POLAND: President of E.U. commission Barroso admits his surprise over Poland's opposition to EU day against the death penalty

The European Commission president says that given Poland's history, he is surprised at the country's opposition to a European-wide day against the death penalty. On a visit to Warsaw on Thursday (September 20), the president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, expressed his surprise at Poland's attitude towards a European-wide day against the death penalty. Poland's conservative government stopped a European Union plan on Tuesday (September 17) to establish a day against the death penalty, saying any such event should also condemn abortion and euthanasia. Polish ministers at the Brussels meeting of EU interior and justice chiefs sunk proposals to mark the long-standing abolition of capital punishment in the 27-nation bloc, planned for October 10, demanding instead to broaden the debate on the issue. After meeting with Barroso on Thursday, Polish prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski confirmed the two had discussed the situation. "We talked as well about 'the day against the death penalty' and our opinions differed," Kaczynski told reporters at a news conference. At a second news conference held in the European Commission's offices in Warsaw, Barroso said that given Poland's history, he was surprised at the opposition to the plan. "If there is a country that has suffered a lot in the past because of attempts on human integrity, it was Poland precisely," he said. He said the EU was not expecting Poland's opposition, but it would not change the the bloc's view on capital punishment. "The European Union is against death penalty, this is the position," Barroso said. Barroso also commented on the protection of European energy markets, especially in relation to Russia. "If there are foreign investments in Europe coming from Russia that is good. The problem is, how to do it in a fair manner. What happens today is that foreign companies can come to Europe and buy the networks of energy and for instance European companies cannot go to Russia and buy their the networks of energy. So this is not fair, this is not fair. We have to defend European interests, this is the point," he said.

ITN Source | September 21, 2007

Tags:. .past. .human. .energy. .held. .protection