On the need to curb racism and nationalism that leads to wars, were referred to by Cypriot MEPs on Monday evening during a debate in the European Parliament (EP) Plenary in Strasbourg on a draft resolution on the elimination of racial and ethnic segregation.
DISY MEP and member of the Group of the European People's Party, Loukas Fourlas, said in his intervention that the phenomenon of racism and discrimination continues to plague Europe and anyone who does not see it is "willfully blind".
Referring also to the invasion of Ukraine, he said that "there is no greater racism than attacking someone's country because you simply disagree with them or want to win something."
He also said the pandemic triggered a huge wave of xenophobia and culture, education, sport, media are important weapons to counter it.
"We want, or rather, we demand, a total zero-tolerance approach to racism in all its manifestations," he said.
"We want, or rather, we demand, a total zero-tolerance approach to racism in all its manifestations," he said.
He added that education and awareness-raising of children is of immense importance so that they develop critical thinking and become protectors and guardians of human dignity.
"We call on everyone to take effective measures to prevent the media from spreading false narratives, negative images, of specific ethnic or racial groups, which breed racism," he said.
Racism, he added, "is a hydra, it has many heads, and we must cut them all off, one by one." This, he said, requires cooperation and methodology.
In his turn, AKEL MEP and member of the Left Group in the EP, Niyazi Kiziljirek, referred to statements by the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, that one does not need to be a nuclear scientist to understand the difference between refugees from the Muslim world and Ukrainians.
"And I say, one does not need to be a nuclear scientist to understand that these words are racist," Mr. Kiziljurek said. Of course, he added, Mr Orban and many like him "can also be proud to be racist."
The founders of the EU, he added, knew very well that racism and nationalism mean war and that Europe must defeat nationalism to have lasting peace.
"All these years later, unfortunately we cannot say that we have secured lasting peace," Kiziljirek said, adding that the report they are discussing on fighting racism comes at the right time.
The draft resolution calls for the elimination of the racial and ethnic segregation that still exists in the education systems of some EU countries, as well as equal access to teaching posts for teaching staff belonging to racial and ethnic minorities.
Other measures proposed include a call for the media to stop spreading narratives that stigmatise members of particular ethnic or racial groups, and a proposal to end EU and state funding for those media that promote hate speech and xenophobia.
Voting results are expected to be announced on Wednesday.
Source: CNA
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