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
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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
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Ryanair to invest in Lithuanian airport
This is very big, and good, news for Lithuania and all the Baltics. Ryanair is ready to invest in Lithuania, at a time it needs it the most, and no doubt using some of it's "muscle" to get lower taxes from both the local authorities and the airport authorities.
I'd love to see the actual numbers, because I think the calculation of the 140 million dollars is not FDI, but rather money that takes into account the number of planes being stationed there, the number of routes that Ryanair promised to have from Kaunas, and with it the pilots, flight attendants and other airport staff. So it's a little naive to believe there's a big fat check coming from Ryanair to Kaunas. But still it's a positive investment.
On the other hand, who seems more and more distant from the rest of Europe and form the lowcost hubs of Eastern Europe, is Tallinn. I had the opportunity to speak to the head of Tallinn Airport last December, and he told me they have no plans to decrease their fees to accommodate a low cost airline like Ryanair. Of course everyone in Estonia wants more low cost companies operating here, but they are simply not willing to go bellow operating costs to have Ryanair fly here.
That decision means that the Tallinn Airport company won't be asking the government for support just to attract more airlines here. It's a fiscally responsible decision, and I respect it. But you can't ignore the fact that Riga, and now Kaunas, are becoming what Tallinn long ago sought to be. The low cost airline, and business hub of the Baltics.
Ryanair to put $140 million in Lithuanian hub
4 days ago
VILNIUS, Lithuania — Budget airline Ryanair will establish a major hub in the Lithuanian city of Kaunas, its first in Central and Eastern Europe, the company's chief executive announced Tuesday.
Ryanair will $140 million into the project, CEO Michael O'Leary told reporters in Vilnius, Lithuania's capital, adding that Ryanair would introduce 18 new routes from Kaunas and employ 150 pilots and flight attendants to serve them.
Ryanair has been searching for a hub in Eastern Europe for several years, and O'Leary said the discount carrier chose Lithuania because of its attractive business climate, good infrastructure and rapidly growing passenger numbers.
Kaunas authorities slashed airport taxes last year after Lithuania's main carrier, flyLAL, was forced into bankruptcy, depriving the country of its own airline.
Ryanair will allocate two new Boeing 737-800 aircraft to the Kaunas hub, O'Leary said. He said he expected passenger numbers at the Kaunas airport to more than double this year to 1 million. The hub is also expected to create 1,000 jobs.
Kaunas, an hour's drive from Vilnius, is Lithuania's No. 2 city but has one of the highest rates of joblessness in the Baltic state of 3.4 million people.
O'Leary said Ryanair was considering opening other hubs in Eastern Europe.
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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.
The Daily Show visits "Socialist" Sweden
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | M - Th 11p / 10c | ||
| The Stockholm Syndrome | |||
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| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | M - Th 11p / 10c | ||
| The Stockholm Syndrome Pt. 2 | |||
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Bologna Process - SEFI Communication 2009
(download)
The joint SEFI - IGIP Communication 2009 about the Bologna Process is just out.
A lot of the debate now, is the post-Bologna years and what is to follow Bologna.
One of the most important assessments in the document:
"The signatories to the Bologna Declaration have chosen individual pathways to achieve the underlying aims accounting for the diverse cultural backgrounds. In consequence, a reduced instead of an increased mobility is observed calling for codes of practice to overcome the obstacles without loosing the diversity."
For more info: www.sefi.be
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Ideas that change the world - Citizen Action
The power of ideas to change the world has always been stuck on my mind. But as I grew older those thoughts of catalyzing ideas that could spur people into action faded away with my increasing cynic view of the world.Well, recent events, such as the current economic crisis, have vindicated some of my thoughts on what was "wrong with the world today". Others, such as the election and rhetoric of President Obama, have re-ignited the dreamy idealist in me.
It is with that sense of renewed hope, that I see all around me shinny examples of young idealists, such as myself, take action and taking an active role in shaping our current world and their respective environments.
Some good friends of mine, Adi and Andrei, are taking part in a campaign by Societe General, that encourages young people to come up with ideas that are practical, implementable and that change the way we do things.
Don't get me wrong, the cynic in me still sees Societe General as a big money making machine with no real concern for the state of the world or its environment (except for its economical environmnet). Coorporate Social Responsability in my head is still a big marketing buzzword, and a wishwash PR stunt.
But nontheless, I'm happy to see my friends take action, in a field that is close to their home and hearts.
Their project is about Eco-agriculture and ways of making it a viable business venture in rural Romania. I think it's about time Romanians wash themselfs of the image of peasantry and realise the potential that their soil has to feed the rest of Europe with good, ecological, healthy products. Specially now that most of the soils of Southern Europe are largely contaminated after years of intensive industrial farming. Romania, as a new entrant to the European Union, has much to gain from the access to such a large market. It needs people like Adi and Andrei to forge ahead and shape their fellow countrymen mentality to openness of new ideas.
Well done guys, I'm really happy for you and hope to see you succeed with this project.
You can learn more by visiting the project's website. They have conducted a series of interesting interviews, from which I highlight the one with the General Director of the General Direction for Rural Development, from the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Iceland joining the EU is a divisive issue
The European Parliament is not happy with Olli Rehn's words about the possibility of Iceland joining the EU.Pottering called Rehn's statement to The Guardian that Iceland would become an EU member by 2011 "bad timing" that could not only jeopardize the application process but the controversial Lisbon Treaty as well.
Rehn, who is in charge of EU expansion, told Finnish paper Helsinki Sanomat that he was merely commenting on issues that part of his job. "All European nations that meet the requirements of democracy and legislation and executes them in reality, can apply to be a member of the EU. Iceland falls under this analysis better than the Balkan nations for instance," Rehn said.
The issue of European Union membership is one of several options Iceland, knocked unconcious by the worldwide economic meltdown, is considering. The new Red-Green Socialist governement has launched an exploratory committee on the matter and will report its findings on April 15th.
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Swiss vote YES to free movement with EU
Even though there were some doubts over the outcome, in the end a majority of 59% voted in favor of unrestricted movement of workers between Switzerland and the EU, the main question on the table was the acceptance of the EU's two newest members (and also its poorest) Romania and Bulgaria.The vote means, that EU citizens will continue to be able to work in Switzerland, and this right is now extended to Romania and Bulgaria. In the end, economic pressures spoke higher than immigration fears, and the NO campaign had to settle with only minor victories in some cantons.
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Violent protests in Vilnius, Lithuania
The riots of recent days in Riga are now spreading to neighboring Lithuania, where a riot broke out today after a peaceful demonstration was taking place in front of the national parliament building.
One begs to ask, will the same happen here in Tallinn?
http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/22135/
What began as a peaceful protest near the Lithuanian parliament building has turned violent as protesters clash with police.
The Baltic Times estimates that at least 5,000 people attended the protest, which was aimed at expressing discontent over the government's failure to address the worsening economic situation in the country. The protest began at noon and erupted into violence at about 1:30 p.m.
Preliminary reports indicate that one officer has been hospitalized and three protesters have been detained. Police have reportedly been forced to use violence to subdue some of the protesters.
Protesters who were initially pushed away from the parliament reportedly returned to attempt to storm the building again, but were again rebuffed by police.
Police have now largely subdued the protesters and put an end to the violence.
Though the protest began as a peaceful demonstration, a group of protesters soon began throwing snowballs, rocks and glass bottles and attempting to break into the parliament building. Approximately 300 police were in attendance.
Officers have deployed tear gas and shot rubber bullets to help keep the protesters at bay.
The violent protest came just days after a similar protest in Riga turned into a riot, injuring numerous people and causing thousands of euros in damages.
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