Wie ist die Lage? Es scheint so: erst rettet der Staat den Kasinokapitalismus und dann geht er – auch wegen der dabei aufgehäuften Schuldenlast – vor die Hunde. So feiert der Kasinokapitalismus fröhlich Urständ. Die Zocker können weiter machen. Und der Staat, seine Dienste und seine Bürger werden immer weiter gebeutelt. So werden sie zur willfährigen Beute von Interessen, denen der mächtige Zugriff bislang noch erschwert war.

Naomi Klein hat recht mit ihrer These der Schocktherapie: man muss die Menschen bloß verunsichern, dann kann man alles mit ihnen machen. Was mag uns noch blühen, in den kommen Monaten und Jahren? Wird sich der Bürger das gefallen lassen? Wohl kaum. Schon jetzt wundern sich manche Persoen an den Schaltstellen und Wirtschaft und Politik, dass die Bürger so still halten.

Denn eins ist klar: am Anfang und Ende zahlt der kleine Mann die Zeche. Und es sieht so aus, dass das System der Gier gerettet wird, dass die Krise wesentlich mitverursacht hat. Westerwelle und andere Büchsenspanner des Kasinokapitalismus versuchen mit ihrer Kritik am Sozialstaat Nebelkerzen zu werfen.

Ich habe das zunehmende Gefühl, dass uns systematisch das ganze Ausmaß der Finanzkrise vorenthalten wird. So muss doch zum Beispiel die immer lauter erhobene Forderung  nach einem Europäischen Währungsfonds äußerst skeptisch stimmen. Für hochverschuldete Länder gelten Kredite des Internationalen Währungsfonds (IWF) bisher als letzter Rettungsring. Die Länder der Eurozone sind aber so stolz, dass sie niemals in die Lage kommen wollen, beim IWF um Finanzhilfen ansuchen zu müssen. Gefordert wird nun eine europäische Alternative, “um mögliche Staatspleiten von EU-Krisenländern wie Griechenland geordnet abzuwickeln”, notiert heute der Online-Newsletter EurActiv mit Verweis auf Politik-Kreise und Politikberater.

Jüngst hatte die SWP-Europaexpertin Daniela Schwarzer im  EurActiv-Interview erklärt: “Für das Krisenmanagement braucht die Eurozone einen eigenen Fonds, einen Euro-Währungsfonds (EWF), der intern die Stützungsinstrumente und die politische Unabhängigkeit hat, um wirksam einzugreifen.”

Ähnlich äußert sich jetzt auch der Brüsseler Think Tank, das “Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)”. Die Euro-Länder sollten Griechenland mit einem eigenen Europäischen Währungsfonds aus der Krise helfen. “Ein europäischer Währungsfonds könnte eine Staatspleite geordnet abwickeln, ohne dass die Finanzmärkte zusammenbrechen würden”, sagte CEPS-Direktor Daniel Gros am Donnerstag gegenüber der Deutschen Presse Agentur, die traditionell ganz eng an den Playern dran ist und ihre Botschaften kurz und locker zusammengefasst transportiert.

Bislang gäbe es im gemeinsamen Währungsraum der 16 Euro-Staaten keinen Mechanismus, einem Staat in Zahlungsschwierigkeiten zu helfen, heißt es. Die EU arbeitet angeblich an einem Notfallplan, um Griechenland zu helfen, falls es seine Schulden nicht mehr zahlen kann. Sie betragen - soweit bekannt – rund 300 Milliarden Euro.Eurogruppen-Chef Juncker und Kollegen im Kreis der Regierungschefs und Finanzminister tun so, als ob sie alles im Griff haben und schon wüssten, wie sie auf drohende Marktentwicklungen reagieren. “Details sind bislang nicht bekannt”, berichten die Medien seit Tagen. Dabei haben nach meinem Gefühl die Euro-Länder überhaupt nichts in der Hand. Bluff allerorten. Psychologie statt Ökonomie. 

CEPS sieht in einem Europäischen Währungsfonds eine Alternative zum Internationalen Währungsfonds (IWF). Griechenland hätte erklärt, sich an den IWF zu wenden, falls die EU nicht zur Unterstützung des Landes bereit sei. “Nehmen wir an, Griechenland bekommt Geld vom IWF, und das reicht nicht aus”, sagte CEPS-Chef Gros. “Dann kommen die Euro-Länder immer wieder in die Situation, dass sie helfen müssen, weil sonst die Finanzmärkte abstürzen, egal, ob es vorher ein IWF-Programm gab oder nicht.”

Gros: Ein Europäischer Währungsfonds würde im Fall einer Staatspleite sämtliche griechische Staatsschulden mit einem Abschlag von etwa 60 bis 70 Prozent des Wertes aufkaufen. “Damit wären die Banken und Versicherungen, die diese Papiere hielten, gerettet”, sagte Gros. Ja, mein Gott. Kann man es nicht noch ein bißchen zynischer sagen, Herr Klein in der Birne.

Und hat keine Hemmungen noch folgenden glücksverheißenden Satz nachzuliefern:  “Und danach säße der europäische Fonds den Griechen gegenüber und hätte alle Karten in der Hand.” Schönes Spielchen.

Und wer finanziert den Fonds, Herr Klein? “Der Fonds würde von den Euro-Staaten finanziert: Die Länder sollten in dem Maße Einlagen in den Fonds einzahlen, in dem ihre Schulden und ihr Staatsdefizit über den Kriterien des Maastricht-Vertrages lägen. Dies würde einige Zeit dauern. “Aber die griechische Krise ist nicht in zwei Wochen vorbei, das Problem wird sich im nächsten Jahr verschärfen.” Allein die Existenz der Planinsolvenz würde nach Ansicht des Volkswirts Staaten wie Griechenland disziplinieren, heißt es bei EurActiv. Klasse. das ist die Lösung. Geplante Insolvenz.

Was sollte noch mal der EU-Vertrag von Lissabon leisten? Europa fit für die Weltmarktkonkurrenz machen. Das gegenteil scheint der Fall. Europa meldet sich ab und widmet sich seinem geordneten Rückzug. Europapolitik als Konkursverwaltung.

Goethe Nachtisch-Bein (Photo: andriz/flickr)

Difficult times – also for Germany and the german language. It seems that Baroness Ashton is not interested in German as one of the working langugages in the  coming EU-diplomatic service.

That might be one reason, that the Goethe Institut Brussels offers again free German language courses - especially designed for EU-journalists and diplomats who have already a basic knowledge in German and want to expand it.

The focus will be on learning to read news texts in German and to improve the faculty of speech. The courses begin on 09 March 2010 and last ten weeks. Placement tests will be organised at the Goethe Institut Brussels on 23 and 24 February 2010.

More information at the Goethe-Institut Brüssel: Margit-C. Pfaender; tel. 0032/2/2345785; Rue Belliard 58, 1040 Bruxelles.

The Goethe-Institut is by the way next to the EU-representation of EU-commissioner Günther Oettingers home-land Baden Württemberg.

Title photo of "Attacks on the Press in 2009" (worldwide survey by the "Committe to protect Journalists"(CPJ; photo: Reuters/Oswaldo Rivas)

More and more freelancer, blogger and online editor are under attack. This we learn in the worldwide survey “Attacks on the Presse in 2009” of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), published today.

To protect Journalism should be the title of the report. Because very often bloggers are not journalists in the narrow sense of the partly outdated rules of the media world and their interest groups. “We have not a set definition of journalists. We look at individuals, who commit a journalist act”, said CPJ-program coordniator Nina Ognianova. The media business is changing rapidly,writes Fareed Zakaria in the preface of the CPJ-survey. “Unable to afford foreign bureaus, more newspapers and magazines are relying on freelancers abroad. These stringers look just as suspicious to dictators and militant groups—and they are distinctly more vulnerable”, said Fareed Zakaria.

Nina Ognianova CPJ-Program Coordinator (photo: Hajo Friedrich)

Freelancer are especially vulnerable. “ As publications and TV networks continue to shed staff and look for ways to cover conflicts more affordably, the number of such cases is only going to grow.”

Local journalist are more and more important: “In this new environment, local journalists are going to assume added importance—and they will take on greater risk. In increasingly violent Pakistan, local reporters face threats from the Taliban and other militants, along with government harassment and military indifference to their safety”, said Zakaria.

“The Somali press corps has suffered devastating losses. Nine local journalists were killed in 2009 and dozens have fled the country. Western correspondents—few of whom venture into Somalia now—no longer have sources to rely upon for basic information”, says Fareed Zalaria.

Fareed Zakaria: “Quite a few of those Iranian prisoners are bloggers or reporters and editors for opposition Web sites. And with good reason: In many repressive societies, where newspapers and radio and TV stations are routinely shuttered, online journalists have often been the most nimble at circumventing press restrictions.

Aidan White (Secretary general of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ); photo: Hajo Friedrich)

In Cuba, for example, where at least 25 journalistic blogs cover social issues and political news, bloggers cobble together personal computers from black-market parts and use their precious spare money to buy time at Internet cafés. But like other freelancers, they also work without the sort of institutional protections—including lawyers, money, and professional affiliations—that can help shield them from harassment or detention. These types of journalists are especially vulnerable in China, Burma, Vietnam, and Iran. Indeed, half the news people in jail worldwide are online journalists.”

This changing landscape makes the work done by the Committee to Protect Journalists more critical than ever, says Zakaria. Repressive regimes like Iran’s count on the anonymity of their victims, on the world ignoring or overlooking who they’ve arrested and why. And without the imprimatur of a major news organization, it’s indeed all too easy for freelancers, bloggers, and local journalists to disappear.

What they need is the kind of spotlight that CPJ can bring to bear. Governments do respond to pressure that is consistent, principled, and well-publicized—otherwise, a reporter like Bahari might still be in jail. In Russia, three more journalists were killed this year, bringing to 19 the number of reporters slain since the beginning of the decade. But in response to growing international concern, including a CPJ delegation’s visit to Moscow, Russian authorities have agreed to re-examine several unsolved cases.

“Advocacy works, and this work benefits all of us—those of us who hire freelancers, who rely on local blogs for firsthand information about faraway countries, who work with local journalists who have the kinds of insight and connections that can only be built over years”, says Fareed Zakaria. More than anything else, it benefits our readers and viewers and listeners. By targeting journalists the regime in Tehran is hoping to screen off from the world’s view the repression and abuse of its own people. Preventing them and others like them from succeeding is a mission deserving of our utmost efforts.

(Fareed Zakaria is editor of Newsweek International and host of “Fareed Zakaria GPS” on CNN. His is the author of several books, including the bestsellers The Future of Freedom and The Post-American World).

More information on the survey: http://www.brookings.edu/press/Books/2010/attacksonthepress2009.aspx
More information on CPJ: www.cpj.org
mail: info@cpj.org

Hopenhagen: trade fair for big business (Photo: Hajo Friedrich)

Can money and abstract reduction targets (for the future) solve the problems of climate change and the ongoing destruction of our environment?  No. But this impression politicians and their loudspeaker, the majority of the media-landscape, try to give us – in these days of the UN-Climateconference in Copenhagen.

It’s naive and a red herring to make us believe, that the long history of destruction by industrialization could be vanished by oldfashioned checkbook-diplomacy. Reminds me on mid-age indulgence-trade.Hope in Copenhagen would only be justified if US-President Barack Obama, german Chandelor Angela Merkel and other members of the Club would have the courage, to say and admit, that we can’t go on with our style of living, consumption and production. But this even the (eilite)representatives of the poorer nations don’t call for.

In a nutshell: There will be no NO in Copenhagen. Even there is no result it will be sold by the present elite as an success. No flight to a conference without a successfull outcome. That’s the game. It will be sold by as a success and a reason for hope.

In reality the representatives decidided the adjournment. The United Nations (I doubt, that it exists) is not prepared to meet the real challenges.

Barroso - talking precisely, certainly (Photo: Hajo Friedrich)

The Greece state is nearly bancrupt and the EU-officials don’t hesitate a second to ask for a salary increase of 3,7%. Yes, officially it’s is their right, and all EU-member-states adopted the legal base. But still there is a difference between legally and legitimacy. Certainly, precisely, Mr. Barroso.

Why do you insist on this, José Manuel Barroso, was asked at todays press-conference after the Brussels EU-summit. “We have to respect the law” and “we can’t go against the european law” and “it’s only about to implement the legislation”.

Yes, President Barroso is right. Precisely. The Commission is the guardian of the treaty. Certainly. What would happen, if the Guardians would say: “Come on, times are bad, we earn enough money; let’s give up our right”.

Sorry, we only implement our legislation (Photo: Hajo Friedrich)

And, by the way, if Greece and others states go bankrupt, what would be the difference, if EU-officials would have 3,7%  more or less Euro in their pocket?

Spokesperson - guards - what's the difference (Photo: Hajo Friedrich)

Brussels' Eurodistrict Restaurants 2010

The Brussels EU-bubble is hardly to digest. That’s why I would like to recommend today a new book:
the first gastronomic guide to Brussels’ EU-quarter: “Brussels’ Eurodistrict Restaurants 2010” written by Hughes Belin and Sophie Wozniak.

The guide will help readers to discover the gourmet delights on offer in the 350 restaurants and snack bars of the EU-quarter in Brussels. The guide is written in English and French and “produced by food aficionados who have independently assessed every restaurant”.The book contains 250 pages and provides useful informations on the restaurants and a rating for each of them. The book is on sale in European quarter bookshops at 9,95 Euro.

More informations you can find on the specially for the book designed website: www.eurodistrictresto.com or diretly from the author Hughes Belin by mail: hb.thewordcompany@gmail.com. Hughes Belin was born in Auvergne and has origins in Franche Comté. Passionate about gastronomy, he is also a co-founder of Karikol, the Slow Food convivium in Brussels.

Herman Van Who listens the Council President

It was nightmarish – last night in the European Council press hall.  Applause for Herman Van Rompuys long, written press declaration and Mrs. C. Ashtons little speech – foremost by a clique of well paid officials.

I know, we have to obey – the Lisbon Treaty. But I would like to open a discussion on the question: Isn’t it time to think about ways of civil disobedience against the EU-bubble.

 The question is not: EU or not EU. The question is: What kind of a EU. There are different ways. EU-elite makes us believe, that there is only one: their way.  That contributes to the image or the similarity of Brussels with Moscow/Peking. No wonder the remark of Paul Goosens (flemish journalist) in last nights press conference: The decision to nominate and choose Mr. Van Rompuy (Van Who?) seems to be as non-democratic as in China.

Herman Van Rompuy - dreaming (Photo: Hajo Friedrich)

You may say: everything is correct – in application of the Lisbon Treaty. But the nomination and election of Mr. Herman Van Rompuy (Van Who?) is the contrary, which was promissed by the Lisbon treaty: to make the EU more transparent, democratic and effective. The procedure was neither transparent, nor democratic. Effective? Yes. From the perspective of the EU-elite. Not a good sign for future policies.

Good times for citizens and ideals of european (re)unification seem to be over. It seems to become colder in the EU. We are living in diferent crisis and others are in front of us – but not for the EU-power-elites.  They looked quite happy last nicht: new posts, new competences. In the European Parliament there is above of all few professionalism to deal with the new competences.  

Commissions president José Manuel Barroso subtle power game – to demonstrate, who is the master in the Brussels EU-institution bubble: me, me me! 

Mrs. C.Ashton and Mr. Barroso in uniformity

“In the middle of blind people the one-eyed is king” – if i may translate so a german say. Honor Mahony is right. We are disappointed, because Europe and their people deserve a better government.  At least a Jean-Claude Juncker should have been the first EU-President.

Barroso and the States-secretary Van Rompuy are mere caretaker in the circle of the EU-power-elite and under control of the influential heads of state and government .

They react. They don’t act. Because of the blindness and incompetence of politics they only administer. And they cover the ongoing games and desaster on the financial markets and the unability of Europe to give the right answers on climate-change, wars and civil wars worldwide etc.

Friends of Europe - of what Europe? (Photo: Hajo Friedrich)

Barrosos etc. main task is and will be: The show (casino capitalism, excessive use of ressources etc.) must go on – with some slight cosmetic changes. The purpose of several public relations campaigns: to give the citizens the feeling (not the certainty) that good politicians like Merkel/Sarko/Brown have everything under control. Symbolic use of politics.

Nice flowers

EU-garden gnome (Photo: Hajo Friedrich)

Thats’ it. Please, Heads of State, listen to me. I’ve the idea, to solve all your problems with placing persons on the top of the EU.

The key is your wonderful puppet/scapegot/garden gnome: Mr. José Manuel Barroso. “Barroso for all 3 EU-top-posts” – that’s the solution. Also the EU Court of Auditors would applaud – an exellent opportunity to save EU-taxpayers money.My proposal: Put Mr. Barroso not only at the top of the Commission, also on the post of the Council President and the High Representative for foreign- and security policy. For all of the three posts Mr. Barroso has the right, means low profile. Isn’t that exactly what you wish, Mrs. Merkel and Monsieur Sarkozy? 

Cheers!

Cheers! “Barrolos for all” – 3 EU posts: That would not only save a lot of money. It would also allow for instance Mr. Van Rompuy to stay as head of belgium government. There he is desperately needed – to save the country. Cheers!

Think about it, heads of State. You could have an evening off next thursday or – my proposal – you could once discuss the real problems of Europe and their citizens: the lack of any concept, not to speak about a vision, how to make and keep Europe (and the rest of the world) as a safe and wealthy place.

The ongoing discussion on the fight against climate change or for rules for the financial market-casino shows: no leadership, no ideas, no hope for change. Post-Democracy at its best. And please, don’t expect that the famous new Lisbon Treaty will change anything.

The desperate looking for the lowest common denominator for the EU-top-posts – Council President and Foreign Affairs-official – and the EU-diplomatic corps,  demonstrates: bureaucracies are growing more and more – the same time the ability to act becomes poorer and poorer.

Hermann Van Rompuy (Photo: houbi/flickr)

Do you know Herman Van Rompuy? No. Don’t worry. It is not important, to know this politician.
You insist to know, who is Herman Van Rompuy? O.K. I’ll tell you. He is the Belgian prime minister. And he seems to be the most likely candidate for the first European Union presidency.

His qualification?  Defintely low profile - precise illustration of EU’s state of affairs.
As President of the European Council of Ministers Herman Van Rompuy would preside over the coming 2,5 years the European Summits-sessions – whicht takes place at least four times a year in Brussels.

 The informal selection-procedure for the new EU-top-posts run at full speed – especially after today’s decision of the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic (“Czechoslovakia” as ‘De Morgen’ wrote today)  to pass the EU treaty. The Council president will be announced at an extraordinary European summit (probably) Mid November or at the next normal summit in december.

“Rumours in diplomatic circles increasingly point to the Belgian prime minister Herman Van Rompuy as most likely candidate for the first European Union presidency. Van Rompuy’s compromising stance makes him a popular choice. Moreover he is respected for his low profile, careful and humble work ethic”, writes today flamish daily paper De Morgen.

“Low profile, careful, humble work ethic”? European heads of government and obviously José Manuel Barroso seem to prefer a person they can keep on a short lead.
Why not  the Dutch prime minister Jan-Peter Balkenende and why not Jean-Claude Juncker – my favourite candidate since years, the Luxemburg Prime minister and good old european guy?

“Despite the fact that Balkenende is a hot favourite in the Dutch press, his image has been slightly tainted and he has become less favourable among some, especially after his clumsy loss of the EU referendum in his own country in 2006 and the fact that he backed the war in Iraq under the Bush administration. Jean-Claude Juncker is a robust candidate, but his strong pro-European stance could be to his disadvantage”, writes De Morgen.

“…strong European stance” – an disadvantage? What does it mean? To insist for instance to much on the Euro-stability rules, when it comes to judge on the national debt-policies?

And, why don’t the Benelux-countries speak with one voice and nominate Juncker?
I have to admit. I don’t know Mr. Van Rompuy. But I’ve the strong impression, that Europe needs and deserves a better candidate for this new top post – than Van Rompuy might be. With the Lisbon Treaty the EU would become more “democratic, effective and transparent”, we were told (brainwashed) day and night. It seems to be more the contrary. Poor Europe.