Summit about to start, press is preparing for a long night…
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Brussels - Federico Poggi
The European Council will start only this afternoon around 5pm but the press is already prepared for a long night of briefings on negotiation developments. So far, the main goal of journalists was to find a stable base in the press room, the booking of which has started almost a week ago.
Obviously, only international press based in Brussels was able to book its narrow place on a long desk and, more important, its LAN plug, and phone line on the spot.
The next mission for journalists would be finding a place in the narrow corridor left for press at the VIP entrance where each of the 27 head of states and of governments will parade. Reporters will be squeezed trying to grasp any comment from the members of the Council and of delegations stretching their arms, handling voice recorders.
Comments before the start of Council meetings are known to be always positive but seldom is the outcome of negotiations obscure like it is this time. So far, the Polish representative, even if softened, has maintained its intention to make use of the veto right if the base of negotiations does not change for a qualified majority voting system more favourable to Poland than the proposed double majority. Other important issues are at stake as the text proposed by the German presidency appears too ambitious to several member states and has been criticized because considered to be disrespectful of the French and Dutch referenda of 2005.