British MEP's tirade against EU president Van Rompuy
The Brits have done it again.
This time it was the UK Independence party MEP Nigel Farage who went on a personal tirade of attacks against the newly appointed EU President Van Rompuy.
Calling Belgium a "non-country" he kept saying that on behalf of the (majority of the) British people "we don't know you, we don't want you"
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by Joao Rei
European effort to bring the death penalty to an end by 2015
The EU is pushing ahead in an effort to end the death penalty by 2015. A goal that would bring the Millennium development goals closer to reality.
Europe is the only continent where the death penalty is abolished. In the US, 35 states still allow the death penalty.
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by Joao Rei
Portuguese Finance Minister talks to @richardquest
Here is an interview the Portuguese finance minister gave to CNN's Richard Quest on his show Quest Means Business.
Throughout the interview the minister expresses his feeling that the markets are overreacting to the threat of debt default on the part of Portugal, and that the recent measures taken by the Portuguese parliament to increase spending on regional budgets, that were approved by the opposition without support from the government can be prevented by using legal provisions that allow the minister to cut back on spending.
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by Joao Rei
The American bullies
I really like to discuss EU - US relations, and when Obama got elected, everyone in Europe cheered, for he was viewed as a moderate, not a maverick.It finally seemed that the US had (again) a president who saw Europe as, not only an important ally, but as an important player in world politics and economics.
Of course when you add the financial crisis to the mix, people on both sides of the Atlantic are quick to point the finger at each other over who is to blame, and who is not doing enough to get it fixed (if there is any fixing to it)
I was slightly disappointed, when during the G-20 summit in London, the US team kept pushing the Europeans to "do more" to solve this crisis, by ignoring our fiscal policy and basically "spend our way out of this crisis". I really don't think that spending is the way to solve this crisis and support the German's in their tight fiscal policy and that of the Eurozone and the Stability pact.
Another key issue (not discussed during the G-20 summit) was the accession of Turkey into the EU . Obama (while on Ankara) discussed that Turkey should be allowed in the EU.
Now, and without wanting to discuss what is the best policy for the EU and Turkey, this is not they way to go. Even before Obama, there was already pressure from the US to allow Turkey into the EU, the US has a vested interest in an ally close to Iraq and the Middle East. But telling the EU who to take or not to take inside the Union is like having Barroso go to Mexico and tell everyone we (Europeans) think Mexico should be part of the US.
Think about it...
Obama, you let me down. Don't let it happen again. And look at Europe with a bit more respect
Posted
by Joao Rei
Joao Rei
