EU slams 'tasteless' speculation on Juncker's health

 

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker arrives for the second day of a NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium, July 12, 2018. Tatyana Zenkovich/Pool via REUTERS

 

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker suffered a painful sciatica attack at a NATO summit this week, a commission spokesman said on Friday, dismissing as "more than tasteless" media speculation that he was drunk.

 

Comment raised by a video of the EU chief executive staggering and being aided by other leaders on Wednesday evening prompted the German government to insist it had a "very high level of confidence" in Juncker, who will represent the European Union at trade talks in China, Japan and the United States later this month.

 

The Commission's chief spokesman, Margaritis Schinas, told reporters that Juncker held a full programme of meetings this week and would fly as planned to China and Japan next week. He is expected to hold crunch talks in Washington later in the month to try to resolve a trade dispute with the White House.

 

"On Wednesday night, he suffered a particularly painful attack of sciatica, accompanied by cramps," Schinas said, adding that Juncker thanked the Dutch and Portuguese prime ministers for helping him from a podium erected for a group photograph.

 

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Friday that Juncker had back trouble at the summit and that he did not seem drunk.

 

Juncker, 63, has previously himself spoken of back and leg pain and serious injuries he suffered in a car accident in 1989. He makes no secret of enjoying a drink but dismisses allegations he has an alcohol problem -- notably aired in British media when London was trying to block his EU appointment four years ago.

 

People present during the Brussels summit, which was marked by rows between U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders over military spending, said Juncker, a former long-serving prime minister of Luxembourg, had played a full part in talks.

 

However, a senior member of the British delegation to the NATO talks told British reporters after the dinner: "He looked like he was either completely trolleyed (drunk) or ill."

 

Media in Germany, where business is anxious for Juncker to defend its car exports from new tariffs in talks with the Trump administration, and in Britain, where he has long been a target for anti-EU Brexit supporters, carried unflattering pictures, including one of Juncker in a wheelchair before a NATO dinner.

 

"I think it's more than tasteless that some press try to make an insulting headline by exploiting President Juncker's pain," Schinas said told a daily news briefing, dismissing any suggestion that Juncker was suffering the effects of drink. "I don't think this is elegant and I don't think this is fair."

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-07-14

Yes, of course, it was the sciatica!

 

He was " as sciaticad as a sciatic parrot".

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They think they can lie, I have had sciatica, my symptoms were different to Mr Junckers, people will watch the video and make their own minds up. 

A troll post has been removed.  

 

looks more like 73

He looked so high the RAF should have been called to shoot down the last Juncker.

The man was very obviously pissed up, I get sciatica once in a while and it does not make me drunk - it can be painful and that was painful to watch, if a UK PM (or other) was to get on like that they wouldn't be in office too long and there is the problem - this unelected head man in Brussels cannot be removed because he was never elected and answers to no one 

Well after watching it .it was obvious that it was a little to much of the laughing juice caused it

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Just google the fellow on youtube and similar platform. It would be quite entertaining if not for th fact, that he is the commissioned (not elected) big wig of Europe and a disgrace to the 720 million Europeans trying to make ends meet while he and his cronies are moving the ends.

But, as with all of them suffering from the same kind of sciatica, the future will tell. As far as I am concerned, he was, is and never will be a stranger to the bottle! 

Europa - quo vadis? 

Needless to say, that the rest of the EU flock keeps the fairy tale going as they can literally do behind bozzie's back what they want as he has bigger bottles to empty!  

Cant be sciatica. The condition only effects people with a backbone.

This guy, as many other big wigs in EU and IMF, is a disgrace.

 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/.../eu-chief-jean-claude.../

 

 

 

'"I think it's more than tasteless that some press try to make an insulting headline ...'

 

Juncker is tasteless. 

 

 

7 hours ago, smedly said:

The man was very obviously pissed up, I get sciatica once in a while and it does not make me drunk - it can be painful and that was painful to watch, if a UK PM (or other) was to get on like that they wouldn't be in office too long and there is the problem - this unelected head man in Brussels cannot be removed because he was never elected and answers to no one 

Oh, he was elected ... by heads of state, without reference to their electorate who would no doubt have demanded they not vote for him.

Anybody who thinks he can be drunk there and at the same time be supported by the PM's of all those NATO countries is not thinking very clearly.

Seems more like anti EU posts than reasonable thought out posts.

Tasteless speculation? The usual pathetic default Brussels reply.

Harsh truth harder to swallow for the EU than a drunk at work...

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22 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Anybody who thinks he can be drunk there and at the same time be supported by the PM's of all those NATO countries is not thinking very clearly.

Seems more like anti EU posts than reasonable thought out posts.

I'm Very pro EU. To be honest, the various video clips I have seen about Juncker I do also think he is a bit of a drinker.

 

Then again, if he has a walking issue along with rather friendly behaviour, which is not as common in my culture, it's possible that he is clear headed in these situations.

 

I personally like the people who are clear headed when the things get tough and can relax on situations which are just for publicity and show. I suppose there are valid reasons to keep Junker as the head of EU. Otherwise he would have been kicked out a long time ago.

 

So, the ones who know, have good reasons to have him in his position. Even if he has personal limitations. 

Just now, oilinki said:

I'm Very pro EU. To be honest, the various video clips I have seen about Juncker I do also think he is a bit of a drinker.

 

Then again, if he has a walking issue along with rather friendly behaviour, which is not as common in my culture, it's possible that he is clear headed in these situations.

 

I personally like the people who are clear headed when the things get tough and can relax on situations which are just for publicity and show. I suppose there are valid reasons to keep Junker as the head of EU. Otherwise he would have been kicked out a long time ago.

 

So, the ones who know, have good reasons to have him in his position. Even if he has personal limitations. 

I agree he is a drinker, and I agree he should go.

 

But as I said, no way would all those PMs support him and keep mum about it when he is drunk there. Simply impossible.

I'm not saying he's drunk, but people are quite capable of making their own minds up.

 

3 minutes ago, stevenl said:

I agree he is a drinker, and I agree he should go.

 

But as I said, no way would all those PMs support him and keep mum about it when he is drunk there. Simply impossible.

I'm not so sure. Those PMs are pretty much on top of their field, hard core politicians. Sounds first silly, but that's how it really is. They know when to keep their mouths shut. 

 

If Juncker someday goes against their will, they have power over him to gain advantage of the situation. In similar fashion as Putin uses his golden shower tapes over Trump.. and possibly many other world leaders, collected before they became heads of states. Power game. 

5 minutes ago, vogie said:

I'm not saying he's drunk, but people are quite capable of making their own minds up.

 

Well, that video shows an elderly man having difficulties to control his body, quite like Steven Hawking. 

He also comes from different culture, where cheek kisses between people are thought appropriate. 

 

Nothing much more. 

 

 

I'm not so sure. Those PMs are pretty much on top of their field, hard core politicians. Sounds first silly, but that's how it really is. They know when to keep their mouths shut. 
 
If Juncker someday goes against their will, they have power over him to gain advantage of the situation. In similar fashion as Putin uses his golden shower tapes over Trump.. and possibly many other world leaders, collected before they became heads of states. Power game. 

P.M's at the top of their field, hard core politicians are also not immune to ignorance and should lead by example, not doing so lacks integrity and professionalism at the highest level.

Knowing when to keep your mouth shut is dependant on the topic and situation, Barnier is seeking to replace Junker, so Brussels goes from one autocratic to another, it's a pitiful situation.

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8 minutes ago, oilinki said:

Well, that video shows an elderly man having difficulties to control his body, quite like Steven Hawking. 

He also comes from different culture, where cheek kisses between people are thought appropriate. 

 

Nothing much more. 

 

 

You would have thought that someone in such pain and walking difficulties would use a walking aid like a walking stick. I have had sciatica and with the pain I had, I certainly never supported a cheesy grin on my face like Mr Juncker, I have also lived in France and made many French friends, I can't remember them cheek kissing me like he does, maybe I missed out on something eh. ?

3 minutes ago, citybiker said:

P.M's at the top of their field, hard core politicians are also not immune to ignorance and should lead by example, not doing so lacks integrity and professionalism at the highest level.

Knowing when to keep your mouth shut is dependant on the topic and situation, Barnier is seeking to replace Junker, so Brussels goes from one autocratic to another, it's a pitiful situation.

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All critic is good, well those based on facts. That's how we improve, not demolish the society.

 

If it requires another autocratic person to get in to the power, to keep the wheels running, so be it.

I know very little of that world. I know, in my technical world view, I do appreciate the folks who make things work well, regardless how popular they are during the night out. 

 

 

24 minutes ago, oilinki said:

I'm not so sure. Those PMs are pretty much on top of their field, hard core politicians. Sounds first silly, but that's how it really is. They know when to keep their mouths shut. 

 

If Juncker someday goes against their will, they have power over him to gain advantage of the situation. In similar fashion as Putin uses his golden shower tapes over Trump.. and possibly many other world leaders, collected before they became heads of states. Power game. 

Disagree, quite a few of them would want his job and would do anything to get in his place. PM's, aides, many people around. All of them keeping quiet, no way.

1 minute ago, vogie said:

You would have thought that someone in such pain and walking difficulties would use a walking aid like a walking stick. I have had sciatica and with the pain I had, I certainly never supported a cheesy grin on my face like Mr Juncker, I have also lived in France and made many French friends, I can't remember them cheek kissing me like he does, maybe I missed out on something eh. ?

I don't know.

 

Perhaps you smelled wrong, or were observed by others that you are not either worth of kissing, or willing to be kissed. Have you ever been squeezed by a Thai friend? Btw Juncker is from Luxembourg, not from France. 

 

All of that is rather irrelevant. If the case is that Juncker is brilliant mind during the private meetings and let's go during boring public events, I support him. We have enough Paris Hiltons to fill the public space already.

2 minutes ago, oilinki said:

I don't know.

 

Perhaps you smelled wrong, or were observed by others that you are not either worth of kissing, or willing to be kissed. Have you ever been squeezed by a Thai friend? Btw Juncker is from Luxembourg, not from France. 

 

All of that is rather irrelevant. If the case is that Juncker is brilliant mind during the private meetings and let's go during boring public events, I support him. We have enough Paris Hiltons to fill the public space already.

I know where Juncker is from, as for your insults on my bodily odour and not worth kissing I will give them the contempt they deserve.

But good to see Juncker still has one fan.?

 

8 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Disagree, quite a few of them would want his job and would do anything to get in his place. PM's, aides, many people around. All of them keeping quiet, no way.

In the past we have had quite a few examples of the inner circle keeping some personal behaviours hidden from public view, as the reining leaders were doing their tasking jobs. In Finland, our president climbed a palm tree, while being fully intoxicated. At the time it was published, it was considered fun behaviour ?

 

Churchill was a drinker. Roosevelt was in a wheelchair. Those naturally were the war times, but the well known 'secrets' were buried under, due the work these people did. 

 

We used to be more forgiving towards people's disabilities, in public. Perhaps we should start roll back and become similar human beings once again? Even if in today's world we can see everything in real time.

 

 

 

8 minutes ago, vogie said:

I know where Juncker is from, as for your insults on my bodily odour and not worth kissing I will give them the contempt they deserve.

But good to see Juncker still has one fan.?

I'm not a fan of Juncker. I just give him the benefit of the doubt. 

 

Why shouldn't you do the same? Your French friends did so with you.

 

1 minute ago, oilinki said:

I'm not a fan of Juncker. I just give him the benefit of the doubt. 

 

Why shouldn't you do the same? Your French friends did so with you.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about your rudeness, maybe you were just born like that.