Juncker MEPs "ridiculous" over near-empty parliamentJuly 4, 2017 - 17:16 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - EU chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker called European lawmakers "ridiculous" on Tuesday, July 4 for failing to turn up to an address by Malta's prime minister, saying they should show more respect for smaller members of the bloc, Reuters reports. Juncker, himself from the small Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, was visibly annoyed as he watched the proceedings in the near empty parliamentary chamber in Strasbourg. "You are ridiculous," the European Commission president told the gathering called to listen to a speech by Malta's Joseph Muscat, in a blunt public rebuke of another EU institution. "The fact that there's about 30 members of parliament present in this debate only really illustrates the fact that parliament is not serious," he said. "The European Parliament is ridiculous, very ridiculous." Juncker said Malta, the EU's smallest country that had just completed a stint running the bloc's presidency, deserved better. "If Mr. Muscat was Mrs Merkel, difficult as that is to imagine, or Mr Macron ... we would have a full house," Juncker said, referring to the leaders of Germany and France. Parliament president Antonio Tajani did not address the low attendance, but told Juncker himself to take a more respectful tone. "You may criticize the parliament, yes, but the [European] Commission does not control the parliament, it's the parliament that should be controlling the Commission," he said, to a smattering of applause. Slightly more than 400,000 people live on Malta, putting it just behind Luxembourg whose population comes in over the half-million mark. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. |