Dialogue - Page 30 of 40

Malpractice in the Mediterranean

Libya is sick. And on 23 April, the European Council effectively wrote a prescription for ibuprofen. The absolute horror currently taking place in the Mediterranean- individuals packed onto a rickety boats like sardines in a can, trapped behind locked doors, drowning slowly as their last hope for a future escapes along with the last bit of air in their lungs- is symptomatic of the utter hell plaguing the failed state. A hell, bear in mind, that the West had a heavy hand in creating after the UNSC invoked the Responsibility to Protect, paving the way for military intervention and the subsequent ousting of Muammar Gaddafi.

It is Kermezzo(o) time!

There’s the sound of laughter and claps in Brussels, some comedy, some circus, night cabaret and lots of humour; it is the new Festival Kermezzo(o)!

The grave mistakes of the European leadership on Greece and the way out of the crisis

By Christos Mouzeviris

Ever since the victory of Syriza and the formation of the current Greek government, the country found itself on the spotlight of the European and global media. Speculations on a potential Grexit, combined with scathing attacks against Syriza’s policies and leadership became common. But is solely Greece, all which is wrong in Europe and the euro-zone? Perhaps the reality is very different if we examine some facts.

The graveyard of toxic waste in Naples

Local mafias illegally control and handle disposal of waste in the region of Campania. Tons of hazardous waste are concentrated into makeshift landfills or burned in bonfires. Brussels has already made itself clear – but what is the Italian State doing about it?

“The Sultan’s World: The Ottoman Orient in Renaissance Art”

Harems, sultans, concubines and images of Turkish baths are the first things that come in mind when the Ottoman World is mentioned. The European perception of the Ottomans and the Orient was mostly limited to these aspects, especially during the 18th and 19th centuries. Through writings of travelers and paintings of artists, the oriental cultural…

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 … Blast off!

Only one hour drive from Brussels is the Euro Space Center, located in the Belgian province of Luxembourg

The missed opportunity of Cordoba’s Mosque

By Publio Manuel Isaldi

The first time I heard of the current controversy surrounding the history of “The Mosque” and the dispute over its use, I felt a tinge of sadness. It was not always like that. In 1977, a conference on inter-religious dialogue took place in Cordoba. Muslim delegates were invited into “The Mosque”, where they were allowed to perform their Friday prayers. I would not argue in favour of turning the building into a Muslim temple, however. My point is perhaps subtler…

Understanding Romania’s anticorruption hunt

By Vlad Stoicescu

To get a glimpse of what is happening one should understand first the legal mechanisms that put in motion Romania’s anti-corruption framework. The National Anticorruption Directorate was set up in 2002. Back then it was a step towards judicial reform and compliance with European standards in a period in which Bucharest was negotiating the country’s accession to the EU. For a couple of years it was just a “showcase institution”, formally highlighting the political will to combat Romania’s pervasive corruption.

Quo vadis Graecia? Rupture or agreement with European creditors

By Georgios X. Protopapas

The negotiations between the Greek government and Greece’s European creditors have become unpredictable, while the Greek economy remains stagnant and the state desperately needs cash to avoid default. Athens has two choices: to make compromises in order to receive bailout funds or to decide a rupture with Brussels. In addition, the government in Athens is playing the “card” of Russia as an alternative to European pressures and as part of a new, multi-level foreign policy.

GM crops in Europe: divide and conquer

By Manuel Ruiz Rico

On 13 January, by a large majority, the European Parliament in Strasbourg adopted a regulation that had little impact but which is bound to change the whole picture of GM crops in Europe. The House gave the green light to Member States, empowering them individually to approve or ban the cultivation of GM crops in their national territories, rather than this being decided by the EU. Across the breadth of Europe, due to the broad social rejection of these crops, GM is virtually banned. But everything could change from now on.