The Mystery of Armenia
The European Union and the West in general may be facing a new potential crisis area, if protests in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, will not stop and shall acquire a political character.
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European Union
Double Dealers in European Parliament
Andrus Kivirähk’s literary send-up of the 19th century manor era in Estonia, Rehepapp, features a character named Egg-Ott. He was a guy who switched between working for God and the Devil – whatever it took to eke out a living.
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Bringing Belarus Back in From the Cold
At the European Union’s Eastern Partnership summit in Riga (May 21–22), the EU’s neighborhood and enlargement policies came to a grinding halt. To some extent this is an effect of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the centerpiece country of the EU’s Eastern Partnership. But, irrespective of this war and even prior to it, the Partnership was already unraveling or failing in varying degrees in all of the six partner countries.
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Endless Rows Over History
Who said that only Eastern Europe has rows about history? Or at least that such disputes aren’t a hallmark of Western Europe, where countries have left their painful past behind them?
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The Difficult Immigrant Question
The quota proposed by the European Commission – 1,064 refugees for Estonia – has sparked very intense debate on these shores about Estonia’s options, European solidarity and the future of the Estonian language and culture.
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Painful Questions Posed by a Possible British EU Referendum
It appears that after 40 quiet years, the British are once again making noises about a referendum on EU membership. Indeed, British PM David Cameron said after his recent re-election that the UK would put to a vote the question of whether to stay a member.
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A Need for Real Aid
When over a quarter million people died in the Southeast Asian tsunami in 2004 and the whole world rushed to the aid of the victims, the European Commission’s then commissioner for aid Louis Michel warned that assistance should not become some kind of “beauty pageant” – countries should not try to outdo each other by giving money but think about the longer term goals.
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Death on the Mediterranean
Speaking on European Parliament television, one of the Mediterranean boat refugees described the chances of survival at sea as 50-50. Last week we saw the dark side of that proverbial coin toss, as for over 900 refugees on the way from Africa to Europe, the journey ended in a watery grave. Still, they did set out on their dangerous way, which means they might well see their odds as even longer at home.
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Vatican-Turkey Diplomatic Row Poses Tough Questions For Estonia As Well
The Vatican and Turkey are embroiled in a row after Pope Francis used the word genocide in referring to the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians in Turkey 100 years ago. Turkey responded by recalling its ambassador from Rome and the country’s foreign ministry said the Pope’s comments were “null and void” as far as the Turkish people were concerned.
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An Incursion Against Capitalism
On Wednesday, a demonstration against the new European Central Bank building in Frankfurt resulted in the arrests of about 350 people, injuries to policemen and burning of police cars. Around 10,000 people came out to express opposition to the building, which cost over a billion euros.
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