council Speaker and Councillor for Inquista

[Fremet]

On behalf of the Kingdom of Fremet, I vote FOR the amendment.

Charles Michel
Councillor for the Kingdom of Fremet

[Duxburian Union]

On behalf of the Union of Duxburian Dominions, I vote FOR the Amendment.

Wesley Greene
Councillor of the Duxburian Union

[Fayrrendel]

The Realm of Great Ruthund ABSTAINS this admendment.

Helhuan Zihuruthstukur
EU Councillor, Ruthund