Statement from the CESI leadership: Commemorating the Brussels bombings one year ago

“Today, we think of the victims and their families – and we think of their lives which have brutally changed, if not ended”, CESI President Romain Wolff stated. “A year ago, innocent civilians were hit as random targets. And in the end we can only pay tribute to them by fiercely defending our fundamental and democratic values of our free society and by standing firmly and united against terrorism and radicalization!”

As a European trade union confederation representing public sector workers across Europe, CESI has for a long time worked on sustainable, holistic approaches solutions to address radicalist threats. CESI’s affiliates, among them teachers, police officers, prison guards and administration officials, were among the first to face new radicalist tendencies within society, and to bring this to the attention of politicians and the public.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger declared: “Anti-radicalisation cannot be reached by reinforced security measures alone. Multi-disciplinary and complementary, soft and hard, preventative and repressive policies are needed to integrate social, educational and security-related components, which can together yield an effective anti-radicalisation recipe.”

Heeger also underlined that the fight against terrorism requires a stronger policy coordination at the European level, as well as more support for all public sector workers in this field.

“Today it is the victims that we commemorate, and this should inspire our continued efforts in anti-radicalisation and counter-terrorism”, CESI President Romain Wolff concluded.

For further information about CESI’s work in this field, see a detailed position paper here.

Picture: © EurActiv 2017