Libertas and the League of Polish Families

[FutureTaoiseach]

Other than Ganley's own remarks on this, the only reference I can see to this is in the Telegraph. Can anybody provide verification that any such swimming pool actually exists?

The Telegraph article quotes a Green MEP supporting the move:

Senior MEPs discussed plans for the new fitness facilities on Wednesday night after they were tabled by Gerard Onesta, a French Green and vice president of the parliament.Mr Onesta insisted that the new gym would have "nothing to do with luxury" and that the facilities would save money by cutting staff absenteeism by up to 30 per cent.
"This is not about a sports centre just for deputies but facilities for all the workers, assistants and interns in the institution," he said.
"It is not a swimming pool. It is an aqua gym."

[red-365]

The Telegraph article quotes a Green MEP supporting the move:

I know what the Telegraph said. What I'm looking for is the truth.

[Clanrickard]

I know what the Telegraph said. What I'm looking for is the truth.

just because it is in the Telegraph doesn't make it untrue as said by George Orwell. Are you saying the Torygraph made this up?

[ibis]

just because it is in the Telegraph doesn't make it untrue as said by George Orwell. Are you saying the Torygraph made this up?

They do have a certain amount of prior form...but it's more a case that they don't link to any other sources on this kind of stuff - you get only as much as the Telegraph chooses to tell you.

[evercloserunion]

The same LPR that has been sitting in FF's UEN group for years? At least Libertas didn't wait years before cutting ties. And didn't a certain FF minister get into a similar spot of bother, without being suspended from the party? FF are in no position to lecture on this, much as they may try. As for the IT - they are, as ever, pushing an agenda as in Lisbon I, and will be treated by the Irish electorate with the contempt it deserves.

Um... are the IT planning on running in the Euros or something?

[red-365]

They do have a certain amount of prior form...but it's more a case that they don't link to any other sources on this kind of stuff - you get only as much as the Telegraph chooses to tell you.

What we know is this from the Telegraph:

* There is no such pool.

* The Euro Parliament's Budget Committee has rejected a proposal to build a swimming pool.

* A French Green Party MEP supports the construction of a pool that will cost €5.6m.

* Such a pool facility, were it ever built, would be for the use of everybody who works in the EP builiding, not just MEPs.

* He discussed it with other unnamed "senior MEPS" last week

* It's not up to him whether this pool gets built or not, it's up to the "parliament authorities"


What we don't know is:

* In what kind of forum was this discussed. Plenary? Committee? Informal?

* Whether the original rejection of the pool can be overturned?

* If so, by whom, and how.

[ibis]

I know what the Telegraph said. What I'm looking for is the truth.

From yesterday's Indo:

Wednesday March 18 2009

It has been reported that Jim Higgins MEP voted to support a €9.2m swimming pool in the European Parliament. This is incorrect.

The idea of a swimming pool in the European Parliament's sports centre was the subject of an amendment to a report before the budgets committee.

It was rejected by the MEPs who sit on that committee, and more recently was rejected by the Bureau of Parliament.

The proposal has not been put before a parliamentary committee or the full parliament since.

The proposal was never placed in front of Mr Higgins to vote on as he is member of the Regional Development Committee and the Transport and Tourism Committee.

Majella O Doherty
European Parliament, Brussels

[zeleneye]

Its a good Telegraph story but I read somewhere that the service operator will bear the cost of the gym. The EP will make an up-front investment and the service operator will have to pay it back over a ten year period...with interest.

So, in fact, the EP would develop its own facilities and make a profit. However, if what ibis ha posted is correct, then MEPs have voted against it. I hate British rags.

[Verhofstadt]

So that's another bit of "rumour and innuendo" knocked on the head.

The orginal press release by Libertas looks more and more like those Daily Mail / Telegraph straight banana articles.

Considering the highly qualified communications team on the Libertas payroll in Brussels one would presume they were fully aware that they were misrepresenting the facts with their press releases.

Add this to their reticence in releasing financial data and their propensity to take legal action against the media and we start to biuld a picture of a rather unattractive organisation.

It's a shame as the EU and it's processes could do with a kick up the proverbials especially now when we can least afford the wastage.

[OMahonyMunster]

The same LPR that has been sitting in FF's UEN group for years? At least Libertas didn't wait years before cutting ties.

Well they waited until the funding application and registration for the status of a pan European political party has collapsed amid cries of "Fraud" before splitting.

They used PLF leading light Cyprian Gutkowski, "a number of the regional assembly of Mazovia, Poland. A supporter of MEP Maciej Giertych, 72, of the League of Polish Families who was censured in the EP for his booklet suggesting the Jews were biologically different." to attempt to get that money and recognition, he sigened up to them and for them.

As to FF and the PLF FF and FG are not trying to ally all the disparate far right groups across Europe under one banner. Check out Libertas pals the True Finns or their Austria letter writers.

The rise of fascism in Austria? Ganley and Libertas' Austrian supporters featured in Daily Mail article today

Or their French pals Le Pen on Ganley as far right fight far right in France

Libertas with their anti women agenda fit right in with the PLF.

These people who advocate the right of the child as militantly as Libertas's pals both here and in Europe always disregard the rights of women, esp their rights over their own bodies.

Polish League of Families are nazi scum to boot, Libertas knew this , but still opportunistically worked with them to get their hands on cash.

Libertas can try and hide it but they have too many such characters and parties in their camp for it to be dismissed with the usual denial, reversal, denial, accusation that is SOP for ganley and Libertas.

No they are not being smeared, they are a smear.