Europe honors Kohl, 'true Europeans' (PHOTO)

More than 20 heads of state and government, a former king and hundreds of officials attended the commemoration of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on the occasion of the death of former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl.

They emphasized that Kohl contributed to the unification of Europe and brought about the reconciliation of former adversaries on the continent. A coffin covered with a European flag embedded by eight German soldiers was placed on a stand in the center of the shop for this ceremony, the first of its kind in the history of the European Union. The three wreaths were in front of the suitcase: one in the colors of Germany, the other European Union and the third of his wife, which says "With Love, Mother".

"Helmut Kohl was a real European and friend, Europe owes him a lot," said European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on the eve of the ceremony. Coyle died on June 16, at the age of 88. He was the creator of the reunification of Germany in 1990 and the longest since all of World War II was the chancellor (1982-1998). Kohl was the advocate of the spread of Europe to the east and with French President Francois Mitterrand, the chief architect of the Maastricht Treaty of the EU and the introduction of a common European currency - the euro.

He has become a historical personality of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) for life and it is believed that the current Chancellor Angela Merkel owes him his political ascent in the 1990s. "His legacy for Europe is huge," Juncker said, adding that he spoke at the ceremony as a friend, not as an official. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said at the commemoration in Strasbourg that "Kohl was the creator of the Sveti Order" and added that the late Chancellor in Russia will remain remembered as "a friend, a wise and honest person".

Former US President Bill Clinton said that Kohl offered a chance "to be involved in something greater than ourselves, from our mandate or passing through careers." European Parliament President Antonio Tajani said that Kohl deserved "a slow place in the pantheon of Europe" because he without hesitation offered his friendship to new democracies in Eastern Europe after the fall of the Iron Curtain. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was a minister during Kohl during the 1990s, said she could apologize for many anecdotes about him, but that all faded on his life achievements.

Merkel said that Kohl changed the lives of many across Europe. "The lives of millions of people would be much different without Helmut Kohl, including my life." "Dear Helmut Kohle, thanks to you, I stand here today. Thank you for the chance you gave me and many others," Merkel said. French President Emmanuel Macron said that Kohl for France was an important interlocutor and associate, but more than that - he was a friend. Macron said that they came today to pay tribute to the trail he left behind in history.

The ceremony was attended by 17 EU leaders, including British Prime Minister Theresa May. Spain was represented by former King Juan Carlos and former Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez, and Italy was former European Commission President and former Prime Minister Romano Prodi. On behalf of Portugal came Jose Manuel Barroso, former President of the European Commission and former prime minister. Many of the leaders who collaborated with Kohl, such as Jacques Delors, Valery Giscard d'Estaing, Jacques Chirac and Rus Mihail Gorbachev who could not attend the ceremony for health.

The ceremony was attended by eight officials, including European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Juncker. For the first time in the history of the European Union, a ceremony is dedicated to honoring one of the three leaders who have been declared honorary citizens of Europe, said Juncker. The other two are French Jean Monnet who died in 1979 and Jacques Delors, who is 91 years old.

After the commemoration in Strasbourg, the kohl's suitcase will be transferred to Germany in Ludwigshafen, where he lived, and then to Spiers, where he will be buried.

• 1 Jul, 2017
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