euro|topics - Norbert Mappes-Niediek

22/11/2008

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Mappes-Niediek, Norbert

5 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.

Frankfurter Rundschau - Germany | 19/11/2007

The opposition wins in Kosovo's elections

Norbert Mappes-Niedik comments: "It's not extremism that has come to the fore in Kosovo, but a new generation - one tired of the ex-communist elite's stiff and empty declarations. But it would be premature to interpret the results as the triumph of a stable democracy, as Western diplomats are doing. Kosovo is far from being a democracy. The power does not emanate from the people, but from international diplomats. ... The stifling control of the bureaucrats leaves no room for responsibility, ideas, deep-rooted change, productive crises, independent initiatives in foreign policy or true reconciliation. The 'international community', which in the form of these officials rules over many countries, is not as altruistic as it pretends to be. This circle has huge vested interests, even if it's only the extension of its own contracts and projects."

Berliner Zeitung - Germany | 01/11/2006

The difficult process of forming a government in Austria

Four weeks after its elections, Austria still has no new government. The negotiations for a grand coalition between the SPÖ and the ÖVP have broken down. However, according to Norbert Mappes-Niediek there's no need to panic. "The squabbling in the coalition negotiations should be taken about as seriously a staged murder at Vienna's Burgtheater. All the participants are firm realists, and the allegedly so sensitive election loser Wolfgang Schüssel (ÖVP) is more aware of what his defeat four weeks ago entails than anyone else in his situation could be. The conservative ÖVP is making a big fuss and acting offended because it wants to make the best of its unfortunate position as a junior partner to the Social Democrats. In the end they'll get their act together – but all involved will be left with the feeling that they have witnessed a great tragedy. It goes without saying that all the moves in this poker game of forming a government are of a purely tactical nature – and in this respect quite elegant."

Frankfurter Rundschau - Germany | 23/02/2006

Mladic and Serbia

Norbert Mappes-Niediek uses the conflicting reports about Ratko Mladic's arrest as an opportunity to praise the UN war crimes tribunal and its chief prosecutor, Carla del Ponte. "The tribunal in the Hague is the only foreign institution to put the pressure on the right people. Firstly, on the war criminals themselves. If they're arrested and brought to trial it will give people in the Balkans the feeling that there is such a thing as historical justice – if not between peoples, then at least between murderers and respectable people. Secondly, The Hague is stepping up the pressure on those who are protecting the criminals: the shady remnants of repressive apparatus and the nouveaux riches who made their fortunes during the war and whose demonstrations of power are now taking on the form of sentimental devotion. Western governments are reluctant to put the same amount of pressure as The Hague on former Yugoslavia. They're protecting their own interests, as they always have done."

Frankfurter Rundschau - Germany | 21/02/2006

The Kosovo talks

According to commentator Norbert Mappes-Niediek, the Kosovo negotiations are "clearly heading towards independence," despite the fact that the opponents of independence for Kosovo can rightly argue that the United Nations has never sanctioned the splitting-off of part of a member nation's territory against the will of that member up to now. Mappes-Niediek points out that "that argument can also be turned round. Just because Bosnia was saddled with a ridiculous state type doesn't mean the same mistake should be made with other states. With a little creativity, the contradictions in this situation can be overcome. In ten years' time, all the new small states are to become EU members, which means they'll be giving up a large part of the sovereignty they're so fervently battling for now anyway. So in fact, the negotiations are dealing with an issue which will become a problem of internal politics for the EU. Therefore, the EU would also gain if it could pluck up the courage to find innovative solutions now."

Frankfurter Rundschau - Germany | 09/01/2006

Austria's EU Presidency

The current EU presidency of Austrian chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel will not improve the situation of the EU, says Norbert Mappes-Niediek. "Because Schüssel has never left Vienna in his entire life, and is so deeply entrenched in the Jungschar (a religious organisation reminiscent of the Boy Scouts) milieu and the Catholic University community that he is able to make his tactical decisions very light-heartedly. In this respect, he fits in with the EU as it is now, but not with how it should be. For Schüssel, a convinced European, Europe represents something like the vanished Austro-Hungarian Empire which he and his political friends still openly regard as virtually the best of all possible worlds. In his view of the world, there is no place for the argument about the best alternative which Europe so urgently needs, or for the outrageous concept of sovereignty of the people."

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