… and then there were 28. Dobrodišli Croatia!

Interview with Ambassador and the Head of Mission of the Republic of Croatia to the EU, Branko Baričević.

The unusual career path of Ambassador and the Head of Mission of the Republic of Croatia to the EU began with Branko Baričević at the doorstep of his dermatology office about fifteen years ago, being asked to join a new diplomatic service for Croatia by his patient, a high position official. In 1995, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and there he remained by launching the Diplomatic Academy in Croatia. Mr. Baričević served in the field of human rights and protocol as deputy chief of the Mission in Washington, and since 2005 he has been running the show on negotiations in Brussels. Lucia Mrázová talked to Mr. Baričevićon on the occasion of the accession treaty signing.

Croatian President, Ivo Josipović, and Croatian Prime Minister,
Jadranka Kosor, signing Croatia´s Accession Treaty
in Brussels, 9 December 2011 

The process of entry negotiations started in 2005. After being one of the main personnel involved in the negotiations for Croatian accession to the EU, on 9 December 2011 the treaty that allows Croatia to become the Union's 28^th member was finally signed. Croatia received standing ovation from the European Parliament after voting on this matter. How does it make you feel?

I, personally, was very much moved by the very positive atmosphere when signing treaty. Frankly we expected that things to go faster, even though we knew it will be difficult and complicated but somehow we were really surprised. And additionally, regarding everything that is going on in the world – the crisis, a fatigue of all things European, a fatigue of all things enlargement-related – there were not many things on our side. Last year, when we got to the final phase, we were extremely happy. Of course, we knew that we would make it, but some obstacles were difficult to overcome. When we started the negotiations, we used the experience of the big-bang-countries, the ten new Member States, and we were in excellent communication with them. The Commission was also a big support, as a partner and a guide during the negotiations. They were supposed to be our best friend, but sometimes it did not look like that, because they are demanding and they ask a lot. But at the end of the day, the Commission was extremely helpful. It is not only our success, but also a success for the Commission, and all the Member states involved.

What will Croatia bring to the European Union?

Croatia and the whole EU show that the accession process is alive, that Europe is still attractive. It shows a positive image to other EU countries. The public is questioning the very existence of the EU and people stopped understanding why we were all together. Nevertheless, we need to be active and engaged in the process. Peace and security are the results of a big effort, it does not happen just like that. Croatia coming to the EU brings an atmosphere that it is necessary to be happy and proud living in this continent. It would be very unfortunate to stop development here or to move backwards.

Generally, we need to get all countries to unite the continent. Croatia is very much a central European country, a Mediterranean country in the Balkans, and we help to reinforce stability and prosperity in Europe. This white whole in Balkans is getting smaller. We also hope that our neighbours will follow our example and that we will be there to help them along.

A dispute over borders with your neighbour Slovenia prolonged the process of accession. Arbitrary judges met for the first time to dissolve it just yesterday (January 10^th) in Brussels. What are Croatian expectations?

The whole process of negotiations was basically blocked because of this dispute. But it should not be forgotten that Slovenia was always very much supportive of Croatia in its accession, we have always had excellent relations. At the end, the way out of problem was found in arbitration and we were able to continue to communicate. But it is difficult to talk about results as we are only in the middle of this process. We think the solution is here and arbitration will be carried out. We are currently awaiting a list of possible judges for the tribunal. Hopefully, it may be resolved this month and the process will progress by itself.

Don't you fear even a slight possibility that Slovenia may veto Croatian membership, which is still possible, due to this issue?

No, that is not possible here. This situation keeps processing. Apart from the odd delay, we do not envisage any problems. And the process will continue.

What are your relations like with other neighboring countries? Croatia can be a bright example at the EU engagement reaching for them. In what ways Croatia is supportive?

First of all, we like to be helpful. We are happy to see that things are moving, Montenegro is closer, and relations are improving with Bosnia. Thanks to Croatia, I believe the whole region is moving one step forward. It is very motivational, in the same way it was to us when Slovenia and Hungary, our neighbours, became part of the EU.

And what about the rest of the Balkans? Croatia recognizes an independent Kosovo, does this have a negative impact on relations with Serbia?

We think that Serbia and Kosovo have to find a solution. We did recognize Kosovo the same day as Hungary and Bulgaria - three neighbors of Serbia jointly recognized Kosovo as a message to Serbia. But with this recognition, we are also willing to improve our relations with Serbia. Frankly, I don’t see our how are relations would have deteriorated with this act. Croatia needs to be kind of a mediator because we need to have a stable and prosper neighborhood. For this purpose, our prime minister handed over a translation of the key aquis communitaire to our neighbors. We translated them all at our expense. As some countries are in the process, we will transfer to them them our know-how, like done in the past, and how, for instance Slovakia did for us.

A referendum on Croatian accession will be held in Croatia in January 22^nd. Polls are talking about support only slightly over 50 per cent. What do you expect and why numbers are not higher?

"The EU is not really a question of choice for us,
it is our destiny."

It is interesting that, after elections were held in Croatia over a month ago, all parties in the Parliament are now pro-European, except maybe one seat of one party. Parties that were against the EU did not even make it to the Parliament. We live in a democracy and everybody has a right to express his or her view. We know that other countries have some Eurosceptics, but Croatia is a very open country and very pro-European. This year, we had about 10 million tourists in Croatia and about 80 or 90 per cent of them were from the European Union. Our trade is connected to the EU by more than 80 per cent. Being part of the EU is not really a question of choice for us, it is our destiny. It is irrational saying we do not want to be part of it, as we are already there: in geographical, economic, and diplomatic terms. We know there are certain groups, for instance young people, who are not sceptical but rather a bit ignorant. They do not care as much because they take the things they enjoy for granted. They are not very motivated, as they do not need to fight for it. So now, we try to reach them by social media and discussions rather than by political involvement. But still, I am an optimist and I believe we will have the support of 60 per cent of our citizens.

Are there any remaining issues that Croatia needs to work on by its full accession in July 2013?

We follow certain monitoring tables. The Commission will prepare a follow-up concerning certain obligations, particularly in chapter 2 - human rights, fundamental rights and judiciary, and also in the chapter on competition where we have a ship-building industry issue. But the Commission will check and inform the Council on how we are progressing. Negotiation has now finished but certain things still have deadlines in place. There is nothing that we have refused to do, there are no surprises. For us, most of those things are a matter of something we would do anyway.

In these economically hard times, is Croatia still as excited about joining a slightly tattered EU as  it used to be?

Some people, even as a joke, often ask here, in Brussels: are you sure that you would like to join us now? During the last couple of months, support for ascension to the EU was growing in Croatia, despite the crisis, which was also growing. But we always say to our dear friends in the Union: yeah guys, you have your problems. But you don’t understand that being out of the Union remains a bigger problem. Of course we know the Union has problems, but those problems are rather structural and we see them as a challenge. We are now at the doorstep of a new phase in the life of the Union. Every birth is painful but I am convinced that at the end, we will come to be a different, changed, but a better functioning Union. The world will not wait for us.

By Lucia Mrázová

Job Hunting? The Career and Job Fair Sc gives you some advice

Meeting of the Career and Job Fair
Subcommittee

What is the objective of the Career and Job Fair subcommittee?

Our subcommittee's main goal is to help identify career opportunities for stagiaires during their Traineeship Program, to inform them of employers needs and requirements, and to help match stagiaires with potential employers. The activities organised by the Committee should eventually enable stagiaires to improve crucial skills such as networking, how to act during job interviews and CV and cover letter writing.

What have you organised so far and which activities are you currently working on?

The most immediate activity that we are preparing at the moment is the Job Fair, which is the biggest and most important event organised by the Career and Job Fair subcommittee. It will be held next Wednesday the 18th January in the Charlemagne building, with Panel discussions, Workshops (The art of writing a cover letter; Networking) and on-site interviews taking place throughout the day.

And very soon we will organise the "Speed-dating" with officials, which could be a fun way to have a meeting between stagiaires and officials in the various Commission DGs during an appropriate timing (for ex. lunchtime). It could be organised in cooperation with the porte-paroles of the various DGs. The past activities that we organised consisted of: A Survey, in which the stagiaires provided information about their background, career prospects, interests, as well as their preferences for the Fair exhibitors. A CV-book has been created by compiling stagiaires’ CVs and which will be provided to companies participating in the Job Fair. An Interview workshop, in which companies specialised in staff recruiting and representatives of different DGs were simulating on-site interviews in order to give us some tips on how to prepare for and act during a job interview. Andras Baneth, expert on EU competitions organised by EPSO and author of Europe's no.1 bestseller book on EU exams, gave also to us some tips on how to get an EU job. And, last but not least, we offered to the trainees the possibility of getting a good deal for business cards and in order to use them in the Job Fair and other events the stagiaires might be attending before the traineeship ends.


How many stagiaires are involved in the Career and Job Fair subcommittee?

The Career and Job Fair subcommittee counts already 54 members. Around ten of them form the core of the Committee, being the responsible officers for the several activities, as well as the two treasurers, communication officers and secretaries.

What have been the main challenges?

Organisational Chart of the Career and Job Fair subcommittee

The Career and Job Fair subcommittee is working upon a voluntary basis to offer to all the trainees the above explained activities during the period of our traineeship. Thus, first of all the members had acquired a commitment and a heavy involvement with this subcommittee. We work as a team and by doing that we have faced the challenges that an interdisciplinary and multicultural environment implies. That has offered to the team-members the possibility of getting to know how to organise and coordinate our different skills to achieve our shared goals. It has been also a very enriching experience to get knowledge on the protocols and requirements that setting up an event within the European institutions demands, particularly in terms of logistics and communication. It has been also important to develop our ability to present information effectively and advertise it through the different available communication channels with the target of motivate and attract our fellow stagiaires to participate in the activities we have been organising. And finally, we also gained experience on how to approach to companies and attract them to collaborate in the activities we have been preparing.

Was there any particular achievement?

The best reward that we could have is that our fellow trainees are satisfied with the different activities we have set up to now, either by helping them to improve their professional skills for job hunting or ideally by assisting them finding a job through the Job Fair.

Could you describe the Job Fair Event that you are currently preparing?

The Job Fair is the biggest event organised by the EC stagiaires Career Subcommittee. Its main purposes are to help fellow stagiaires to identify career opportunities, to optimise their skills and qualifications, and, ideally, to match stagiaires with potential employers, represented by our carefully selected companies and organisations. The Job Fair usually takes place twice a year, in the Charlemagne premises. This year it will be held on the 18th of January, room Alcide de Gasperi. The Fair will start at 11 am with short presentations of the companies, followed by several workshops and panel discussions. After lunch, and in parallel with the stand exhibitions, real job interviews will be held until 6.30 pm, in time for the official closure and networking cocktail. Around 400 stagiaires from all European Institutions are expected.

Could you give some hints regarding job hunting for current stagiaires?

i. Prepare a nice CV.

ii. Search in the different job platforms available for you in Brussels, Belgium and abroad (Eurobrussels, EurActiv, Eures, etc.), use your contacts to ask about job vacancies, visit the job opportunities websites of the different international organisations, attend Job Fairs.

iii. Understand the requirements of the job you are applying for. Study the minimum requirements and the selection criteria and think of your past or current work experience or qualifications which are related in order to write a a convincing cover letter highlighting your skills.

iv. If you get an appointment for an interview, prepare yourself beforehand by researching the criteria and the corporate philosophy of the enterprise and by learning as much as you can about the Department and Office you are applying to and the work it does.

v. Be ready to discuss your strengths and your ability to learn from past experiences. Also think about how you could contribute to the work of the Organisation and to the specific position you are applying for.

vi. Practice your answers, although there is no set format that each interview follows, prepare answers to some of the most common questions about strengths and weaknesses.

vii. Stay calm. Good preparation is the key to staying in control. Remember that your interviewers are just normal people!

viii. Ask questions about anything that is unclear about the position. The interview is your chance to ask all of your questions.

By the Career and Job Fair Subcommittee

OUT & ABOUT - Week 3

Learn about the history and process of making chocolate
at the Museum of  Cocoa and Chocolate

Act on your chocolate desires in the Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate and dance off the calories at one of the many parties being organised this weekend. Brussels Up! Soundsystem at Bonnefooi on Thursday, the Vintage Party at Barrio Cafe or Midnight Club at Bar Les Nouveaux Ruses on Friday and  House of Vice at Mr Wong on Saturday.

STAGE COMMITTEE

Chocolate!!! It's difficult not to get excited about that! The stage committee invites all chocolate lovers and cocoa connoisseurs to join them on Saturday the 21st for a visit to the Museum of Chocolate. Cost: €6.50 (Entrance & Guided Tour. You can buy your ticket in the Stage committee office (Madou tower, 24/ 32). 

PARTY

Why not start the weekend on Thursday at Bonnefooi where Brussels Up! soundsystem will play all night long.  Brussels Up! soundsystem consists of Brussels based DJ`s SebCat, LeBlanc, Darcyr and Sonidero Quilombo. They share the same interest in non western, street level music. On January 19, from 23:00 onward, expect to hear acoustic, lo fi and electronic folk pop from around the world. Entrance: FREE

Friday, the 20th of January, Barrio Cafè hosts the Vintage Party which will take you through the intense atmospheres of ’60, ’70, ’80 and ‘90 music: funk, surf, rock, soul, disco, indie and lentos.

Another option for Friday is The Grand Opening of Midnight Club in Bar Les Nouveaux Ruses. Two Brussels based DJ's, De Ville and Mombo will play House and Electro from as early as 20:00. Bar Les Nouveaux Ruses serves a number of tapas for those who need some energy before a long night out. Entrance@ FREE

On Saturday, House of Vice celebrates its first anniversary at Mr Wong. The party will feature three live bands from Lille (My Disco Jacket, Diederdas and Douglas and the Beauties), a DJ set by Rick Shiver, a funny photomaton, a runway, and the distribution of goodies! Doors open at 22:00. Entrance: €3 before midnight, €5 after midnight.

FILM
Head to Cinema Nova on Sunday evening for a screening of Eight Deadly Shots (1972), a Finnish television series about a farmer who kills four cops who have come to arrest him. The four episodes explore the tragedy and hardship of rural life. Ticket: €5.

MUSIC
The French ensemble Les Witches, who never fail to 'bewitch' the stage, invite us to discover "Konge af Danmark (1550-1650)" on Friday, the 20th of January at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. Tickets: €19/€30.

Memos from Member States

Italy: Cruise ship runs aground off the Italian coast 

Three people were confirmed dead on Saturday after the Italian Cruise ship Costa Concordia ran aground on Friday night. The accident happened on Friday night as the ship hit a cliff cutting a 70 meter wide hole in the big ship causing it to take in water. Experts have been puzzled as to how it could happen, as the waters are a popular route for cruise ships.

The first accounts from the accident reported that some 30 people were missing, but later on Saturday that number more than doubled to 70. Reportedly, 14 people are injured and at least three people have died.

Costa Concordia managed to get closer to land before going under and is now laying on its side on the bottom of the lower waters about 200 meters from the coast of the small Italian island Giglio.

Approximately 4,000 people, mainly Italian, German, British and French nationals, were on board when the accident happened.

France: US ratings agency cuts France’s triple-A rating

On Friday the American ratings agency Standard & Poor's downgraded Fance’s triple-A rating. At the same time, S&P's downgraded seven other Eurozone economies as well and expressed a lack of confidence in the EU’s new fiscal treaty.

According to the EU Observer, the agency stated that the EU draft fiscal compact "does not supply sufficient additional resources or operational flexibility to bolster European rescue operations."

Along with France, S&P also downgraded Austria, Cyprus, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. Friday’s downgrade means that Cyprus and Portugal have now moved into the junk category.

However, it wasn’t all bad news from S&P: it kept Germany’s triple-A rating and gave the European Central Bank a pad on the back for “relieving the near-term funding pressures for banks.”

Denmark: Queen celebrates 40th anniversary

The Danish queen, Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II, celebrated her 40th anniversary as head of state in the Danish Kingdom on Saturday.

The people of Denmark are ecstatic about their queen these days. Saturday thousands of people gathered in Copenhagen to hail the queen as she and her husband, Prince Henrik of Denmark, drove through Copenhagen in a gold coach to greet the people.

Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark was just under 32 when she took over the Kingdom of Denmark from her father, the late King Frederik IX, who died after a short period of illness on January 14 1972.

Formally, the queen is the head of state in Denmark in that she signs every law decided by the Danish parliament. The job is mostly ceremonial in nature, and does generally not represent real power.

OUT & ABOUT - Week 2

Europalia.Brasil, until January 15 2012

ART

This week is your last chance to visit the Europalia.Brasil exhibition. Europalia is a major international arts festival held every two years to celebrate one invited country’s cultural heritage. This year, the festival takes you to Brazil. Europalia.Brasil takes place in more than 200 venues across Belgium. Visit the two main exhibitions ‘Brazil.Brasil’ and ‘Art in Brazil’ at the Centre for Fine Arts or listen to Brasilian music at Bozar.  

Do you feel more like getting your hands dirty yourself? On Sunday January 15, Botanique organizes the workshop Curieux chassés croisés as part of the exhibition Wunderkammer.  This workshop will introduce you to different art techniques by letting you create a strange or obscure creature under the guidance of animation experts. Let your imagination run wild!

MUSIC
Zola Quartet is playing in Bar du Matin at 21:00 on Thursday. By combining traditional Spanish music with contemporary Jazz, the Zola Quartet takes its inspiration from the common roots: the energy and the improvisation. The quartet invites you to experience their music in is most sincere form.

Not a Spanish Jazz fan? Then head to Madame Moustache on Saturday for a broader mix of music. From 22:00 onwards Dusty Grooves will spin records from a wide range of music genres, including 80s, funk, disco and house. Entrance: €5.

On the same night, Eurocrats hosts another Resident's Night at Aloft, the design hotel situated in the heart of the European quarter – between Schuman and Place de Luxembourg. The doors open at 22:30. Make sure to dress modern, trendy, classy or all of the above.

FILM Isabelle Lavigne and Stéphane Thibault's documentary At Night They Dance (2010) will be screened at Bozar on Sunday. The film takes us into the heart of a clan of women in which the profession of dancer is traditionally passed down from mother to daughter. Gradually, we become aware of the uncertainties of this life and of its connections with the anxieties of a chaotic reality.

Europe: One man down, Part II

Mr Sarkozy’s grand declarations of European strength in adversity, the 12-digit financial pledges to the EFSF and the IMF, and the commitment to fiscal integration that seemed set to make the December euro-summit the stuff of history, soon became a distant memory in Brussels as the gluvine was opened, the fairy lights went up, and the eurocrats returned to their member states for the Christmas break. As 2012 arrived, Europe seemed to have lost its assertiveness once again as news broke that Italy and Spain’s service sectors were rapidly shrinking; that inflation was up from 2.8 to 3 per cent; and that the unprecedented €489 billion in loans made available by the ECB to banks across Europe in December was re-deposited in record amounts at the same institution come January.

Despite bearing an inter-governmental treaty which will bind signatory countries in a ‘fiscal compact’, as with euro-crisis summits before it, the December meet of EU leaders will not provide a golden ticket to European recovery any time soon. In fact, the European Union is expected to slip back into recession in the first half of 2012.

If the December summit is not to be remembered as definitively bringing the euro-zone crisis under control, it will be recalled as a pivotal moment in the shaping of the UK’s relationship with the EU.

Three weeks ago, I wrote an article on Mr Cameron’s decision to veto the treaty. My initial response was one of horror: I felt that he had sidelined Britain within the EU, and that his decisions were made solely on the behalf of two parties: the City and Tory backbenchers.

I stick by my initial response: Mr Cameron certainly has isolated Britain in the sense that we are not part of what would otherwise be a comprehensive EU treaty, and his motivations for doing so were not on behalf of the UK population, but rather to gain political brownie points among his eurosceptic party members and with London’s financiers.

However, spending time in the UK over the Christmas break caused me to reflect again on Britain’s use of its right to veto. Although I almost exclusively disagree with Mr Cameron’s reasoning and motivations, and in spite of my pro-European leanings, I am not wholly convinced that, had I been in Mr Cameron’s position, I would have signed the treaty either. Here’s why:

The measures emerging from the December talks included a new fiscal compact, further economic policy coordination, and the development of EU stabilisation tools to face short-term challenges. While in principal, the inter-governmental treaty’s requirement that government budgets be balanced or in surplus seems sensible and, in fact, is a long-term policy extension of the UK’s own current austerity objectives, the move to ‘stronger policy coordination and governance’ on fiscal matters proves more problematic for me.

The statement issued by euro-area heads of state and government stipulates that ‘all major economic policy reforms planned by euro-area Member States will be [...] coordinated at the level of the euro area’. Although it is widely recognised that this move towards fiscal integration should have occurred at the advent of the single currency, the implications of this development on member states’ sovereignty must not be underestimated: this is significant step towards European federalism. Had this appeared in the Lisbon treaty, the already controversial accord would have proven even more difficult to sell to the European people.

While euro-zone countries must further integrate out of necessity: recent events show that a shared currency must be matched with a shared monetary and fiscal union, the UK, along with the nine other non-euro-zone countries should think long and hard about whether they want to sacrifice sovereignty in this historically sacrosanct area. The statement issued following the December summit is worryingly opaque, not just about the status of the non-euro-zone members which wish to participate within the treaty, but significantly, the actual fiscal implications for all signatory countries. Call me traditional, but I was always taught not to sign my name to anything I didn’t properly understand. Especially not in such a rush.

Mr Cameron’s decision to veto must not, and cannot be seen as a victory for the Brits. On a soft political level, it is true that EU member states will get used to working without the UK. Nevertheless, handing over fiscal competence to Brussels without serious consideration of the implications – both good and bad, would have been foolish of the Brits. In my mind, Cameron would have done well to take the matter back to the UK parliament. This may have given him the opportunity to better consider his strategy and to mitigate against what was ultimately considered an isolationist move.  This, as show in the case of Sweden, may have enabled him to participate in the treaty and thus retain influence in the EU, while protecting British interests by negotiating different terms than those of euro-zone member states.

By Sonia Jordan

Memos from Member States

Hungary: Junk, junk, junk

Following the lead of Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s, Fitch has this week become the third ratings agency to cut Hungary's credit rating to junk status, BB+. The downgrade comes following widespread accusations that the Hungarian government is undermining the central bank's autonomy.

A standby facility with the IMF was recently sought by the Hungarian government, but talks broke down over a new law that will increase the government's control of the central bank's governing board.

The country is plagued by the large amount of foreign-currency mortgages, particularly those denominated in Swiss francs, that were taken out by home-buyers over recent years. Hungarians that were initially attracted by the cheap interest rates, now face unfeasible debt repayments as the Hungarian forint loses value.

Austria: Snowed in

Unexpected levels of snowfall of up to 1.2 metres and high winds have caused chaos on roads and railways in areas of Austria. 

The authorities have warned of an extremely high risk of avalanches, prompting the Austrian army to put several helicopters on high alert.

Nearly 2,000 homes have been without power, and on Friday, around 15,000 tourists and locals were snowed in at ski resorts on the Arlberg mountain. More heavy snow is predicted over the next few days.

Greece: Euro-exit becomes more likely

Greece’s government has this week warned that the country may have to exit the euro zone if it fails to secure its second EU-IMF bail-out. The announcement came amid new protests led by doctors and pharmacists against planned spending cuts, with hospitals taking emergency cases only until Thursday.

The latest €130 billion bail-out for Greece was agreed by EU leaders in October, on the proviso that Athens makes further public spending cuts, takes tough action against tax evasion, and privatises some services and state-owned companies.

Although the Greek parliament has already adopted a series of austerity measures, evaluation by the EU, the IMF, and the ECB due later this month is likely to demand more.

By Sonia Jordan

Organizing trips for the stagiaires is somewhat frustrating

ESJ continues to present you members of the Stage Committee. This week we will focus on trips. Lothar Van Driessche studied law at Ghent University for five years and obtained a postgraduate master at the Free University of Berlin, in European and International Business, Competition and Regulatory Law. He focused on Energy Law, which is the reason why he currently works in DG Energy. Lothar, the news addict interested in technology and social networking, is a Trip Coordinator. How does he like this position?

  

"I strongly believe in the need for a strong Europe,
even if it's an enormous cliché."

Why did you decide to stand as a candidate for the Stage Committee position? Did you have any specific or special intentions?

I decided it last minute because the Liaison Committee had too few candidates the Friday before, and I felt there should definitely be a SC. My intention wasn't to do trips; I presented myself during the election as a candidate general. As people aren't elected for a function however, it's up to the elects to divide the functions among themselves, and the others decided differently. Doing trips is fun however, and when I decide to engage myself for something, I always fully commit to it.

How do you feel about your role as the Trip coordinator, what has your work looked like so far, and what about the trips that have already been done?

Organizing and working out trips is fun and from the reactions of the participants about the trips to Ghent, Amsterdam and Berlin, I take it that they were pretty good, at least they were very well-received. On the other hand, I must admit that organizing trips for the stagiaires is somewhat frustrating because it's so difficult to get enough people on them. I'm disappointed so far with the amount of people that registered, especially for the Berlin trip (though it was great fun with a very good, yet small group). Of course, it is comprehendible in a way. First of all, we make very little money as stagiaires, so I understand that people without any savings or some help from home just don't have the means to come on trips (though I think that's a minority). In the end a lot of them just don't have any free weekends or days of holiday left to go away with the SC. In that optic, I have my doubts about the relevance of the function of trip coordinator, maybe something to consider for the next liaison/stage committee. This being said however, I'd like to make clear that for the remainder of this stage being, I continue to be fully committed to my function.

What are the main plans regarding trips? 

The upcoming trips will be amazing, starting with the ski trip (31/01 to 5/02 in Le Corbier), for which quite some people registered already and I hope a lot will follow the next weeks, because we have REALLY amazing conditions to offer! Further on the programme is probably also a day trip to Luxemburg in February, and some smaller things within Brussels, such as visits to a brewery and chocolate factory, and a visit to Redu, "the village of books".

What about the Stage Committee team, what were your impressions of them? 

All strong and diverse characters, what is not very surprising. Personally I can be very stubborn, which sometimes causes severe discussions, often my own fault, I don't mind admitting that. But the same goes for Michael and Deborah, I think. When a decision has been taken however, I do feel that everyone will close the ranks and stick up for the rest. I guess that's always the most important in the end, that you form a team. It's a bit the Commission in small, in that respect.

What is your personal attachment to the European Commission. What were your main reasons for applying for a traineeship, and so far, how do you like your traineeship?

I strongly believe in the need for a strong Europe, it's an enormous cliché, but I'm convinced that without the EU, the old continent will be blown off the stage in the world of the 21st century; people who aren't realizing that yet, are blind. This traineeship, apart from being an intellectual challenge and valuable experience (professional and personal) allows me to combine my believes with my professional ambitions. I also enjoy an international environment, especially since I've studied abroad, and the Commission offers that. Of course, as a Belgian, it's at the same time practical for me to work in Brussels.

By Lucia Mrázová

OUT & ABOUT - WEEK 1

Roman Polanski exhibition at Bozar, until January 8

Hopefully one of your New Year's resolutions is to make the most of your remaining time in Brussels. Can you believe the traineeship ends in less than two months? Neither can we, so let's go out and explore!

STAGE COMMITTEE

The stage committee invites you to a (Late) New Year's Celebration at January 6 in SMOUSS Cafe. This is the right time to remind your colleagues what "fun in Brussels" looks like. Venue: SMOUSS Cafe, Time: 22:30, Entrance: €8 at the door.

PARTY
Ready for a crazy night out? Eurocrats, one of the best expat parties in Brussels, is back to their regular scheduled event lineup and starts off the New Year with Party In a Villa at Parc Savoy. On Saturday January 7, come dance and mingle with an international crowd, and don't forget to dress to impress. Venue: Parc Savoy, Time: 22:30.  

FILM
Bozar presents Roman Polanski, an exhibition that illustrates the career of the great Polish film-maker through photographs of the actor and director in full action, archive footage from collections held by his friends (Wajda, Kostenka, Gutowski and Nowak) and posters from the Lodz Film Museum. The exhibition runs until Sunday January 8. Venue: Bozar, Entrance: FREE.

MUSIC

The group Pau Xêroso will play live at the Brasilian Forró da Lua Ball at La Tentation on Saturday January 7.  Time: 20:30, Entrance: €5.

"There are almost no demonstrations in Syria now, as Syrians detect a western agenda."

Interview with the spokesman of the Syrian mission to the EU.


We have been following the events in Syria. We have been watching videos of bloody protests, gun shooting, crying and dying people. How can a popular leader, as Bashar al-Assad president of Syria certainly was, especially after introducing wide reforms after his appointing in 2000, keep his position in such a situation? Lucia Mrázová decided to look to the other end of the corridor and talk to a representative of the Syrian government.

"Because we trust our people, we believe it is not
a revolution. If it was a revolution, the regime would
have fallen in the first or second month."

This week, European Stagiaires Journal brings you a very topical interview with the spokesman of the Syrian Mission to the EU. How does the representative of the Syrian government see the situation? He is convinced that no regime would kill its own people and that the responsibility for killings rests with armed foreign infiltrators.

At the beginning of December, the European Union tightened its sanctions against Syria to increase a pressure on the regime. How would you describe the current relations between Syria and the EU?

In two words: very bad. They are very bad, unfortunately. However, I think the Europeans are making a mistake because they are judging events in Syria by what they receive from the media. The media are very very subjective. Also, some big countries in the European Union, mainly France, have a special agenda for Middle East and for our country. You could see how France forced others to go to Libya. Mr. Sarkozy was badly positioned on internal issues in France. He intended to achieve something, however internally, with all the economic problems in Europe and in France, it was difficult. Instead, he thought, at least in a foreign policy he can achieve something. So, maybe he wanted to repeat the same thing with Syria.

So if we see pictures from Syria, these are only propaganda? Doesn't the regime use force and crackdown on dissent?

Yes, at the beginning there were demonstrations, they called for change, for democratic reforms. The government tried to fulfil the demands of the people, but at the same time we, the government, had to face a group of very well trained terrorists. They were and still are infiltrating into demonstrations and shooting to civilians as well as to police forces, killing here and there and blaming the government. And yes, police forces made mistakes. When you are in such a complex situation, mistakes can be made. There were demonstrations for reforms, and the government implemented several reforms. But in this situation, it is very difficult to go further with them. Now, there is kind of a civil war, but not among the population, but between governments' troops - the authority and a group of militants mainly coming from abroad – from Turkey, from the north of Lebanon, some from Jordan, with a huge support from many countries, like Turkey, some Arab countries unfortunately, from the United States.

Are you saying that videos or pictures of torture where police or armed forces intervene against civilians are twofaced? So far, statistics show that more than about 4,000 people have been killed.

In many occasions, pictures and videos were presented as if the event happened in Syria and later we discovered that it was in Iraq or in Libya. Not all that we see happening in Syria is true. Awful crimes that are committed by armed gangs are shown as if they were committed by  the authorities. There is no regime, whatever it is, that would kill its own people. It is in the interest of the regime to prevent crime and massacre.

Protests in Syria started in January and protesters asked for different reforms. However, one of the biggest demands is to allow free elections where other parties, not only the ruling Ba'ath Party, could participate. In this sense, how does it progress?

Yesterday (Note L.M.: December 12^th) there were local elections in Syria. The President also confirmed that we will have legislative elections in February. Currently, a commission is working on a new constitution. The President has already said several times that he is not willing to stay if people don't want him to. Believe me, because of what is happening now the president is much more popular than before. As I said, at the beginning there were demonstrations, but today, there are almost no demonstrations anymore. People understood that foreign powers wanted to take advantage of the situation to push forward their agenda. It is not the first time that we have problems with the United States and sometimes, unfortunately, also with European countries that follow the US. In the 80s, the US supported the Muslim Brotherhood to commit the most awful crime in Syria. Between 2005 and 2008 we were accused of killing the Prime Minister of Lebanon Hariri. There were sanctions against Syria and suddenly, they said: no, it wasn't Syria, it was Hezbollah. Maybe one day they will say: no, it wasn’t Hezbollah… They are trying to put pressure on Syria to become pro-American, to give up on the Syrian Golan, you know, our land occupied by Israel, this is the main objective. Syrian people understood that there is a foreign agenda on Syria to destabilize and weaken it. Therefore, there are almost no demonstrations. The biggest demonstrations may count about 200 people today.

Will opposition parties be allowed to stand in upcoming elections?

There is already a law on political parties, adopted in August. Currently, people have been already applying the status for their political parties. It is working very well. And even today I was reading that work on the new constitution is advancing very well. There will not be this famous Article 8 saying that the Ba'ath party is a leading party anymore. Reforms may go slowly but only because of events.

But if reforms proceed, is the situation – after almost a year of demonstrations – any better today?

Unfortunately, it is not better. At the beginning of the events, security forces were not allowed to carry guns. But because hundreds of them were killed and we discovered armed infiltrators among demonstrators, the government allowed the police to have guns. Frankly we, the authority, were surprised by a huge number of armed people. For instance, the Turkish borders are very long, about 900 km, and every day and mainly at night, groups of twenty to thirty people are trying to enter Syria. We also have problems with some fractions in Lebanon which are facilitating a transfer of guns from the north of Lebanon to Syria. Many foreign newspapers, such as New York Times or Le Figaro wrote about that. This is reality, it is not our imagination. All in all, we have problems only in border regions. In cities like Damascus, there is nothing, there are no demonstrations and no armed gangs. And this is another proof that it is a problem of outsiders, not of our people.

Among protesters, a significant role is played by the young generation.  In Syria, an unemployment rate of youngsters is above the average of the Middle East, about 25 percent. Could this be a reason that they became so active on demanding political reforms in the country?

I think it is a phenomenon everywhere, even here in Europe. Unemployment among young people is higher than among others. Unfortunately, these people in Syria were paid to go to demonstrations. In many cities, people themselves call for the army because they have those gangs kidnapping or killing people, sometimes just for money.

By whom are they paid?

By either foreigners or by some people who wanted to change Syria but not in a democratic way.

What would you do if you were 20 and living in Syria today? Under these circumstances, it might not be possible for you to finish you university or to find a job, what would you do?

I would like to remind you that Syria is among those few countries where universities are free and even with an accommodation for about ten Euros a month. Usually, educated people have no problems with finding a job. However, we have a category of people that are either not smart enough or don't want to work at school and they don't want to go to university, thus it will be problematic for them to find a job. The economic crisis is everywhere in the world and we can't achieve full employment.

Demonstrations are highly influenced by social networks. The emerging role of Facebook or Twitter helped to mobilize masses also in Syria. Might it have been a mistake of the regime to allow such forms that are now, apparently, acting against it?

"When you are in such a complex situation, mistakes can be made."

 I believe in transparency, I believe in openness. I don’t think that we can prevent people from revolt by keeping them away from social networks or by educating them this way.

But there is still not such a transparency: for instance, when you go to internet café in Syria, you have to prove yourself by ID and after, your internet browsing is monitored anyway.

In every country, communication is under control. Even here, even in the United States. If I send you an email and it is interesting, the CIA will know what I am writing to you. This is clear. But maybe, in some countries like in ours, we don’t have that sophisticated technology… Myself, when I was in Syria, I went to internet café many times and nobody ever asked me for my ID. But I have heard that sometimes, maybe during these days, they are requesting IDs. Most educated people have internet at home and they have Facebook. In some countries like Tunisia or Egypt, regimes stopped Facebook and other ways of communication, but we did not. Because we trust our people, we believe it is not a revolution. If it was a revolution, the regime would have fallen in the first or second month. It is a small category of people manipulated by foreigners.

By the end of November, the Arab League imposed sanctions against Syria. 19 of the 22 members of the Arab League had agreed on the measures including transactions of money, travel ban for officials or suspension of some funding. How is it possible that not only Western countries but also your Arab friends turned against you?

With the Arab League, it is another story. Today, the Arab League is driven by Gulf countries, mainly by Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Qatar is a tool in the hands of the United States. There are some countries that were against sanctions for Syria, like Sudan, Mauritania or Egypt. And those countries are in need of cash, so they were forced by money to change their position. Other countries, like Iraq and Algeria are trying to make the position of the Arab League' countries more reasonable. We expect a meeting on Saturday. If Syria will allow observers to come to the country, other countries will freeze sanctions. But I will tell you this: it would be funny if a country like Saudi Arabia will sanction Syria because of not reforming its  political system. In Syria, we have a woman in the post of the vice-president. We have several women as ministers, many ambassadors' women. In some sectors, like education, women represent at least 50 percent of the employees. In Saudi Arabia, a woman has no right to drive a car. They don’t have a constitution, they have never had elections. This goes for most of Gulf countries, except Kuwait. It is ridiculous to think that they behave this way because they care about human rights.

We can agree on the difficult situation in which Syrians now find themselves. But what can they hope for? How do you see a future development in Syria?

It is very complex. There are too many factors, even if you solved a problem with some Arab countries, you still have the United States, you have Israel. We have Mr. Sarkozy who wants to achieve something before the elections. If it was only an internal issue, we would solve it very easily, because the reforms are reality.

By Lucia Mrázová

  

OUT & ABOUT - Week 51

The BE Film Festival features 17 Belgian films from 2011, 19 to 23rd  December

Just because you are flying home in a few days to celebrate Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/New Year's, does not mean you have to stay at home this week. Brussels has plenty to offer in the next few days. And all this rain and snow is a really good excuse to go to the cinema and enjoy some films.

CINEMA

On Monday, December 19 at 6:30 PM, the LGBT Subcommittee is screening the award-winning film 'Contracorriente' (Undertow). Contracorriente tells the story of a Peruvian fisherman who appears to live a traditional life in a small but charming seaside village. Miguel is married to a lovely woman but also caught up in a passionate love affair with artist Santiago. The film will be introduced by human rights expert Rebeca Sevilla, who will talk about the situation of lesbians and gays in her home-country Peru and other Latin American countries. Venue: Madou Auditorium, ground floor Madou building. Entrance: FREE.

On Tuesday, December 20 at 7:00 PM, the Cineclub is showing the Polish film 'Seksmisja' (Sexmission) to mark the end of the Polish Presidency. Seksmisja is about two scientists who volunteer for a hibernation experiment and get transported 50 years into the future, when the male species has become extinct.

Venue: Madou Auditorium, ground floor Madou building. Entrance: FREE.

FILM FEST
From December 19 to December 23rd Bozar and Cinematek will be the venue for the 7th annual BE Film Festival. BE Film Festival celebrates Belgian cinema from both Flanders and Wallonia, and will feature 18 Belgian films released in 2011. The festival launches on Monday with the world premiere of Torpedo, a film by Matthieu Donck about a man who wants to attend a meet & greet with his life long idol Eddy Merckx, but in order to do so he has to find a family first. The director and a number of cast members will be present at the screening.

Also worth seeing are: 22 Mei (December 20, 21.00 at Bozar), a thriller about a bomb explosion in a shopping mall; Noordzee Texas (December 21, 19.00 at Bozar); Smoorverliefd (December 21, 21.00 at Bozar), a romantic comedy about four women trying to find their way through the chaos of love; Les Geants (December 21, 21.00 at Cinematek), La Fee (December 22, 20.45 at Bozar); cyberthriller Pulsar (December 23, 21.00 at Bozar); and Quartier Lontain (December 23, 21.30 at Bozar), a drama about a 50-year old man who wakes up in his teenage years. Tickets: €3 for CINEMATEK, €6 for BOZAR and €9 for the opening film.

MUSIC

On Monday at 21.30 PM, music cafe Bonnefooi will host a gig by Netherfriends, a psyche-pop band from Chicago. Entrance: FREE

On Tuesday, the Brussels Jazz Orchestra will play a homage to Agatha Christie at Flagey together with Finnish composer Kerkko Koskinen, who used to head the rock pop band Ultra Bra, but now lends his talent to the musical reading of crime fiction. Tickets: €18 to €23.

ART

From November 22, 2011 to March 3, 2012, The Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium is exhibiting a selection of artworks by contemporary artists such as Rik Wouters, Fritz Van Den Berghe, Salvador Dali, Giorgio de Chirico, Paul Delvaux, Joan Miro, Constant Permeke, Victor Servranckx, Georges Vantongerloo, Simon Hantaï, Henri Matisse, Jo Delahaut, Luc Tuymans and Thiery De Cordier. Tickets: €8, students €5.

OUT & ABOUT - Week 50

Fashion pieces at Dress is More at Center for Fashion and Design, 16-18 December

STAGE COMMITTEE
The stage committee has a small gift for you. Before you go home and enjoy Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Whatever with your beloved family, you can first celebrate the holiday season with your fellow trainees at Christmas à la Stagiaires at The Marquee. On Saturday December 17th, the "crème de la crème" DJ will spin the best tunes during the whole night – you can look forwards to the best Christmas song mix. Entrance: FREE.

DANCE
Thursday, December 15th is the closing evening of Nocturnes, the late night museum openings. To conclude, the Museum of Ixelles presents Mouvemologies, a choreographic production by Marie Martinez: dancers will apply Jean Dubuffet’s creative process before your very eyes, meeting this extraordinary artist in a truly original setting. A highly artistic experience offered with the collaboration of the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie. Time: 17.00-19.00. The Museum of Ixelles also features an exhibition on Jean Dubuffet’s architectural work.

PARTY
Not in the mood for yet another Christmas party? Then head to Madame Moustache et son Freakshow on Friday the 16th for Fuck You It's X-mas. DJ Sand and Eric Pow B will be behind the decks to guide you through the history of electronic music. Entrance: €5.

FASHION
Dress is More' pop-up sale, first edition, is taking place at the Center for Fashion and Design of Brussels near St. Catherine on the 16th, 17th and 18th of December! Alexia de Ville and Sophie Corouge join their forces to bring together a beautiful sample of the best design and fashion pieces we can find on our land: designer clothes, furniture pieces and accessories of vintage deco, jewels, a selection of books by Tropismes Bookshop, and so on. All that in an enhanced environment with cosy bar all weekend! Opening Friday from 6 to 10pm with on the decks Geoffroy Mugwump, from the label Kompakt and co-organizer of the Leftorium parties!

SPORT
No more money left for a ticket to the Alps? No worries! Thanks to CitySki it is possible to go skiing in the heart of Brussels! Mont des Arts near Gare Centrale has made place for a 150m ski slope, covered in 50cm of snow. The slope is open every day from 10AM to 10PM and access to the slope costs €5 per 20 minutes. Renting ski gear (boots, ski's, helmet etc.) is €8. Entrance to the après-ski area is free.

President of the Employers' Group of the EESC: "If I were 20 today, I wouldn’t look for a job, I would go to the streets and block them"

"Europe is my passion, Europe is my engagement."

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is a consultative body of the European Union. It represents economic and social interests in Europe and it is divided in three groups: employers, workers and various interests group (such as NGOs or professionals).

Henri Malosse has been the President of the Employers' Group since 2009. In a very expressive interview for European Stagiaires Journal on the current situation of young people and juvenile unemployment, he also talked about  what employers look for, and why he thinks the Commission is sleeping and why he would rather leave Europe if he was 20 today.

Looking at your career path we can see that you have dedicated most of your life to promoting entrepreneurship in Europe. Why did you decide totake this route?

Everything is rather related to Europe: Europe is my passion, Europe is my engagement. I don’t think we can make a career in Europe. When I am working, for me it is more of being an active and engaged European. I am very proud to represent employers but my main goal is to work for European integration,of which I believe in fully. When I was 13 or 14 years old, I started my engagement with French-German reconciliation. And when I was 20, the iron curtain was closed and traveling was very complicated. For me, it was a bit easier because I could obtain a visa, I took my car and went to Poland and Czechoslovakia. But for my friends I met there, it was not easy to visit Western Europe. Today, I see Europe’s achievements – no visas, no borders - well, not for all of us, look at the Ukraine. Therefore I am fighting for a unified Europe with no borders. And of course, I gained support from employers and from enterprises to unify Europe.

However the situation is still pretty difficult. Today, young people especially are struggling to find employment. Why do you think the problem seems to be even more visible than ever before?

I think that in the past, society was much younger. Today, we are an older society where people don’t have trust in young people. I was told by someone that I am too young to be a president of the EESC, and I am 57. Can you believe it? They believed it should be person above 60. Why not someone younger, an individual of 25 or 30 years of age? For my son, who is 25, it is difficult to be employed because people ask for experience. It is a vicious circle. When you are for instance in India or in South America, it is a value to be young. In Europe, it is a disadvantage.

Do you think internships or volunteering could be a solution and a way to gain experiences?

I don’t like employers who give non-paid jobs. I think stagiaires should be paid. Without money, it is not fair. Otherwise, it means that parents pay, which means that it is not equal – because some families can afford it, some families cannot. Therefore I think, it is not any compatible model for Europe.

So what do employers want and need today?

Unfortunately, today’s employers have difficulties placing their confidence in thefuture. As they are not confident, they think they will be secured by someone who has more experience. This is a general perspective  in Europe, what is ridiculous. Even though the economic climate is generally not bad, due to the inaction of the European institutions and mainly of the European Commission, the business climate is bad because entrepreneurs understand nothing. Look at Brussels – there is no clear message, no leadership. Where is Mr. Barroso? Yesterday I made a speech at our plenary and I said: “Give us Mr. Barroso back! Where is he? Get him back, because we cannot see him anywhere.” We need leadership and strength, but today we have no confidence. And combined with the aging population, this results in a lack of trust in the young generation. But this is completely wrong!

Where to find a solution?

I don’t see a solution in some of the technical matters. I think a solution should be more political. I very much support the European Union's effort to develop mobility. But this should not be possible just for students. It needs to reach all kinds of people. Even though Erasmus is a nice project, it covers only ten per cent of students which means only about one per cent of young Europeans, what is nothing. I think Erasmus is the only visible success of the EU of last 20 years. Some months ago I would say it was the euro, but today… Let’s see what’s going to happen with euro. But Erasmus has been accepted only just because Mr. Jacques Delores, president of the Commission, put his resignation on the table to save it. But today, Commissioners are… Last week in Paris, one Commissioner used these words, saying: we are like a sleeping cabinet. And it is like that! And I am sorry to say that but it is true of all commissioners.

What would you do if today, in circumstances of economic instability and insecurity, you were 20 again? How would you make yourself appealing to employers?

I think, if I were 20 today, I would not look for a job. I would go to the streets and I would block them. I would be a revolutionary. Because the situation today is not acceptable and I think one should not beg for a job.

But how would you feed yourself?

I would be tempted to go to some other place, to leave Europe: to go to a place where they value young generation, maybe to the US or to South America. I gave some advice to my son: to go to eastern Europe. Eastern Europe is still not as bad as it is here, in Western Europe. People are more open to youth. Because of the political changes there, transition 20 years ago, you can see younger people not only in politics but also being treated much better. This is my feeling, I may be wrong.

Recently you have announced your candidacy for the rotating presidency of the EESC. What would be your goals as a president? 

I have two answers to that. Firstly, I think in times of crisis we should work together: European member states, EU private companies and EU institutions, to reindustrialize Europe. We shouldn’t let all industry leave Europe. When we have negative commercial outraged balance, we lose jobs, we don’t produce anything. This support should be coming from a European level, especially to support innovation, education and reindustrialization. I would like that all committees would take an initiative in those three actions.

Secondly, I would like to support projects that build on the concept of a European identity, which is a crucial point. Today, because of my history, my travelling experiences and my knowledge of languages I see that the European identity is a way of being proud of something. I am French, I can be proud of that, but I can personally be proud of Europe because of what we have achieved in sixty years: peace, Schengen, the enlargement process, Europe is no longer divided. I would like to build on that, for example to make a private company be proud of being European by putting a European flag in front of their building. I also would like to extend this European identity to tourism. For example your country, Slovakia, is a wonderful country. But ask in France who knows anything about Slovakia, and they would probably think you are somewhere close to Siberia and you have some white bears over there and they wouldn’t know how beautiful your county is. So, we have to promote European tourism so that European citizens get to know Europe.

What about youth and its employment? What kind of priorities do you have in this matter?

One of my plans after being elected will be – after visiting Jean Monnet’s house discover our roots – to check all the priorities regarding employment of young people and to discuss our working programme with young people. You know, European citizens don’t trust the European institutions anymore. But they still believe in the European idea. Thus to build a project based on a European identity, EESC should be the place where all the hopes of citizens should be presented and we can assert pressure on the Commission, the Council or the Parliament to move and act.

Are those goals also a kind of a guideline for solution to the crisis?

I think the solution to the crisis is made up of two things. First, some concrete, common action from the EU, Member States and the private sector to boost the European economy, European industry, innovation, clusters, links between universities and companies, research and development. And those things should no longer be done at a national level. If we act together, we can do something, we can compete with America or China.

The second thing is to connect  citizens with what is the EU doing. Mrs. Merkel and Mr. Sarkozy want a new treaty. But if they asked the public their opinion, the answer would be no. People will think that Germany and France cannot decide for us. We have to make European citizens be proud of what is going on in Europe. And that is why I see a concrete project of building European identity as a way to save this continent.

And now for a bit of a visionary question. How do you see Europe in, let's say, 50 years?

I can tell you two scenarios: positive and negative. For the positive scenario I see the United States of Europe in twenty years. Maybe not based on the model of the US, maybe on themodel of Switzerland – a confederation of states. On the other hand, the worst one: I like cinema and some years ago some low-budget film made by Africans, I don’t remember from which country. It was a sci-fi about how the world would look in 2050. In Africa, they unified all the countries, they had common institutions, and Africa became very wealthy. Europe looked disastrous: it went back to nationalism, poverty, and different types of wars between countries. Europe was divided. And Europeans took boats, and traveled to Africa to find jobs. In Africa, you could see those rich people with good cars and an expensive lifestyle. White people were cleaning sides of streets. I wish to Africa all the success, but I don’t wish this for Europe.

By Lucia Mrázová