A lot has happened between the Philippines and the European Union under President Rodrigo
Roa Duterte administration.
One of the major instances where the Philippines made a
stand as regards its relations to EU was when it formally rejected the $382
Million EU trade related Technical assistance and the other one is when Duterte
rejected EU’s formal invitation to attend the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM12)
in Brussels, Belgium in October.
The President has slammed EU in his public speeches, for meddling
in the governments anti-drug war whichhas resulted to the deaths of thousands
and for providing aids to the Philippines with “conditionalities that will
affect our sovereignity.” *
 |
| European Union Ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen (photo credit to owner) |
Barely a week before the European Parliament reviews the
Philippines’ trade perks, President Duterte slams the European Union (EU) for
imposing “white, crazy values” on Filipinos, telling the EU it can “ go to
hell.”
The President in his public engagement in Cebu City
said “These whites, they’re crazy,” “The
problem here, this Europe now and these Americans, they want to impose their
values on our race,” he said.
“Europe wanted to give financial assistance with a
condition,” the President added. “I said, ‘You go to hell, I don’t need your
money,’” said Duterte.
A week before the European Parliament reviews the
Philippines’ trade perks, President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday scored the
European Union (EU) for imposing “white, crazy values” on Filipinos, telling
the EU it can “go to hell.”
“These whites, they’re crazy,” Mr. Duterte said in
a speech in Cebu City. “The problem here, this Europe now and these Americans,
they want to impose their values on our race,” he said.
“Europe wanted to give financial assistance with a
condition,” the President added. “I said, ‘You go to hell, I don’t need your
money,’” he said.
“Do not talk
to me about values and anything,” he added.
European
Union Ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen, said that it is not closing
its doors to the country, despite its current rocky relationship. In a press
conference last month he points out that the Philippine president has never
been to Europe, and his presence in the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM12) in
Brussels, Belgium in October would be a great opportunity to “develop an
understanding of Europe.” *
In the review of the Philippines trade perks, European lawmakers will
discuss the merits of EU’s preferential trade arrangement with the Philippines
on Feb. 20.
Jessen said the European Parliament would discuss the latest report on the
country’s commitments under the Generalized System of Preference Plus (GSP+).
The GSP+ is a perk that allows the Philippines to export more than 6,000
products to EU at zero tariff for the past three years.
Report from PDI
0 Comments