It’s official – Welsh in Europe!

I’m so pleased! From this week Welsh speakers will be able to correspond with the European Commission in Welsh.

It’s been a long campaign, but on Thursday, when the UK’s Permanent Representative to the EU signs the memorandum in Brussels, it becomes official.

Its another step forward in boosting the status of Welsh at European level and raising the profile of Wales.

Although it’s fantastic news that Welsh speakers can now deal with the European Commission in the language of their choice, I won’t be stopping here. When the new president of the parliament is elected next week, I’ll be meeting him or her and continue to push the European Parliament to adopt better rules, allowing further use of the language.

Reforming Europe in my new role

I was incredibly honoured this week, when I was elected as president of the European Free Alliance Group (EFA) and vice president of the Greens/EFA in the European Parliament.

The European Free Alliance was formed in 1981 to work for a Europe in which nations, regions and language communities would have the right to their own identities and would work together to help shape a democratic and effective union. EFA brings together like minded parties from nations seeking independence or greater autonomy and those campaigning for minority rights.

It is such an important time in Welsh and European politics, and if the European Union is to effectively support us through the economic crisis and lead the way in fighting climate change then it needs the input of all of us. That includes Wales, Scotland, Catalunya, Corsica, Flanders and all the nations and regions that are not yet represented in their own right in the EU.

We believe the European Union has a key role to play in these issues as well as in protecting public services, defending human rights and contributing to international peace and disarmament. But it has to be a Europe in which people feel they matter.

The European Parliament is a parliament for Wales as much as the House of Commons is, but it is seen as irrelevant and distant. The most effective way to reform Europe is to base that reform on the real Europe that exists rather than on the so-called nation states.

In my new role I will be working with MEPs from across Europe and with the people of Wales to achieve that reform.

Trains and boats and planes

I’m pleased to see Plaid’s Carmarthen councillors raising the vital issue of better mainline rail services [here].

It’s something I’m fighting for all the time. High speed rail services are essential for Wales’ economy, environment and citizens. My position is clear. Wales must have, as soon as possible, HST services from Holyhead and Fishguard, across our north and south coasts connecting to the European mainland. This makes sense in so many ways, so why isn’t it happening?

First, the UK rail industry is much too Anglo-centric. For them, it’s all about services radiating from London. (It’s the same argument about airports). From that stand-point, Wales is always on periphery and doesn’t justify investment. The new High Speed 2 company’s brief excludes Wales, despite passenger demand. None of their 4 future scenarios includes Wales.

If you don’t take a narrow Anglo-British view, it all looks so different. Our north and south coastal routes could be part of the pan-European network from Ireland to the mainland: trains and boats. Think how many more jobs this would create in Welsh ports. Increased use would also improve train services right across Wales.

As an internationalist, my argument isn’t just for us. The whole of the British Isles would benefit. I’m sure the Scots government would join in, but so too would North English regions and all of Ireland.

But by far the biggest reason we don’t have a proper transport infrastructure is UK government priorities. They prefer to spend that money on warfare. Labour’s international policy – a function of British nationalism – is the problem and where the big money goes. The UK military configuration follows Labour’s political demands. So the boats we get are two large aircraft carriers – HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, mark you – costing £4 billion. Their planes – of US manufacture (no ‘British jobs for British workers’ here) will cost £12 billion. They ordered the first of these this March.

Labour’s other boats are replacements for the Trident missile-carrying nuclear-powered submarines. (You know, the ones that bump into their French allies). This little project is estimated to cost £20 billion. As you know, I’ve fought against these weapons of mass destruction all my political life. Now, maybe, we can see a glimmer of hope. British generals think they’re outdated. Even some Tories appear think so too.

If UK nuclear weapons were abolished, that would be brilliant. But I can’t see it myself. We all know that the only way we’re going to get decent public services – including 21st century European trains – here is when Wales becomes a member state of the European Union. Then we wouldn’t need Labour’s boats and planes. We would have proper defence forces like the Irish and work with the United Nations.

For Mandelson?

I’m glad to see my proposal made last March (click HERE) for a Welsh member of the European Commission has now been raised by Plaid Cymru in the British House of Commons:

“In the spirit of partnership between the nations of these islands, what does the Secretary of State think of my party’s proposal that each of the constituent nations of the United Kingdom should take its turn in nominating the UK representative as commissioner in the European Commission?”

Unfortunately, the British Secretary of State here, Paul Murphy, chucked it out straightaway:

“In my view, only the sovereign state Government is able to nominate for the role of commissioner.”

We all know that nominations can only be made by member states, but that doesn’t stop internal, legally binding arrangements among the 4 UK constituent governments to rotate the post as I suggested. After all, Labour changed horses to get Peter Mandelson back into the UK cabinet. He resigned mid-term and was replaced as Commissioner by Catherine Ashton last year.

So, with the political will, it can be done. Labour did it for Mandelson but is not prepared to do it for Wales. To misquote the killer line in Robert Bolt’s fabulous A Man For All Seasons: “For Mandelson?”

European Investment Bank: acorns and oak trees

It’s good to see the European Investment Bank agreeing to invest in small and medium size Welsh businesses. The £75 million EIB fund will be matched with £60 million from the European Union’s Regional Development Fund. The five year programme will be managed by Finance Wales which can give loans or make investments in Welsh companies from £5,000 to £2 million. These are the very industries we must aggressively promote to get Wales out of Labour’s decades- long recession.

I and other Plaid members from the Assembly and Westminster met with EIB officials in the European parliament on 5th April 2005 to discuss how essential Welsh projects and enterprises could get at EIB funds especially, at that time, health services. You will remember that when Plaid suggested this, Labour said it couldn’t be done.

Anyway, the opportunity for EIB funding was built into the One Wales agreement: “We will explore options for a public sector investment agreement with the European Investment Bank”. Now, we see the actual delivery on that promise for the people of Wales. I’m pleased I was in parliament to help sort this out at the beginning. Sometimes it takes years for political initiatives to yield results but this scheme couldn’t be more urgently needed.

This shows what a difference Plaid can make. We believe in Wales dealing directly with Europe and exploring new ways to maximize investment in our own Welsh economy. See, it works!

Neo-cons stitch up EU lobbying register

The whole Green / European Free Alliance group in parliament is rightly furious that Labour, Tory and Liberal Democrat MEPs are trying to sabotage attempts to open up professional lobbying in the EU to public scrutiny. Over 12 months ago, parliament voted for a mandatory register of named lobbyists, effective monitoring and strong sanctions for breaking the rules. After the vote, all went strangely silent for seven months. Now we know why.

Last November, the Commissioner for Administrative Affairs, Siim
Kallas, convened a ‘high level group’ comprising himself and
representatives of only three parliamentary groups – ALDE (Liberal
Democrat), PSE (Labour) and EPP (Conservative). My own Green / EFA
group was excluded from this cabal, as were GUE (United Left / Nordic
Greens) and others.

Now, this “infamous four” – no doubt with the full support of their
respective groups – have ‘decided’ to have only a voluntary register
of lobbyists! This is a scandal. It goes against a democratic vote. It was done behind closed doors. Who knows what deals were done with the lobbyists themselves. Of course, the mainstream media is presenting this as a step forward, when, in fact, it’s the opposite.

Unlike the UK parliament, the European parliament is an autonomous
entity, so we can run our own affairs without interference from the
executive. But of course, the MEPs representing the three UK parties
are mostly lobby fodder in the grand old British tradition. The less of these we have in the next parliament, the better for basic democracy.

I will always vote for a mandatory register, effectively monitored and with strong sanctions for operating outside the rules. Why should
anybody be against that?

Cheaper mobile calls this summer!

I’ve just voted at the European Parliament, Strasbourg, in favour of introducing new European rules which will lower the cost of using mobile phones abroad from this summer.

The new rules mean that the cost of sending a text from abroad will be capped at 10p from July this year, whilst an outgoing voice call will cost no more than 40p a minute. Incoming voice calls will be capped at 17p a minute. There are also price caps for downloading data via mobile abroad, set at about 90p per megabyte from July. These figures are exclusive of VAT.

There is also a new provision to prevent ‘bill shocks’ that will allow customers to opt for a maximum financial limit for roaming, helping avoid a nasty shock when they receive their next bill.

These price caps, and being able to set a limit on calls means the consumer and not the big companies have control over how much they spend.

This is an example of the European Parliament making a practical difference. Most people today have mobile phones and want to use them most of all when they are away from home.

Labour demotes local Regeneration Services

I’m horrified that, during this recession, Labour-controlled Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has down-graded its regeneration department. Up to now, it’s had its own high-level management. Under Plaid leadership, the department developed highly successful projects like Porth Plaza, Pontypridd’s Catherine’s corner complex, the Communities First strategy, innovative and successful business support schemes and much more.

Unbelievably, instead of strengthening this service to support local businesses at this critical time, Labour has placed it under a regulatory officer who will do two jobs from separate offices. This takes Wales’ second-biggest county back to the 1970s when small district councils ran services like this. Another example of Labour taking us backwards: a few years ago, they did the same to children’s services.

I’m glad to say that in Plaid-run Caerffili, local regeneration is firmly under high-level Chief Executive leadership. Gwynedd too has just improved its economic and community development services to meet the jobs challenge caused by Labour’s recession.

Palestinian oud players in Wales this May

I’m pleased to post details of the following tour. I hope it helps to generate interest in Palestinian culture as well as raise awareness about the Palestinian crisis.

LE TRIO JOUBRAN

Palestinian Oud Virtuosos in Welsh Tour

A world-class must-see for all fans of classical and world music, Le Trio Joubran are a unique oud trio of Palestinian brothers, accompanied by a percussionist, whose heart-stoppingly beautiful oud playing will touch your soul. They embark on an 8 date tour of Wales this May.

Sons of a master oud craftsman from the Biblical city of Nazareth, Samir, the eldest brother at 35, is a virtuoso with an international reputation. He was inspired to form an oud trio after listening to contemporary flamenco and jazz fusion guitarists and wondering, “Why can’t the oud sound shiny like that?”

He is joined by brother Wissam, age 25, who was apprenticed to his father and became the first stringed instrument maker from the Arab World to graduate from the Antonio Stradivari Institute in Italy. Wissam crafted the three brother instruments played by the trio in the Joubran family’s tradition, bringing a total of six brothers to the stage!

Adnan, the youngest brother at 22, is considered a prodigy by his brothers and his full musical talent is still emerging. In unison and in turn, the trio’s repertoire of elegant melodies, intricate arabesques and high tempo, percussive playing is simply stunning. Their subtle exploration of the Arab tradition is fused with contemporary influences, from flamenco to popular music.

As Palestinians, Le Trio Joubran dream of the day when they can be free to just be ‘themselves’, to just create and play music like normal musicians. Their musical life is carried out amid the unimaginable social and political complexities of present day Israel and the West Bank.

As Israeli passport holders, the brothers find it difficult to travel to most Arab countries and ironically, it can be more complicated for the group to get from Ramallah to Tel Aviv than from Tel Aviv to Montreal. According to Samir, “While Palestine is occupied, I’m not a normal musician. After the concert, I go back and listen to the news. Everything is related to my country, my people.”

With their skillful, heart-wrenching improvisations that evoke the landscape, culture and people of Palestine, the trio conjour up harmony and sweetness, depth and joy. On stage, their eyes meet and their instruments unite to express that which the spoken word cannot. Between musical ecstasy and sumptuous silence, the trio carries its audience from elation to melancholy. Their overwhelming stage performances are both precise and overflowing with emotions that take the audience’s breath away.

The Palestinian experience of occupation, discrimination, hardship and sacrifice lends their musical scene a unique, experimental, diverse and innovative perspective, set apart from the rest of the Arab world. This trio’s music has the power to remind you that away from the conflict, theirs is a beautiful country with a rich and culturally diverse heritage. Something in their music simply transcends cultures, borders and politics.

Now with a base in Paris, away from the day-to-day aggravations and dangers of home in Ramallah, the trio have been able to take their music to a wider audience and tour in Europe, America and Canada, and now for their second tour to Wales.

Samir recently said, “This is our Palestinian kitchen, our culture and language; this is our instrument, our music and identity; and we’re just presenting our own version, one that grew organically out of all this.”

Celebrating Palestinian culture, Le Trio Joubran bring this message with them to Wales.

Editor’s Notes

Le Trio Joubran tour Wales in 2009 as part of the Arts Outside Cardiff scheme, part-funded by The Arts Council of Wales. Le Trio Joubran is a co-production between Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan and LMD Productions.

www.letriojoubran.com

Press and publication Quotes:

“This is contemporary oud playing at its finest —inventive, quixotic and arresting” Songlines

“The trio of intensely inspired and passionate musicians manages to triumph with a music that both moves the soul and makes the heart race with its fearless brilliance and command.”
John Adams, Composer in Residence at Carnegie Hall

For tickets, further information, competitions and photographs please contact Rhowan Alleyne, Marketing Officer directly on 01239 623928 or rhowan@mwldan.co.uk

Tour Dates

May 2nd: Aberystwyth Arts Centre T: 01970 623232
May 3rd: Cardigan Theatr Mwldan T: 01239 621200
May 5th: Cardiff St David’s Hall T: 02920 878444
May 6th: Pontardawe Arts Centre T: 01792 863722
May 7th: Milford Haven Torch Theatre T: 01646 695267
May 8th: Caernarfon Galeri T: 01286 685222
May 9th: Harlech Theatr Harlech T: 01766 780667
May 10th: Brecon Theatr Brycheiniog T: 01874 611622

Peace & Justice in Aberystwyth

Here’s news of an important event I’m taking part in this coming Saturday (March 14th) in Aberystwyth:

Networking for a more just and peaceful world: now more than ever!

The Morlan, Morfa Mawr, Aberystwyth, Saturday 14th March, 2pm – 6pm

With politicians and the media warmly welcoming arms manufacturers to Wales, in the St Athan development and at other so called “centres of excellence”, how can civil society respond?

Join Jill Evans MEP and Cynefin y Werin on March 14th in Aberystwyth to consider a range of options.

Other countries operate successful “Peace Institutes”. The idea of establishing of such an institution in Wales is supported by a growing number of people. The meeting will explore what this would mean and how it might happen. Background:

Cardiff University/WCIA proposal…
The Scottish approach…
The Flanders Institute…

Other discussion points:

* Annual national activism festival;
* All Wales networking;
* Climate Camp Cymru;
*Opinion poll on attitudes to war, climate change and social injustice.

All welcome.

For more information and to notify us of your attendance, please email: info@cynefinywerin.org.uk.