PM: We need Passenger Information System – Republic

Source: Private archive

The author: Philip Frydrykiewicz

The head of the European Council, Donald Tusk appealed to the European Parliament to speed up the system for the exchange of passenger information. He warned that without policy in the sphere of security will be threatened by the European Union

His first after taking over as head of the European Council EuropeanParliament speech at the forum in Strasbourg Tusk began by paying tribute to the victims of last week’s attacks in France. – Three messengers of death can not and will not be able to intimidate millions of people of good will – he said.

Do not expose the freedom

After the attacks flared anew in the Union discussion on solutions which can help enhance security, such as. to create a common system for the exchange of information on air passengers (ie. PNR – passenger name record). Work on the Directive on the matter stuck in the European Parliament, which fears the weakening of the fundamental rights of citizens, especially the right to privacy.

– We know this is a difficult and sensitive issue. Parliament has the right, treating seriously its role in defending the freedom of European citizens. But I ask you also to help protect the safety of those who elected you – Tusk said. He added that the EU is facing again the eternal dilemma between security and freedom. – We need to find a balance between these two fundamental needs – he said.

According to Tusk, if there is no common European system for the exchange of passenger data, the EU can occur 28 different national regulations. This would be a system full of holes, which is interfering with the rights of individuals to privacy, do not adequately protect them.

– If you do not create a coherent security policy, then sooner or later you risk incurring the risk of freedom that we built, including the Schengen . I would not wait – warned the head of the European Council.

Let’s go back to the borders

Requests restrictions on freedom of movement of persons within the Schengen area also died on Tuesday at the European Parliament. According to Marine Le Pen, leader of the French far-right National Front, the free movement of persons hampers the fight against terrorism and ensuring security in the EU.

– If we had national borders, perhaps we could get them to stop many of those who back in France after participating in the conflicts in Syria and after training in Yemen – said Le Pen. Established in this way, the history of the perpetrators of the attack on the satirical weekly “Charlie Hebdo” in Paris.

Polish MEP Ryszard Czarnecki (PiS) found, in an interview with reporters that “you should seriously this possibility (to restore border controls – red .) Consider, so even limiting, suspending some part of civil rights for security. ” – It is better that people did not die, even if it makes the problem of those who leave or enter – told reporters.

Commenting on similar statements in Parliament during the debate, the leader of the Belgian Liberal Guy Verhofstadt decided that they are ” dumbest ideas “he had ever heard in the European Parliament. – Are needed for better controls at the external borders of the Union – assessed.

PM: We need Passenger Information System – Republic