The daily De Standaard writes that the international community can do little to control the problem of pirates off the Somali coast. "The EU operation will have no more than a deterrent effect. The coast of anarchic Somalia is over 3,000 kilometres long, while the pirates are constantly expanding their area of operations. ... The pirate bands comprise fishermen, because they know the sea well, men who fought under the Somali Warlords and are able to supply heavy weapons and also people who can handle all the technological equipment - GPS and satellite telephones - needed for piracy these days. The pirates of Somalia are therefore no latter-day versions of Robin Hood and his men who want justice for the poor. These modern criminals do what they do because of the money, the power and the women who feel attracted to their hero status." (20/11/2008)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka bezpieczeństwa / Kryzys / Wojna, » Afryka
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Ine Roox

The daily ABC comments on the EU's decision to deploy a fighting fleet to the Somali coastal region: "But this is unlikely to suffice unless leaders are also prepared to take the kind of hard line the Indian navy took when it sunk one of the pirate ships. It also needs the support of the countries of the region, which would do well to actively help and organise their own patrols to protect themselves from a problem that affects them as well." (20/11/2008)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Polityka bezpieczeństwa / Kryzys / Wojna, » Polityka UE, » Afryka, » Europa

The Stockholm daily Dagens Nyheter wants to see vigorous action taken to counter the growing problem of pirates on the Horn of Africa. It writes that the United Nations should play a central role: "The Convention on the Law of the Sea undoubtedly restricts the possibilities for taking action against suspected pirates, but the resolution of the Security Council provides the international community of states with a good basis for action. The fundamental problem is not really what happens at sea but what happens on land. Somalia is a lawless state. There is no government controlling the territory, and in the rural areas where the pirates live comfortably on the proceeds of the treasures they rob, local rulers have neither the will nor the means to intervene. On the contrary, they support these crimes." (20/11/2008)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka bezpieczeństwa / Kryzys / Wojna, » Afryka

The Guardian writes that ship owners must wake up, and not simply put their faith in their insurance companies: "Ship owners are curiously uninterested in the fate of their vessels and their crews because they are fully covered by insurance, and the pay-out on the life of a crew member is 20 times the average annual salary in the Philippines. Paying the ransom is more often than not the easier thing to do. Spiralling insurance premiums that are sure to result from the current wave of attacks may shake them out of their complacency. And there are other specific measures that can be taken. The creation of a multinational coastguard service for east Africa and the Horn of Africa is one. Putting transponders on ships and equipping them with armed guards and radar that covers the flanks from where they are boarded are others." (20/11/2008)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Afryka

Helsingin Sanomat newspaper writes that international measures alone are not sufficient to counter the threat of piracy: "The worries are understandable, since more than 10 percent of the world's commerical shipping passes by the Horn of Africa. As the hijacking of the supertanker Sirius has shown the task is a difficult one, especially as the Somali coastline is 3,700 kilometres long and the pirates can carry out agile manoeuvres on high seas. But even as the eyes of the world focus on the ships, the situation in Somalia remains tense. The Somali government is losing what remained of its power. ... It could also be that the Islamists merely receive protection money from the pirates. Then the threat would be famine, a possible new terrorist state - and of course the pirates as well." (20/11/2008)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Polityka bezpieczeństwa / Kryzys / Wojna, » Polityka gospodarcza, » Cały świat

After the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that it will hear Croatia's claim that Serbia committed genocide against its population, Serbia now plans to bring a complaint against Croatia. The renowned journalist Richardos Someritis comments in the daily To Vima: "The current problem facing both Croatia and Serbia is that both want integration into the EU and are loath to stir up the suffering that led to war and genocide through international justice. How can they coexist in Brussels if they're scratching each other's eyes out in The Hague? This question has nothing to do with the trials before the International Court of Justice. This court passes sentence on people, not states. But if the International Court definitively agrees to hear the complaints of Croatia and Serbia it will be passing judgement on states, regardless of which persons rule (these states) today." (20/11/2008)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Historia, » Serbia, » Chorwacja
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Richardos Someritis

The Swedish car and aeroplane manufacturer Saab has accused the Dutch Ministry of Defence of failing to give its bid for the construction of new fighter jets serious consideration. De Volkskrant writes that the ministry decided long ago in favour of the American Joint Strike Fighter (JSF): "The focus has always been on the alleged operational advantages of the JSF, and never on the political implications of a decision in favour of an American company and against a European alternative. People in The Hague may think that this is of secondary importance, but that is rather naive. In the eyes of other European countries the clear Dutch preference for the JSF stands in sharp contrast to The Hague's pretty words on the imortance of Europe. When it comes down to it, the Dutch prefer to back Transatlantic, and not European alliances." (20/11/2008)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Polityka gospodarcza, » Szwecja, » Holandia, » USA
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Thomas van der Dunk

In an opinion piece for the liberal daily Mladá fronta DNES Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek defends the Treaty of Lisbon against the harsh criticism of president Václav Klaus: "The EU and Nato have been an integral part of our foreign policy since the fall of communism. They serve as a buffer against Moscow's superpower ambitions. It is therefore far better if in reaction to Klaus's criticism of Lisbon I exchange kisses with the German Chancellor [Angela Merkel] rather than hugging the Russian bear. ...Will Lisbon harm the Czech Republic's national interests? Anyone who says 'yes' must take the second step after taking the first: In this case it would be appropriate to withdraw from the Union. It was clear when Klaus signed the application for EU membership that we would lose part of our sovereignty. In exchange we were given access to the single market, to a zone of freedom, security and prosperity. ... The question is not: Lisbon or nothing. The real choice is between Lisbon or Moscow." (20/11/2008)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Konstytucja UE, » Czechy
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Mirek Topolánek

In view of the most recent attacks on Roma in the Czech Republic, die tageszeitung newspaper bemoans the lack of political will to combat racism against Europe's largest minority: "Sadly, the century-long chain of persecution, humiliation and racist ostracism of the 'Gypsies' continues today in the brutal attacks against the Roma. And that in EU states which profess European values. Until now people have only paid lip service to these values - which include the fight against racism. Because as long as Brussels does not insist that concrete deeds should follow the promises of governments in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia, the catastrophic situation of the Roma will not improve. As we all know, there can be no enduring fight against racism as long as empty words take the place of the political will." (20/11/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, niemiecki)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka UE, » Integracja, » Mniejszości, » Europa Wschodnia
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » William Totok

Joseph E. Stiglitz, Nobel Prize laureate in economics, reflects in the business daily Világgazdaság on the global economic crisis. "The world is sinking into an economic crisis that will probably be the worst in the past 25 years, perhaps even the worst since the Great Depression of 1929. In many respects this crisis was 'Made in America'. ... Those who even before the crisis had major trade deficits and high state debts will suffer more than others. States that haven't fully liberalised their capital and financial markets, like China, will be thankful that they didn't give in to pressure from the US Federal Reserve. ... The old institutions recognised the need for reform but they moved at a snail's pace. They did nothing to prevent the current crisis. Then there's the question of how effectively the response of these institutions will be. ... After the Great Depression it took 15 years and a World War for the world to start working as a team and dealing with the weaknesses of the global financial system that had contributed to the crisis. We can only hope that this time it won't take that long: In view of the deeply interwoven nature of the global economy the cost would simply be too high. ... It has become clear that the economic doctrines on which the current Bretton Woods institutions [the World Bank, International Monetary Fund] are based have failed not only in the developing countries, but also in the core countries of capitalism." (20/11/2008)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Polityka gospodarcza, » Cały świat
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Joseph E. Stiglitz

Marta Dassù, director of the Aspen Institute in Italy, writes in the Financial Times that Europe's fragmentation stands in the way of its declared goal of multilateral action: "There lies the European paradox. For a decade, Europeans have been the main proponents of 'reformed' multilateral governance. They have played a decisive role in responding to the financial crisis and came up first with the idea of a 'new Bretton Woods' (whatever that means in detail). Yet, a fragmented Europe is also an obstacle to that very goal: why should the rest of the world have to cope with a plethora of people, each claiming to speak for 'Europe'? The simple truth is that, today, Europeans are over-represented in all international institutions. A single euro-zone voice at the International Monetary Fund, for instance, would definitely make sense. Everybody knows, however, that this is not going to happen any time soon. This contradiction cannot remain if Europeans wish to be taken seriously when they promote international governance reform. Instead of talking in the abstract about a single EU voice, Europeans should forge pragmatic arrangements to simplify and make more effective their external representation." (20/11/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, angielski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka UE, » Konstytucja UE, » Polityka finansowa, » Europa, » Cały świat
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Marta Dassù

The Russian oil company Lukoil wants to purchase a third of the Spanish company Repsol. This must be avoided at all costs, writes the Spanish newspaper El Mundo: "Like Gazprom, Lukoil is controlled by the Russian government, which is putting much effort into developing an energy sector whose tentacles spread throughout Europe. If Lukoil is successful we would be faced with the dilemma that vital decisions for the Spanish energy market would be taken in the Kremlin. If the government wants to retain control over this strategic sector it must prevent Lukoil from buying into Repsol. In this case it could rely on help from the EU, which likewise cannot endorse an operation so damaging to European interests." (20/11/2008)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Polityka UE, » Energia, » Hiszpania, » Rosja, » Europa

The daily La Voix du Luxembourg calls on the EU to adopt a new course in its policy on the automotive industry: "It would show real political courage to profit from the current crisis [in the automotive industry] by making modern [low-emissions] cars accessible to as many people as possible. Time is running out - particularly since the French EU presidency will be followed by the Czechs, who are more Eurosceptic. ... A third of the cars produced worldwide are made in Europe by 12 million people. This makes the car industry a key industry. The crisis in this sector, which stems partly from consumers' concern, is only being aggravated by the ongoing European debate about carbon emissions limits for new models. We must act today. ... The industry is ready. From now on it must move forwards without looking too often in the rear-view mirror." (20/11/2008)

» Dalsze informacje (Link zewnętrzny, francuski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka UE, » Przedsiębiorczość, » Rynek konsumencki, » Europa
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Thierry Labro

Les Echos newspaper warns of deflation in the ongoing economic crisis: "Of course sinking prices are not enough to warrant proclaiming deflation. Nevertheless consumer prices in the US sank by one percent in October, the biggest drop in 60 years. This is just one more piece in the deflation puzzle that has been fitting itself together in recent months. Share prices have sunk by half in Paris and on most major stock exchanges since the beginning of the year. Real estate prices in the US, which have dropped by almost 17 percent in one year, are also sinking in Europe. The fall in prices is now being felt in daily consumer goods. For the governments this is a new challenge. Deflation poses a far greater risk than inflation because it blocks the economy and kills classical monetary policy. When prices are sinking credit is too expensive even with an intrest rate of 0.1 percent. The central banks must apply other, more precarious monetary weapons. Governments must be quick in introducing a recovery policy." (20/11/2008)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka finansowa, » Polityka gospodarcza, » Europa, » USA
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Jean-Marc Vittori

After a report by a panel of experts on the crimes of communism committed in Romania was published in 2006, a new book titled "The Illusion of Anti-Communism" also dealing with the communist legacy in Romania has appeared. Vasile Ernu, the publisher, explains the following in the Observator Cultural newspaper: "We cannot treat communism as if it were some kind of deformity, something which we were not to blame for because it came from neighbouring countries. Shifting blame and responsibility onto others is a national sport here in Romania. I have always said: the period of [Nicolae] Ceauşescu was the most monstrous, but unfortunately also the most characteristic period in the history of modern Romania. Whether we like it or not, Ceauşescu was the most important event in Romanian politics. Ceauşescu is a Romanian product through and through. He is not a natural phenomenon but a product of our culture ... . We can't wash our hands of the business, we must accept responsibility." (20/11/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, rumuński)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Styl życia, » Historia, » Europa Wschodnia, » Rumunia
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Vasile Ernu

Sakari Huovinen, a specialist in business law, writes on the freedom of the media in a commentary for the Helsingin Sanomat: "The freedom of the media differs in many respects from freedom of opinion. The historical roots of the freedom of the media are based in human rights in general. ... Freedom of opinion guarantees the freedom of the media. In this sense one cannot distinguish between the citizen and the journalist in regards either to the freedom of opinion or to the freedom of the media. Nevertheless the journalist has specific functions which the average citizen cannot perceive. To treat a provider of information like a normal citizen can have dire consequences. When the freedom of the press is threatened, so are the very structures of society. ... People's trust in the media is dependent on its freedom. ... The less people trust the media, the more its freedom is endangered." (20/11/2008)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Polityka medialna, » Finlandia

In an evaluation published by the British newspaper the Financial Times rating the performance of Europe's finance ministers, Portugal's Fernando Teixeira dos Santos was at the bottom of the list. The daily Jornal de Notícias comments: "The Financial Times has discovered what we Portuguese have known for a long time now: that our minister of finance is the worst. Teixeira dos Santos has the poorest political and macro-economic performance and the most ill-balanced budget. He also was given the worst rating as regards financial stability. We're now eagerly awaiting a rating of the performance of the heads of central banks. If self-assigned salaries and privileges are among the assessment criteria, the head of Portugal's central bank Vítor Constâncio will certainly be European champion, if not world champion." (20/11/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, portugalski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka finansowa, » Polityka gospodarcza, » Portugalia