The future of CAP: Ciolos interviewed

The EU Commissioner responsible agriculture, Ciolos, has been intervied by a Romanian radio station.

It's a fairly long interview (48 minutes in audio) so I'd just point to one paragraph on the future of subventions under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union:

"După 2013, intenţia mea este ca nu numai Pilonul doi, programul de dezvoltare rurală, să susţină micile ferme, ci chiar şi subvenţiile să se acorde şi pentru ferme mici care realizează produse care se comercializează direct pe piaţă. Sper să găsesc modalitatea, instrumentele prin care astfel de pieţe locale, pieţe tradiţionale, pieţe ţărăneşti să fie susţinute financiar."

This pledge for for the support of farmers who produce for local markets seems to be quite important for Ciolos, since he underlines this right from the beginning of the interview.

The interview is also worth reading for its "Eastern" perspective on the CAP and the problems faced by smaller farmers in Romania and beyond.

And the moderator does a good job in playing the devil's advocate, pushing Ciolos to give answers also on other subjects like gene manipulated products (Ciolos: Everyone is free to decide.) or the relations between the EU and national or local levels (Ciolos: If European funds are misused, it is first of all the responsibility of national authorities to take measures instead of centralising complaints at the Commission.)

So take a look at the interview; I've just checked and the Google translation seems to be quite understandable.

(via Ciolos on Facebook)

My Twitter coverage of the Ciolos hearing

I have covered the first 90 minutes of the hearing of the designated Commissioner for Agriculture, Dacian Cioloş on Twitter.

My tweets can be found here. EurActive France was tweeting, too.

My impressions:

• Cioloş remained overly general for the whole time, both on goals and on current policies, and he didn't seemed to be briefed on technical details or was ignoring them. He gave slight hints that he is not against GMO in agriculture.

• As a person, he isn't very impressive and I have doubts that he can stand against the agriculture lobby (Update: as I would hope) or defend the EU in WTO negotations (Update: as the lobby might hope).

• But he understands and speaks English and French, although he preferred to speak Romanian most of the time. When attacked, he switched to Romanian.

Not sure he's a good choice.

Update: Update in the text thanks to this remark on Twitter.

European Parliament election 2009 (114): Criticising the critics: Hat tip to Charlemagne

Charlemagne on the Economist.com has published a wonderful article in which he criticises the PES for criticising the Romanian politician Monica Macovei on its website.

This is one of the few examples of a European news source or blog actually taking up a political statement published by a European Party, and, based on intelligent and thorough argumentation, making a strong and yet pan-European point:

"[...] So it is not, on the face of it, shocking to turn to the campaign website of the main centre-left block, the Party of European Socialists, and find a feature denouncing 12 “terrible” candidates from rival parties [...]

Nick Griffin, leader of the British National Party, a racist, extreme right-wing outfit, is also singled out for his horrid views, and that is fair enough. [...]

But then comes an astonishing choice: Monica Macovei, the former Romanian justice minister. Talk to senior EU officials and European diplomats who worked on Romania’s accession to the union, and they call Ms Macovei an heroic figure, and pretty much the only reason Romania achieved entry into the EU in 2007. [...]

This attack on Monica Macovei reads—not least because of the stilted apparatchikese in which it is written—as if it were dictated by Romania’s socialists. They certainly do not like Ms Macovei: after all, she tried to prosecute several of them, starting with Mr Nastase.

But the website belongs to the PES headquarters. So they have ended up bundling a brave reformer and fighter against crippling corruption with a British racist, as one of the 12 worst candidates for the European Parliament.

What on earth were they thinking?"

This is the kind of journalism the European Parliament elections need!

Update: And I just saw at the Nosemonkey that this was already the second marvellous piece of journalism by Charlemagne in a day. Respect!

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Under the category "European parliament elections 2009" I am following up national and European activities on the path to the European Parliament elections 2009.

For an overview over all articles in this category have a look at the overview article.

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European Parliament elections 2009 (71): It's national, stupid!

From a Romanian newspaper (translation by eurotopics):

"As far as the European elections go, the national dimension is of great importance at the moment. The campaigns touch primarily on national issues, and seek to convey the idea 'that we will honourably represent our country in the European Parliament'. This aspect was clearly visible among the new member states in the first European elections after 2004. In the countries of the 'Old Europe', by comparison, much weight is given to ideological aspects: there people tend more to speak of a Europe of the Left or the Right, of common problems and political strategies. In most countries the MEPs are either well-known politicians at the end of their careers, or party members who are pursuing a long-term career in European politics."

What else could be said?

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Under the category "European parliament elections 2009" I am following up national and European activities on the path to the European Parliament elections 2009.

For an overview over all articles in this category have a look at the overview article.

For the five newest post see also the sidebar.

Romanian MEPs most likely to step down

According to a EurActiv article citing a Romanian think tank, 9 out of 35 elected Romanian MEPs have already stepped down from their mandate - an important figure taking into account that the MEPs from Romania have only been elected in 2007. It is also high in comparison with Bulgarian MEPs of whom non has resigned so far.

Apparently, a European career is regarded not as valuable as political positions on the national level in Romania...

European Parliament elections 2009 (66): The Romanian president's daughter wants to become MEP

On Romania News Watch I just saw that Elena Basescu, the daughter of the Romanian president, wants to become MEP, which apparently causes some controversy because she seems to be rather known as a "barby doll" than as a trustworthy politician.

(See also Kosmopolit's article on the EP elections in Romania, where he published a photo of Ms Basescu.)

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Under the category "European parliament elections 2009" I am following up national and European activities on the path to the European Parliament elections 2009.

For an overview over all articles in this category have a look at the overview article.

For the five newest post see also the sidebar.

No Romanians in top EU lobby posts

In an interesting argumentation (Romanian), Dan Luca points out that among the around 5,000 lobby and interest groups in Brussels, non is headed by a Romanian, in particular because of the status of new member state and the lack of industrial structures in Romania.

Nevertheless, Luca highlights that these European leaders are quite influential (and well-paid), and that attention should also be given to these posts and not only to top EU institution positions if Romania wants to have influence on the European scale.

European Parliament elections 2009 (60): Romanian parties' preparations - and low turnout expectations

Dumitru Mihnea, who runs an excellent Romanian blog, describes the pre-electoral situation in Romania on Th!nk about it!:

Voter turn-out is expected to be well below 25% in a nation of over 17 million voters, which is why the Democratic Liberals have started negotiations for a sort of an "all-star cast", comprised of former journalists, members of the civil society with perceived high-standing, and whomever else might be seen as "untainted" by some 20 years of troublesome transition.

On the one hand, the turnout figure mentioned is frighteningly low (even lower than in Bulgaria). On the other hand, it is interesting how national political parties - in this case the liberal democrats - try to cope with a situation in which low interest meets lack of trust.

If the strategy is successful, than this would bring "new" political elites to Strasbourg and Brussels, something which can be of advantage for the European level. Yet, whether these new elites will be able to work within the climate of a bureaucratic European Union where their individual strength might not count as much as they are used from their home country is to be questioned.

Nevertheless, interesting developments which I find worth mentioning.

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Under the category "European parliament elections 2009" I am following up national and European activities on the path to the European Parliament elections 2009.

For an overview over all articles in this category have a look at the overview article.

For the five newest post see also the sidebar.

Romanian foreign minister: "A better political class"

The Romanian foreign minister Cristian Diaconescu answered today in the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) on the question whether there is a new political class in Romania (as suggested by the Romanian president):

Democracy can create a new political class, and the society can elect it, according to democratic rules. Every Romanian politician, the president in particular, following his/her mandate, has the duty to improve the political class. In this regard, I would rather speak of a better political class instead of a new one.

(own translation)

It would be nice if this was be the goal of all politicians - to make the political class better - but I am afraid that this is quite optimistic (or ignorant) taking a look at the political classes in many European countries.

Remark: The last time he was interviewed by a German newspaper, Mr Diaconescu urged the EU to continue the enlargement process.

Good news: Swiss support Schengen including Romania and Bulgaria - updated

As a vigorous supporter of free movement, yesterday's news that almost 60% of the Swiss support the enlargement of the Schengen free movement agreement for Bulgarians and Romanians was really good news.

The alternative would have been - if I understand it correctly - the halt of the agreement, because the European Union does not allow such a discrimination of its member states: All... or non.

In this sense: Welcome to the family, Switzerland!

From Coulisses de Bruxelles:

Cela fait chaud au coeur de voir que la xénophobie ne triomphe pas toujours.

100% agreement!

The Neue Zürricher Zeitung (NZZ) remarks (by linking different press articles) that finally the Swiss are seen as "good Europeans" instead of being just isolationists.

Results of the Romanian elections

Without making it to lengthy: Please see the report by Romanian News Watch for a comprehensive overview over the results and the possible consequences of the Romanian parliamentary elections that have brought the following results:

Total number of seats in the lower house: 334

• Liberal Democrats: 115 seats (popular vote 33.6%)
  
• Social Democrats: 114 seats (34.2%)
  
• National Liberals: 65 seats (18.6%)
  
• Democratic Union of Hungarians: 22 seats (6.2%)
  

Total number of seats in the upper house: 137

• Liberal Democrats: 51 seats
  
• Social Democrats: 49 seats
  
• National Liberals: 28 seats
  
• Democratic Union of Hungarians: 9 seats
  

Help without borders between Romania and Hungary

Dániel brings us pleasant news from the border regions of Hungary and Romania:

The two countries started a series of joint Cabinet meetings in 2003. One of the proposals on next week’s agenda to co-ordinate ambulance and firefighting units around the border, using the nearest facility regardless the national territory for 112 calls.

And I totally agree with Dániel's evaluation of the value of such an initiative:

It will be a historical step that Southeastern Hunary and Western Romania, which is a historically multi-ethnic region of Romanians, Hungarians, Serbs, Germans and other groups, will be served by a coordinated emergency service even before Romania joins the Schengen Zone. I think that this measure is not highly symbolic, but also very useful: Békés County, which has the longest border stretch with Romania, has no major cities, and it is one of the least densely populated and poorest part of Hungary. Access to Romanian facilities will certainly save lives. And as the border was not very elaborately designed after the WWI, there are parts on the Romanian side, especially further up North, that may be better served from Hungary.

There is much bullshit going on within the European Union and the wider Europe, but in fact these little things such as cross-border emergency assistance - little things that are not as little as they appear in first place - are changing the lives of European citizens considerably to the better.

In the end, most national borders are unnatural lines drawn by the hands of past powers, usually at the expense of mutual communication and co-operation of people who just live some few meters away from each other. The European Union has managed to start changes in the perception of unnatural borders, and it is changing things to the better in this regard.

But our national governments and administrations also have to take their own further initiatives in order to come to a Europe without dividing lines.

I therefore appreciate any move in a direction that makes these unnatural lines disappear - congratulation to Hungary and Romania on this excellent move - I hope the final decision will be taken soon!

Corruption in European Union countries

Corruption is once again on the agenda these days. And yes, there is corruption within the European Union.

That there is even corruption or related practices within the institutions of the European Union has been discussed quite recently, not for the first time.

But while for anyone working on Central and Eastern European countries it is not really surprising to hear that Romania and Bulgaria have the highest perceived corruption in the European Union, reading from the EUobserver that populations in Finland, Portugal, Italy, France, and Great Britain have the feeling that corruption is not fought appropriately in their countries is rather discouraging.

The EUobserver article is based on the Corruption Perception Index Report published by Transparency International yesterday.

Romanian anti-corruption prosecutor fired (updated)

The possibility I have discussed in a previous article has become reality - Romanian anti-corruption prosecutor Daniel Morar has been removed from office.

Justice Minister Predoiu has nominated Monica Serbanesco to replace Morar. She has been his adviser in the Romanian Ministry of Justice since 2005 and an assistant to the controversial former Attorney General Ilie Botos.

The replacement of Morar for his "political motivation" is a serious blow to the anti-corruption work of Romania.

The dismissal of disagreeable prosecutors (not least one whose efforts have been commended in the latest Commission report on Romania) is a sign to the outside world that the Romanian government and ruling National Liberal Party (PNL) are not interested in a fully-fledged fight against the evil of corruption.

We can only hope that Ms. Serbanesco can and will do her new job uninfluenced by the knowledge that if she is tough on the matter, she might also be removed after three years...


Update:

German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (tomorrow's issue) reports that it is not very like that Serbanesco will be confirmed by Romanian president Basescu. It seems more likely that the decision will be postponed until after the parliamentary elections in November when a new Justice Minister might be elected.

Romanian corruption prosecutor under fire

Who was the only person receiving praise in the latest European Commission report on Romania (and Bulgaria) in connection with the high level of corruption in the country?

• Chief attorney and head of the anti-corruption agency (DNA), Daniel Morar.
  

And now guess whom the ruling National Liberal Party (PNL) and the opposing Social Democratic Party (PSD) want to get out of office when his term ends in mid-August?

• Right, the same Daniel Morar!
  

NGOs united in the "Initiative for a Clean Justice" (e.g. Freedom House Romania) are opposed to these plans and are urging the Romanian justice minster Predoiu, an independent, not to follow the will of PNL and PSD. Predoiu, however, has not decided yet.

From an outsider's point of view, this would be a blow towards Brussels and most probably also a blow to the general fight against corruption in Romania. As long as those threatened by prosecution can remove the prosecutors from office (or in this case, prevent him from continuing his work), we won't see major positive developments.

It's a pity!

Background source: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), 30 August 2008

Romanian foreign minister: "Continue enlargement!"

The Berlin-based newspaper "Tagesspiegel" has published an interview with the Romanian foreign minister Lazar Comanescu (in office since April).

While the four first questions concern the recent discussion about the EU-Commission report on Romania (and Bulgaria), with answers that are not too much news compared with what you can read everywhere else, and the fifth question is dedicated to the Romanian schedule to the Schengen area (mid-2011) and Eurozone (around 2014), I would like to translate the last question & answer of the interview:

Interviewer: French president Sarkozy and [German] chancellor Merkel have threatened to stop the enlargement process after the Irish "No" to the EU Reform Treaty. What do you think about it?

Lazar: Why is the EU so interesting for numerous states all over the world? Because in the past it has proved its ability to keep its promises. The EU has to stand by its promises also in the future - and this includes the enlargement process.

While some of you might doubt whether the European Union has always proved that it keeps its promises, the answer of Lazar is a double reminder:

First, that for Centre-East and East European countries the enlargement process is much more important than it is for some older member states, not least for France and Germany. And second, that even if the European Union seems stuck in this not-so-unexpected Irish "No!"-vote there is a life inside and outside the EU that keeps on going on, and that a more and more self-referential European Union will become less credible to the outside world.

And in this sense Lazar is right: A certain kind of credibility has been the attraction of the EU and, beside its economic strength, part of its regional (and maybe global) power. Anti-enlargement statements might be institutionally understandable, but politically they put in question the vision of the original project that sometimes seems to be lost between power games and bureaucratic argy-bargy.

Why applying for the intelligence service?

Mihnea from the very interesting Romanian language blog "Politică&New Media" has found a report from a group of young people called 08 Agency.

For the report, youngsters have been asked why they are applying for the Romanian domestic intelligence service SRI ('Serviciul Român de Informaţii' = a secret service). The results are astonishing:

• 53% are applying for job security reasons
  
• 11% want to do it for the money, and 
  
• 6% are doing it for familiy traditions

More interesting are the following:

• 19% want social recognition (... for a secret function!)
  
• and 2% apply because of ... James Bond.
  

Well, it seems as if the SRI offers plenty of interesting perspectives: A secure, well-paid and recognised work connected with a James Bond lifestyle that has been a family tradition for a long time already.

Maybe the European Union could harmonise this so that all countries or the EU as a whole would enjoy such a nice secret service.