The daily Postimees calls for a pan-European strategy to counteract the negative demographic trend in Europe: "The low birth rate has long been a problem in the EU. But while some member states have already facilitated access for highly qualified immigrants, poor refugees from Africa are still being kept out and the restrictions for Eastern Europeans remain intact. But if at present there is one pensioner for every four workers, according to Eurostat in 50 years' time it will be only two workers to every pensioner. This means that to keep up the pension system contributions will have to be doubled. And how this will affect economic development or the defence budget, for example, remains to be seen. It would certainly make sense to tackle this problem at a European level." (28/08/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Migración, » Desarrollo demográfico, » Europa

Eurostat predicts that owing to its low birth rate Poland's total population will sink from its present level of just over 38 million inhabitants to 31 million by 2060. Sociologist Lena Kolarska-Bobińska, director of the Warsaw Institute of Public Affairs, writes in a commentary in Polska newspaper that Poland should become a country of immigration for economic refugees from the East. "We need ... to facilitate access for immigrants. Many European countries have already done this. This must be coupled with measures to promote the integration of newcomers. I am not talking here about refugees, who are equated with immigrants nowadays, but about opening up the country to people who want to settle in Poland for economic reasons. The most promising approach would be to open up to our Eastern neighbours because their integration is likely to be comparatively easy." (28/08/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Migración, » Desarrollo demográfico, » Polonia, » Europa del Este
Todos los textos disponible de » Lena Kolarska-Bobinska

According to the most recent Eurostat figures, by 2060 there will be six Spaniards over 65 years of age to every ten of working age. The daily ABC fears that the social welfare reforms of the ruling Socialist government are untenable in a rapidly ageing society: "Thanks to Eurostat we now know that we are getting older. ... Those of you who in statistical terms have the possibility of living to see the year 2060 should start getting worried. Half a century takes little longer than the blink of an eye, and according to the wise ones at the European Statistical Office, for every ten people of working age, there will be six who are over 65. ... If we assume that at that time the same team around [Spanish Prime Minister] José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is still in power - all conceivable catastrophes are possible - it would be nice to know how they ... will then finance the new law for the needy." (28/08/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política interior, » Desarrollo demográfico, » España, » Europa
Todos los textos disponible de » Manuel Martín Ferrand

The daily Dagens Nyheter sees three ways to attack the problem of an ageing Europe: "More jobs, more equality and more labour from abroad. To cope with the shortcomings, the ageing population must work longer, that means both men and women. But that will not be enough. Immigration must increase, with everything that that entails in terms of integration measures. And finally, the obstacles hindering people from having children must be set aside. That includes facilitating artificial insemination, for example. But the key thing is to create an equitable labour market, so that women do not feel forced to choose between children and their professional life." (28/08/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política de la UE, » Política interior, » Suecia

A German soldier died yesterday during an attack by the radical Islamist Taliban in Afghanistan. The regional newspaper Rheinische Post sees a connection with earlier attacks. "How must the German soldiers in Afghanistan feel knowing that at any moment they could fall victim ... to an ambush? They know that they are practically defenceless against such attacks. They also know that the deaths of ten French paratroopers have only strengthened the Taliban's resolve to continue with this course of action, for a fierce debate has now broken out in France which could even lead to the termination of the mission [in Afghanistan]. This has ominous consequences for the so far relatively peaceful northern Afghanistan, the area where the German troops are deployed: the number of attacks is increasing. ... Politicians must now say how they intend to make a success of the shaky Afghanistan operation. The soldiers have a right to know." (28/08/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política de seguridad / Crisis / Guerras, » Política interior, » Alemania, » Ásia
Todos los textos disponible de » Helmut Michelis

In the wake of the crisis in the Caucasus, the French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has voiced fears that Russia could attack Ukraine. For Die Presse newspaper the EU is duty bound to prevent this. "Many in the EU acknowledge with a shrug that Moscow is in the process of retracing Europe's political map. Clearly, like the Soviet Union before it, it wants to be surrounded by a ring of vassal states that dance to its tune. ... The Russian media have long been waging a campaign against the pro-Western [Ukrainian President] Viktor Yushchenko. Luckily ... he is not running amok like the Georgian Saakashvili, who has plunged headlong into the Russian trap. But sobre-mindedness alone will not save Yuchshenko from Russia's reawakened imperialist desires. And neither will Western visits of solidarity. If the EU can find no common stance on Russia, it should at least forge a common strategy to support Ukraine." (28/08/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Política de seguridad / Crisis / Guerras, » Ucrania, » Rusia, » Europa
Todos los textos disponible de » Burkhard Bischof

Russian energy giant Gazprom is drawing up plans for the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline, which is to run past Georgia across the Black Sea to Bulgaria. The Greek parliament is on the verge of ratifying a contract with Russia in which Athens gives its permission for the construction project, which is widely seen to compete with the [proposed] European-backed Nabucco Pipeline project. The Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza criticises the planned ratification. "The ratification of the agreement between Greece and Moscow will affect the entire EU's relations with Russia. The construction of the [proposed] Nabucco pipeline has the EU's backing because securing raw material supplies from the states bordering the Caspian Sea through a network of gas pipelines which are independent of Russia is intended to end Gazprom's monopoly in Europe. But these changes do not stand a chance if Georgia is excluded from the chain of states that are involved in the transport of raw materials outside of Russia. Indeed, this could have been one of the goals of the Russian attack [on Georgia]. If that was the Russians' plan, Greece will be sealing it by ratifying the gas treaty at this point in time. ... Athens would also prove that all the talk of sanctions that the EU could impose on Russia because of its recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia constitutes nothing more than empty words." (28/08/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Energía, » Empresa, » Economía política, » Grecia, » Rusia, » Europa
Todos los textos disponible de » Andrzej Kublik

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev defends in the Financial Times his recognition of the secessionist Georgian provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia: "It was not a step taken lightly, or without full consideration of the consequences. ... After the collapse of communism, Russia reconciled itself to the 'loss' of 14 former Soviet republics, which became states in their own right, even though some 25m Russians were left stranded in countries no longer their own. Some of those nations were unable to treat their own minorities with the respect they deserved. ... Can you imagine what it was like for the Abkhaz people to have their university in Sukhumi closed down by the Tbilisi government on the grounds that they allegedly had no proper language or history or culture and so did not need a university? ... Meanwhile, ignoring Russia's warnings, western countries rushed to recognise Kosovo's illegal declaration of independence from Serbia. We argued consistently that it would be impossible, after that, to tell the Abkhazians and Ossetians (and dozens of other groups around the world) that what was good for the Kosovo Albanians was not good for them. ... I sincerely hope that the Georgian people, to whom we feel historic friendship and sympathy, will one day have leaders they deserve, who care about their country and who develop mutually respectful relations with all the peoples in the Caucasus." (26/08/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Política de seguridad / Crisis / Guerras, » Rusia, » Georgia
Todos los textos disponible de » Dmitry Medvedev

The French economist Jacques Attali calls the tragic aeroplane crash in Madrid a symbol for humanity: "Of all the tragedies that have dolefully afflicted this summer, ... one stands out particularly in my mind: the Spanair flight in which more than 150 people lost their lives. Not because of the cause of the accident, which is not yet known, but because of the course it took, illustrated by one passenger, Ruben Santana, who was forbidden by the pilot from leaving the plane before it took off. ... In a way this tragedy is a symbol for the human condition. People ... act like air passengers who drink champagne in full knowledge that they will soon crash against a mountain. The Spanair accident extends this metaphor, evoking a humanity that dies during take-off because it neither questioned the profit margins nor took basic precautions to protect human lives. ... A humanity in which responsibility is so watered down that those who give the fatal order perish along with those who struggled against them to come out alive. The financial crisis and climate change are further examples of this blindness. ... This must change. When we return from holiday this summer, let us not forget Ruben Santana." (27/08/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Filosofía, » Ideología, » Global
Todos los textos disponible de » Jacques Attali

In an opinion piece for the daily Helsingin Sanomat, Michael Rühle, head of the Policy Planning and Speechwriting Section in NATO's Political Affairs and Security Policy Division, explains how security policy has changed in Europe. "In the times of the Cold War ... there were two opposing political-military camps and everyone knew this. ... Those times are over. It was a luxurious situation in which security and defence policy could deal with ideologies. International terrorism, regional conflicts, failed states, attacks in the area of information technology, the spread of nuclear weapons and ... climate change are practical challenges that cannot be resolved with abstract philosophical polemics. ... Both the EU and NATO are seeking new options for constructive cooperation with Russia. ... Faced with these challenges no country can afford to act alone. Those who share the same views must share the risks and responsibilities. ... NATO was and is the driving force behind this new pragmatism. ... The flexibility of NATO offers its partner countries greater possibilities for influencing developments ... and therefore ... for defining their future role." (28/08/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Política de seguridad / Crisis / Guerras, » Europa, » Global

The daily Dnevnik examines the European dimension of the trial against the alleged war criminal Radovan Karadžić, who since his arrest has been awaiting trial at the International Court of Justice detention unit in the Dutch town of Scheveningen. "The prison where the leader of the Bosnian Serbs has been brought is surrounded by a concrete wall. The Scheveningen prison is an old institution. ... The Yugoslavian wars were part of European history ... and the court is also in Europe, so where do the people behind the high walls on Scheviningen's beach come from? The answer is obvious. Radovan Karadžić is a European - as were his victims. But this is where the problem begins. If a woman from Srebrenica whose entire family was killed wants to attend the court hearings, she cannot just get into the car and drive to The Hague. She will be stopped at the Slovenian border - if not before that - and sent back. She comes up against the border between Europe and the rest of the world. She needs a visa, and to obtain it she must fulfil the same requirements as all other citizens of the third world." (28/08/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política de la UE, » Europa, » Serbia
Todos los textos disponible de » Ervin Hladnik-Milharcic

The business daily Les Echos analyses the impact of the current global economic crisis on Spain: "Just like the French authorities, who in 1996 claimed that the Chernobyl cloud stopped at the French border, the Spanish head of government José Luis Zapatero has long tried to convince the public that his country would not be affected by the 'sub-prime crisis'. ... Today the reality can no longer be denied. The economy is freewheeling. During the second quarter growth stopped at 0.1 percent. In the second half of the year it could even decline. ... Driven ... by soaring oil and food prices, inflation is accelerating. It currently stands at over five percent and is hampering consumption. ... José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is beginning to react. ... The measures ... are aimed at helping those worst affected, the construction sector and small businesses. But they are unlikely to help Spain's growth rate." (28/08/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Empresa, » Economía política, » Mercado de finanzas, » España
Todos los textos disponible de » Gilles Sengès

While the rest of the world suffers from economic crisis, the Romanian economy is currently witnessing an unprecedented boom. The business newspaper Capital looks for reasons: "For the global economy the first two quarters of 2008 were among the most difficult in the last 20 years. ... And what is happening in Romania? Here half-yearly growth reached an all-time high at 8.6 percent. The Romanian economy has remained unaffected by international developments, although its ties to the rest of the world have never been so close. ... What did all the foreign analysts and rating agencies say again? A belly flop for the Romanian economy, a rapid decline in growth, a possible recession. Romanian commentators ... have been preaching for years that growth is 'not sustainable'. But in the meantime the economy has gone its own way. ... How to explain that? Did the Tăriceanu government introduce some kind of wonder programme seven or eight months ago? Hardly. We are now reaping the benefits of measures taken in 2005, especially of the flat tax." (28/08/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Economía política, » Rumania
Todos los textos disponible de » Ionut Popescu

Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media, has announced that the digital archive "Europeana", which is to make the European cultural heritage accessible on the Internet, will go online in November. The daily NRC Handelsblad takes a critical view of the project: "It sounds good, but it is all just for show. ... Art is being trodden underfoot in being treated like a practical application. ... Literature can be copied because the book itself is not the artwork. But the reproduction of a painting gives a mere impression of the original, no more. A sculpture is unique. Someone who wants to experience it must take the time to go see it. Reding suggests that the virtual reality of her 'Europeana' is the same as the tangible reality. She is wrong. The Internet is practical. It is suitable for making contacts. It is amusing as entertainment. It is perverse when abused. It is educational when used creatively. But virtual reality can never replace the authenticity of a painting, a sculpture, a building or a performance." (28/08/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política de la UE, » Política Cultural, » Medios de comunicación online, » Europa

German author Juli Zeh discusses German antimilitarism In Le Monde newspaper: "Anyone in Germany who wants to write a book or shoot a film about the army has to opt for humour. The screenplay should not be too dramatic, and the end must not be too tragic! ... The American G.I. ... represents the fantastically-equipped superpower. The German private, by contrast, is always a comedian. Why? Because satire is the only way we have of understanding the military in today's Germany. For the large majority of artists, writers and intellectuals, the army remains taboo. ... When I was at school, antimilitarism was de rigeur. ... Only dummkopfs did military service. ... Anyone who went to grammar school was an 'intellectual', and anyone considered an intellectual was a Leftist, and being a Leftist meant being against the army. ... I have now passed the age when it is enough just to be for world peace. In contrast to when I was at school, and after visiting Bosnia, I can no longer see any sense in fulminating against the army, which is ultimately a constitutional institution, and a tragic one at that. Which does not mean I think all foreign deployments are immune to criticism." (26/08/2008)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política de seguridad / Crisis / Guerras, » Película, » Literatura, » Ideología, » Alemania
Todos los textos disponible de » Juli Zeh