Translation below sent to us in a rush

Summary: Two different translations (the above and the below) of the strong reaction from Pierre-Yves Le Borgn' (French politician most relevant to the abuse against overseas staff) to EPO witch-hunts and mock trials

THE EPO's vicious attacks on staff, which it treats like non-humans, was covered here in our previous article, but a lot remains to be said (there's lots more coming this weekend).

Pierre-Yves Le Borgn', whom we mentioned here many times before, has just responded. "Here the communiqué de presse of Pierre-Yves le Borgn," one person wrote. "The words are strong but to the very point. Merci M. le BORGN' !"

Someone provided us with a translation above and there's also the following in a later comment at IP Kat:

A comment just published on the website of French MP, Pierre Le Borgn’ (my translation into English)

Sanctions against trade union representatives at the EPO: a disgrace and a deep injustice 15 January 2016

"I learned with astonishment the decision announced this morning by the President of the European Patent Office (EPO), Benoît Battistelli, to punish harshly three staff members of the EPO, all of them Committee members of the SUEPO union and based in Munich. I am deeply shocked. Two of these staff members, one the Chairman of the Munich location branch of SUEPO, the other a former Chairman, have been dismissed. The former is even deprived of a part of her pension rights. The third staff member has been downgraded by a considerable amount. I note that President Battistelli set these sanctions well beyond the recommendations made by the EPO's disciplinary committees. These acts demonstrate a will to do evil, to frighten, to eradicate all criticism and any intermediate power is thus characterized.

"I contacted the French Government immediately. What has happened is a disgrace and a deep injustice. I expect the member states of the EPO, starting with France, to intervene urgently to put an end to arbitrariness and this tendency that ruins lives, destroys families and undermines the work of the entire organization. It is inacceptable for the immunity enjoyed by the organization to lead to such deviations from the rule of law, based, among other things, on respect for the rights of trade union representatives and staff, the independence of disciplinary committees in relation to the management and proportionality of sanctions, as much as questions largely ignored here.

"An organization has a future only when its staff identify themselves with it, with its governance and its management. This is no longer the case to the EPO. It is urgent for member states to reflect on the reasons that led to to this. And consider seriously replacing the governance of the EPO and its management."

Thank you, Pierre-Yves Le Borgn', for doing more than any other single politician has done on this matter, in the face of bullying and intimidation.

Please, dear readers, if you are EU citizens, immediately contact your delegates regarding the EPO. This is supreme abuse from what has become Europe's embarrassment and shame. ⬆