EU must move closer to the people: Parsley

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sat 28th May 2005

Alliance Party Councillor Ian James Parsley has said the European Union cannot reach its full potential if it does not move closer to the people.

Speaking after discussions with representatives of the Dutch Liberal group Democraten '66, the North Down representative stated: "The outcomes of referendums in both France and the Netherlands will show that people have had enough of being ruled by Eurocrats for the sake of Eurocrats. The immense potential of the European Union can only be fulfilled if the Union moves closer to the people. It must be seen to be a constant, positive factor in people's lives, not just some 'ivory tower' churning out daft regulations.

"The European Union is unquestionably a force for the good. Here in Northern Ireland, EU membership has served to bring down borders, open up markets, and heal wounds. It is an example, in itself, of positive cooperation between regions and peoples which, until within living memory, were at war with each other. The people of Northern Ireland have, through the EU, the opportunity to develop a society based on common purpose and common goals, rather than historical divisions and conflict. Yet sectarian politics in Belfast and ever-growing bureaucracy in Brussels have meant that this opportunity has largely been spurned.

"The lesson from elsewhere in the EU is that people once in conflict can unite and cooperate -- but only if the EU focuses on serving the people, not just its own bureaucratic elites."

ENDS