Madeleine's parents take child abduction alert campaign to EuropePublished by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Communities
Tuesday 17th June 2008 - 11:59am
Missing British toddler Madeleine McCann's parents embarked on a series of meetings with MEPs in Strasbourg today in a renewed effort to secure backing for a Europe-wide child abduction alert system.
Gerry and Kate McCann have until July 24 - the close of the plenary session - to collect the signatures needed to ensure that their proposal, in the form of a written declaration, is sent to the EU President and published.
They have chalked up 225 signatures so far, leaving them another 168 to collect.
Among those the couple were due to lobby were members of the UK Independence Party (UKIP).
The Euro-sceptic party refuses to sign declarations on a point of principle, but Mr and Mrs McCann hope it will make an exception in their case.
Speaking after their arrival at the parliament building, Mr McCann said: "This is an important issue and Europe needs to work together. We want to get as many signatures as possible but there's limited time left."
The couple, from Rothley in Leicestershire, launched the drive for a United States-style Amber Alert in April but now fear time is running out in their bid to achieve formal recognition of the scheme.
Such a declaration carries no legal weight in the European Union but the McCanns believe it would help them win the moral argument over whether such a cross-border system is needed.
Madeleine went missing from the family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on May 3 last year.
The McCanns believe a European version of Amber Alert - which notifies the public via media across the US when police confirm a child has been abducted - would have helped the search for their daughter in the crucial hours after her disappearance.
Speaking ahead of today's meeting, their spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, said: "It's a chance for Gerry and Kate to be updated on the progress of the declaration so far. While talking to supportive MEPs, it's also an opportunity to reinforce the importance of such a system being introduced to those who have not already signed."MEPs from Bulgaria, Cyprus, France and Finland were among those members set to meet the couple.
A number of MEPs approached the McCanns after a parliament vote to express their support for the written declaration, which sat on a table by the entrance of the debating chamber waiting for members to sign up.
French member Alain Lamassoure, of the European People's Party, is writing a report on the co-operation of the police and judiciaries across member states.
He said: "I will sign it because it's a very painful issue and clearly a far better co-operation between the judiciary and police of member states could help prevent or solve these kinds of issues."
Ireland's Fianna Fail party is backing the proposal.
Fianna Fail member Liam Aylward said: "It's a heart-tending case and it captured the imagination of people around the world.
"If we can influence anybody, we will do."
Finnish MEP and former world rally drivers' champion Ari Vatanen said: "I am a father of four children. I will support it."
http://www.24dash.com/news/Communities/ ... -to-EuropeSeems like they've got at least another 3 signatures since yesterday!
Edited to add news report:
ActOneSceneOne wrote:
Found this on Portugal Diario,
http://diario.iol.pt/sociedade/ultimas- ... -4071.htmlGoogle translation - faites attention!
"McCann react badly to questions"
Parents of Madeleine liked not to be questioned about the fact that they left the girl alone
The parents of Madeleine McCann reacted badly, this Tuesday in Strasbourg, on the issues that have left his daughter alone on the night of the disappearance, claiming that the "real issue" is the abduction, the Lusa news.
Kate and Gerry McCann participated in a press conference in the European Parliament (EP) to promote a petition launched two months ago in Brussels with a view to establishing, at Community level, a system of alert for missing children.
When questioned about the fact that on the night in which disappeared in May last year, the Algarve, Madeleine McCann find itself alone in the apartment, the child's parents British - made defendants in Portugal - said to be tired of that question, saying that people should be focusing on the crime committed.
"Do not abandoned or neglected the Madeleine. Someone entered the apartment and took a child. That is the question. Frankly(?) this matter is really very boring," said Gerry McCann. Kate McCann also said that "the real issue is that a child was kidnapped and there is a criminal who still goes out there." 
"We must concentrate on the real issue. No aid is to continue to raise this issue. Nothing has changed in the last 14 months and not understand that once again we talk about it," he said. 
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