Photo credit: Andreas Gaufer, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

HILARIOUS or outrageous it may be, depending on one's mood. The latest publicity stunt from Team Battistelli (not the same as the EPO, which they merely exploit for their own agenda of power and money) is like something out of the propaganda books. Battistelli and his circle smile in their suits next to a bunch of what Soviets would call "useful idiots"; this isn't 'the' union but a tiny group which claims to be one. FFPE is the Daniel Domscheit-Berg of the EPO's staff. Only under intense pressure from colleagues it expressed solidarity with SUEPO, but those who look closely enough will see how Battistelli et al view and exploit FFPE [2, 2]. FFPE members cannot claim to be passive participants; they know too well how their complicity in this PR stunt would be used against SUEPO and by extension against EPO staff as a whole.

"FFPE members cannot claim to be passive participants; they know too well how their complicity in this PR stunt would be used against SUEPO and by extension against EPO staff as a whole."Team Battistelli now truly leaves a misleading mess, ensuring that no external observer like a journalist can make sense of things. Battistelli is just trying to mislead media about unions, pretending there is peace. Tomorrow he will try "results", exploiting lack of critical skills and an inability to properly scrutinise the claims. What gives? How much is Battistelli willing to lie to the world in his desperate effort to save his job?

Pathetic. Truly pathetic. More so than Battistelli calling people whom he views as opposition "Nazis". One thing is clear now. Team Battistelli won't give up with a fight (a dirty fight) that includes lying to journalists, lying to staff, fake letters of 'support' etc. Evil all the way. "As for the author of the pathetic letter in support of the President and his management style," said one comment earlier today, "the information you received from your source is highly likely to be correct because the named PD was indeed assistant of Mr Minnoye prior to her appointment as PD (a well calculated step) and she is a typical product of the BB’s regime, always aligned with those in power. You know the classical kind of person: “lêche….”. This kind of person would do anything in order to please the boss."

"Team Battistelli won't give up with a fight (a dirty fight) that includes lying to journalists, lying to staff, fake letters of 'support' etc."It's not surprising that some people out there, especially people whom the EPO is now willing to recruit and also promote, play ball for the tyrants. They're being groomed as a reward for their docility. "That IS hilarious," wrote to us one person [1, 2]. "It's so fake they even didn't photoshop some union faces in that picture. As there should be in such "deals" [...] If you groom people for being leeches and backstabbers at your service, what do you think they'd do for you once you need them?"

"You can even see the strings," another person remarked about the photo. For those willing to take the risk of clicking an epo.org link, here it is. The totally Orwellian nonsense contained just one tiny photo (11 people in full body size with just 264 pixels across, 172 top to bottom). Well, the photo is so tiny that I can hardly even recognise a handful, and those whom I can recognise I already know too well not to recognise even with just 10-20 RGB pixels making up their faces.

“FFPE has about 4 people in it...”
      --AnonymousThis is what's known as "Photo op", which Wikipedia defines as "short for photograph opportunity (photo opportunity), is an arranged opportunity to take a photograph of a politician, a celebrity, or a notable event."

Wikipedia correctly notes that this "term has acquired a negative connotation, referring to a carefully planned pseudo-event, often masqueraded as news. It is associated with politicians who perform tasks such as planting trees, picking up litter, and visiting senior citizens, often during election cycles, with the intent of photographers catching the events on film, generating positive publicity."

One reader asked us earlier today: "Have you seen the EPO homepage???"

People are starting to notice, no doubt...

"FFPE has about 4 people in it," told us this reader. "FFPE only exists in The Hague."

"The longer Team Battistelli stays, the worse things will get for everyone, jeopardising everybody's jobs."Well, we heard estimates of ~20 members at most, but they don't want to say (despite queries), so it's quite likely less. They're close enough to the Battistelli-led circle that they hang out with Bergot, based on comments we saw. It's called 'controlled opposition' in some circles. The "good boy", i.e. FFPE, unlike the naughty boy (SUEPO) is how it works. Classic!

How can anyone not see what Battistelli is hoping to achieve here? Propaganda galore.

Rebuttal to the latest Team Battistelli lies (regarding results) will be published here tomorrow. Team Battistelli is quickly burning any remnant of reputation that the EPO ever earned. They hate the EPO so much -- unlike SUEPO (loving enough and caring to suggest improvements) -- that they lie to everyone and think that this will somehow stick. The longer Team Battistelli stays, the worse things will get for everyone, jeopardising everybody's jobs. The sooner Battistelli and his goons leave, the quicker the EPO will get back on its feet and restabilise. The EPO cannot coexist with Europe (or the EU) when it not only has a conflict with public interests but also with its own workers' interests and European law. ⬆