mr president your words today were typical of your time as president
our groups may not always agree but during your mandate you have proven an honest fair and unifying figure one whose modesty masks your many achievements
you were elected on the basis of a worthy pledge to engage our house in intercultural dialogue but your record reaches further than that
on members allowances you concluded the vital work started by pat cox
on parliamentary procedures you oversaw the reforms that many of us have long called for and through initiatives like europarl tv you have supported modern methods of communicating with our citizens
that is a record to be proud of and a legacy on which your successors should build
i hope you will write about your experiences and impressions
they will be too interesting to be left in the cold and powerful hands of oblivion
moreover as the poet emerson taught us there is no such thing as history only biography
this parliament has become more powerful over the years
it will be more powerful still under the lisbon treaty if and when it is eventually ratified
it will be interesting to see what plans future presidents will bring to expand on the role that you have played projecting the common values and principles that we hold dear
but today i think i can speak for many when i say that you have earned our respect and affection
like you this is my last plenary speech in my current role
having led my group since two thousand and two i have a touch of what we call in english the seven-year itch
although i will not sit in this seat again i know you are aware that i am keen to try sitting where you are
president on behalf of my group i thank you
i thank the session services and the interpreters and all the staff who have contributed to the very fine job you have done as president of our house
