Subject: The Brussels Journal The Voice of Conservatism in Europe...EU UPDATE
Islam Means Modernity
A quote from French President Nicolas Sarkozy, at Ansamed, 17 July 2008
Islam means progress, science, pride and modernity.
Madrid: World Capital of Dialogue and Religious Pluralism
The aim of the event is to promote dialogue between the world's main religions, and, as some observers suspect, to establish a one-world religion based on Islam. More than 200 leaders of different religions [pdf], including Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Universalism, Marxism and Multiculturalism, are attending the three-day conference. Also attending are leading personalities specialized in dialogue and useful topics such as "life of human societies, international cooperation, human rights, security and peace and living peacefully together."
Irish Ambassador: America Wants Ireland to Submit to Brussels
A quote from John Bruton, the Irish Ambassador to Washington, in The Irish Times, 17 July 2008
Americans I have met on both sides of the political aisle and in business and academic life are all baffled by the decision that the Irish electorate took to reject the Lisbon Treaty, which was signed by the Irish Government on their behalf. […] The entire mainstream of political, strategic and economic thinking - both in the Republican Party and in the Democratic Party - is strongly favourable to a strong European Union. It's only on the extreme fringes of one of the parties - and very much on the fringe - that one would find any other opinion.
More Than a Grain of Truth: Wallonia's Welfare Addiction
A quote from Tony Barber in The Financial Times, 16 July 2008
Flanders has steadily pulled away from Wallonia in prosperity over the past 50 years and the Flemish resent paying taxes to subsidise the poorer south. "The money has not helped the Walloons but turned them into welfare addicts," declared a recent editorial in The Flemish Republic, a newsletter that supports secession.
Such opinions are hotly contested in Wallonia but economists say there is more than a grain of truth to the argument that the south is more favourable than Flanders to government intervention in the economy. Such differences of political philosophy compound the problems created by Belgium's geographical and linguistic divisions, its electoral system and the extreme decentralisation of the state.
Al-Guardian: No Place for Flanders in the EU
A quote from Sarah Morris (a journalist who works for Reuters) in al-Guardian, 16 July 2008
If, as seems increasingly likely, the country [Belgium] splits, I fear for the future of an independent Flanders [...] The idea of an independent Flanders used to be only seriously defended by the region's far right, racist party Vlaams Belang, which means "Flemish interests" in Dutch. If the ideas of that party eventually influence the foundation of any new nation state, its laws and institutions, such a country has no place in the EU.
The World's Most Successful Failed State
A quote from Die Tageszeitung (Berlin) via Spiegel Online, 16 July 2008
In terms of economics, Belgium is the most successful 'failed state' of all time. Its per capita income is way ahead of Germany, the world's leading exporter […]
Belgium can continue to flourish without a national government for the simple reason that the cabinet doesn't have to decide much anyway. Most authority has devolved to the regions […] The central government is left to deal with foreign policy, defense and finance policy – all issues that are increasingly taken care of at the EU level.
Time for Ireland (and Others) to Ditch the Euro?
A quote from David McWilliams in The Irish Independent, 16 July 2008
Is it time to think the unthinkable? With banks shares in free-fall, lending collapsing and bad debts rising by the hour, what can we do? Now that the slowdown has spread well beyond houses and construction – evidenced by falling retail sales, rapidly rising unemployment and faltering tax revenues – is there an option out there, which, although dramatic, might be plausible in the context of the recession the country is facing?
What we are talking about here is pulling out of the euro. […]
...Sarko Had Better Bully France's Thugs
In my previous post I mentioned that 297 cars had burned during the night of July 13-14. Now it seems that another 295 were torched the following night, making a total of 592 cars destroyed – 150 in Ile-de-France (the Parisian region) and 145 in the provinces. In addition, 98 persons were arrested and 58 were placed in custody in all of France. The figures just for Ile-de-France are 48 arrests and 29 in custody.
However the worst crime so far took place in Asnières, in the department of Hauts-de-Seine (Parisian suburbs). TF1 reports:
Sarko Bullies the Irish...
A quote from The Irish Times, 16 July 2008
French President Nicolas Sarkozy's declaration that Ireland will have to hold a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty has caused quiet fury within the Government, just days before he visits Ireland. […] Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin told RTÉ the Government received "subsequent clarification" that Mr Sarkozy "is coming to listen and not to impose a solution". Mr Sarkozy was "entitled to his point of view", Mr Martin said, but he stressed "no option has been decided upon... the bottom line is it's up to Ireland to decide". […]
Pull the Plug on Belgium
A quote from Associated Press via the CNN website, 15 July 2008
Mainstream Flemish politicians say there is room for more regional autonomy in one country but hardline nationalist parties in Flanders advocate the breakup of Belgium.
Key among them is the Flemish Interest party, which received 20 percent of the Flemish vote in 2007. Its parliamentary floor leader, Gerolf Annemans, urged Flemish parties to work for an independent Flanders by "not just pulling the little plug on the (Leterme) government, but the big one," meaning on Belgium.
Spain Ratifies Lisbon Treaty
Spain on July 15 became the 23rd EU member state toratify the Lisbon Treaty. The plenary vote in the Senate was 223 in favor of the treaty, six against and two abstentions. King Juan Carlos I is expected to sign the treaty later this week to complete the ratification process.
Spain's lower house of parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of ratifying the treaty on June 26, with 322 deputies in the 350-member chamber coming out in favor.
Malaise: Bastille Day, 2008
The Bastille Day festivities apparently went off very well, thanks to beautiful weather, the presence of Ingrid Betancourt who received the Legion of Honor, flawless performances by the parachutists, and reassurances from both the Joint Chief of Staff and the government that the rift between Sarkozy and his military had been mended. Here are some of the events and comments that I found of interest:
First, some unpleasant news: 297 cars were torched during the night of July 13-14. This is standard now in France on holidays, and is only news to the hapless owners of those vehicles, possibly not even to them.
Belgium: Over and Out
A quote from The Economist blog, 15 July 2008
As for Brussels, it could conceivably perk along as the bureaucratic capital of Europe for many years, bouyed by the expense accounts of Eurocrats and lobbyists. Despite the current crisis over the Lisbon treaty, the death of Belgium looks more likely in the near-term than the death of the European Union.
Belgium's Government Resigns. It's Lisbon, Stupid
Belgium ratified the EU's Lisbon Treaty last week when, after much pressure, the Flemish regional parliaments OK-ed the treaty with only the Flemish Secessionist Vlaams Belang voting against the EU treaty. A Belgian government is now no longer needed and Belgium can return to itslimbo situation of non-government.
The Belgian government of Prime Minister Yves Leterme has fallen. Belgium has been in a political crisis since the elections of June 10, 2007, when the parties in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking northern half of the country, voted for more autonomy, while the parties in Wallonia, the French-speaking southern half, voted for a status-quo. For six months, the Belgian politicians were unable to put a government together. Last December, King Albert II called back Guy Verhofstadt, the previous Prime Minister, who had lost the elections, to form an "interim government." On March 18, Mr Leterme, a Flemish Christian-Democrat, formed a government without a government agreement between Flemings and Walloons on a common future for Belgium. The deadline of July 15 was set to reach this agreement. Yesterday evening the situation was still deadlocked and Mr Leterme offered his resignation to the King.
Will EU Break Its Own Laws to Get Lisbon Through?
A quote from the Open Europe Press Summary, 15 July 2008
According to Gazeta Wyborcza, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his Polish counterpart Lech Kaczynski may have struck a backstage deal at the Paris summit on 13 July, in which Warsaw would agree to ratify the Lisbon Treaty in return for the preservation of Poland's historic shipyards.
http://www.brusselsjournal.com/
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