eurocritic-en

Blog Closed

2008-07-11T06:02:00.000-07:00

BLOG CLOSED `TILL 1th OCTOBER !

When i say that EU = Communism, believe me !

2008-06-30T13:46:00.000-07:00

Swedish media have erroneously reported that the EU plans to register and bill all bloggers, setting off a firestorm of reaction in the country.

Politicians of all political stripes and most major media outlets have since furiously attacked the idea as another example of Big Brother snooping into people's daily lives, while the MEP at the heart of the controversy has been compared to Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.

The papers later specified that the proposal had originated in a month-old report on media pluralism from the parliament – a document that has little legal weight – and intended to clarify the legal situation of bloggers, but by then the debate in the press had already reached a fevered pitch.

"Exchange the EU for China, and you would have a real media outcry," wrote Sören Karlsson, publisher of the daily Helsingborgs Dagblad and himself an eager blogger, who damned the 'blogger registry' as a threat to freedom of speech.

"We would have found it insane."

Sven-Åke Olofsson, political editor of daily Helsingborgs Dagblad, and also a blogger, wrote in his paper: "Here they try to introduce laws and regulations in an area that is not possible to regulate.

"It seems useless and proves an authoritarian attitude towards freedom of speech."

The Estonian MEP who drafted the media pluralism report, socialist deputy Marianne Mikko, has been the target of much of the criticism.

"In Ceausescu's Romania, everybody who owned a type writer had to hand in a paper with typing samples, so that the authorities more easily could fight enemies of the state and ordinary criminals," recalled Peter Swedenmark, an editorial writer for daily Västerbottens Folkblad.

"Unfortunately, in the naive proposal from Mikko, there seem to be some kinship with the Romanian line," he continued.

A conservative MEP also used the opportunity to attack the registry. Christopher Fjellner, from the centre-righ EPP-ED grouping in the parliament said to the newspaper Svenska Dagbladet: "The report shows proof of immense ignorance among our decision makers. It is such an incredibly stupid proposal," he said, adding that Ms Mikko's education as a journalist under the former Soviet Union must have given her an old-fashioned perspective on the media landscape.

"She has a hole in her head," he concluded.

The media storm reached such a frenzy that the European parliament's Swedish press sector on Thursday afternoon was forced to send out a press release to all Swedish media, explaining that MEPs' own-initiative reports such as that of Ms Mikko had next to no legal weight.

The bureau also underlined that the parliament does not have the right to initiate legislation, something that can only be proposed by the European Commission.

The main recommendations in the report call on the European Commission and EU member states to apply competition law to the media to ensure media pluralism.

Its other major recommendations include the creation of media pluralism ombudspersons in the member states; the development of European core curriculum for media literacy; and for the commission to ensure that regulations governing state aid not be used to undermine public service media.

The report does however also call for a clarification of the legal status of webblog authors and wants to see a disclosure of interests, and the voluntary labelling of webblogs.

The MEPs that approved the report were concerned that the legal situation of bloggers regarding source protection was unclear and that laws in Europe did not cover where liability was assigned in the event of lawsuits.

Speaking to the EUobserver, Ms Mikko clarified her intentions: "We do not need to know the exact identity of bloggers. We need some credentials, a quality mark, a certain disclosure of who is writing and why. We need this to be able to trust and rely on the source."

"The Economist is a valuable brand, its articles are trusted by readers without contributors having to reveal their names," she said. "If there is a way to validate the best bloggers the same way that publishing in the Economist validates its writers, it should be done."

"It is clear that a Harvard professor of international relations is likely to treat, for instance, the Middle East peace process or European integration in an educated and balanced manner," she added. "The same trust cannot be put in a radical high school student from Gaza or a Eurosceptic who has never been out of his village"

"The reader should know why this or that blogger should be trusted on a particular issue."

The outrage has been exacerbated by the timing of the debate. The country is currently involved in heated discussion about surveillance in society after a controversial law on tapping e-mails was recently passed by the Swedish parliament.

Last week, the government narrowly passed legislation that gives officials the power to open all emails and listen to any telephone conversation in the country.

US-based search engine firm Google's global privacy counsel, Peter Fleischer said of the bill: "By introducing these new measures, the Swedish government is following the examples set by governments ranging from China and Saudi Arabia to the US government's widely criticised eavesdropping programme."

The bill provoked widespread opposition, with protesters handing out copies of George Orwell's 1984. Much of the reaction against the Mikko report in Sweden has compared her proposals to the government surveillance legislation.

Media Link

Help Britain Leave The EU !

2008-06-30T13:28:00.000-07:00

European Union is determined to press ahead with the hated EU Constitution, even though Irish voters have soundly rejected it. Brussels Eurocrats want to ignore the wishes of the people - French and Dutch voters have also booted out the plans - and press ahead with 'democratic' referendums until they get the result they want.

Gordon Brown has ratified the Lisbon Treaty - the constitution by another name - but only by breaking a major 2005 election pledge to consult with the British people.

Meanwhile, former EU President Valery Giscard d’Estaing has even hinted the fundamental principle that if one nation says no, it means no - should be scrapped from EU law to allow Eurocrats complete control.

He said of Ireland: “A country that represents 0.7 per cent of the European population cannot decide for the others."

So, as our Government has chosen to flout democracy, here at Express.co.uk, we're holding a democratic vote of our own to find out what YOU really think.

Is this the Europe Britain agreed to join back in 1973?

Do you think we gain more from being in the EU than we would on our own?

Are you fed up with being dictated to by Brussels - or are you convinced Britain needs the EU to prosper?

Vote Here !

Media Link

Massive emigration results: Another 250 workers from Bangladesh

2008-06-26T11:44:00.000-07:00

Aproximately 250 people from Bangladesh will get soon enough manufacturing jobs in the county of Vrancea, according to the Service of Foreigners from Galati County.
When the newcomers will be accepted and joining the other 600, Vrancea will be the county with the most work permits granted at once in the whole country.

Work permits for asians is a new policy for Romania, inspired from that of EU, after massive emigration in Western countries left us with large holes in work force sector.
Now we can "be proud" for bringing here turks, ukrainiens and, esspecially (!) chinese, who are working in naval constructions, textiles and other minor factories.

EU "democracy" in the flesh !

2008-06-25T14:36:00.000-07:00

A 10 min. video which presents the whole outrageous situation of contemporary Europe.
The following images will never be seen on small screen for reasons easy to understand, and what you are going to see now it`s absolutely shocking :

Only chance for EU = Ireland Out !

2008-06-24T14:17:00.000-07:00

... or this is just the ex`prime minister of Denmark opinion, Uffe Ellemann-Jensen, when he declared that Ireland should leave the European Union (now that wouldn`t be a bad thing, isn`t it ?!) ...

According to his point of view, this can be the only viable solution in resolving the crissis in which the rejection of Lisbon Treaty lead to. He made refference to the Treaty of Nice, who was another act of EU "democracy" ... rejected in 2001, after that implemented with the help of "foot in mouth" tactics.

... Ireland, don`t be surprised if you`re called to vote again !
But this time, try to reenact the last scenario !

A dangerous "European Nationalism" on the rise ...

2008-06-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage MEP has accused the European Union elite of pursuing "EU nationalism – the most dangerous political phenomenon to have swept Europe since 1945." He was responding to Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso's refusal to accept Irish voters' rejection of the Lisbon Treaty.

Speaking in the European Parliament, Mr Farage declared: "Nobody else has said it, but I will: well done the Irish.

"And yet, before the official result was out, there was Mr Barroso, holding a press conference in Brussels, looking as shifty and as dishonest as anybody I have ever seen, saying – despite what the rules of the club are – that the treaty is not dead and we continue.

"Frankly, it was a disgusting display; it was an insult to democracy. It is perfectly clear that the ratifications should stop now and the implementation of the treaty should stop now.

"I used to think, after the French and Dutch results, that you were in denial, but now I realise that what is behind this is a new phenomenon: it is EU nationalism, and it is the most dangerous political phenomenon to have swept Europe since 1945.

"You ignore the voters, you are destroying democracy, and you have shown that you will stop at nothing. Well, ask yourself: why are the politicians, why is this class, now unpopular? Well, later on today, Mr Barroso, this House will be voting for a new Justice Commissioner, and it is likely that a former convicted fraudster will, after today, be the Justice Commissioner for the European Union.

"In fact you do not need the UK Independence Party. You are destroying the European Union in the eyes of the voters. Well done, everybody."

Media Link

This week: European Union in full crisis !

2008-06-17T11:49:00.000-07:00

Following the Irish "No", the future of the Lisbon Treaty is set to feature high on the European Union's agenda next week.

When EU leaders meet for their regular meeting in Brussels at the end of week (19-20 June), all eyes will be on Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen, who will be expected to offer a way out of the fiasco.

Cowen has already excluded "a quick fix" to the situation, while declaring Ireland will do its best not the halt the ambitious project of EU reform.

European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso, for his part, has refused to declare the treaty dead and called for the ratification process to go on.

Aside from institutional affairs, EU leaders are also set to look for a coordinated response to oil prices, which reach their highest level since the end of the 1970s. The European Commission is set to ask member states to "carefully" consider "targeted measures" aimed at helping low-income households.

The union of Belgian truckers (UPTR) has already said it will try to block the streets of Brussels during the summit in order to make their case as visible as possible.

On the eve of the EU leaders summit (18 June), ministers in charge of competitiveness will try to put a full stop behind the wrangling over where to place the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), the EU's flagship for innovation and education.

Last month, they failed to agree due to a Polish veto.

Anexation

On Monday, Bosnia and Herzegovina is to make an important step on its way to becoming an EU member one day by signing a pre-accession deal, the stabilisation and association agreement.

On Tuesday, Croatia is expected to open one or two additional chapters of the country's negotiating book, bringing the total to 20. While the chapter on social policy and employment is relatively trouble-free, some talks are still ongoing when it comes to the free movement of workers chapter.

Similarly, Turkey will also make a small step forward, opening two chapters - company law and intellectual property law. This will bring the overall number of chapters open to eight.

In Parliament

European lawmakers, meeting in Strasbourg, are also set for heavy agenda. They will kick of by grilling the two commissioners - France's Jacques Barrot and Antonio Tajani from Italy.

Following the departure of Franco Frattini, the commission vice-president in charge of justice and home affairs dossier, in May, Mr Tajani was appointed EU transport commissioner. Mr Barrot has already assumed the prominent justice and home affairs position.

On Tuesday, MEPs will debate Slovakia's entry to the eurozone foreseen for January 2009. Some German MEPs are expected to once again voice concerns over the possible rise of consumer prices in the country, but it is unlikely to influence the parliament's vote on the matter.

Later in the week, EU leaders are expected to rubberstamp the Slovak euro application.

On Wednesday (18 June), the European Parliament is set to give its opinion on common rules for returning non-EU nationals that have illegally entered EU territory or those who no longer fulfil the conditions for stay or residence in a member state.

It is estimated that some eight million illegal immigrants are present in the 27-nation bloc. The draft legislation, dubbed the return directive, lays down a maximum 18-month period of detention and introduces a ban on re-entry into the EU, which should not exceed five years.

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