The Blank Page issue one.
First International Forum of EYP Kosovo, Pristina 2012
dear re ader,
If you th ou be blank ght the pages l yin – and imp we got you the g ahead of you re! res would over the sions the press te They are full of pa am has a w ssembled ords In Pristi st few days while fo na. In EY y P. In a K ou took your fir r you really it osov st st wa time get sn’t the journali an wedding dan eps. sts, ce. tin last days g to know and ob who have spend But , or we e much ditors, w ser ve you throu much m g ho ho ore time with our unfor tunately h ut the filled th ave lap ose page s that ar tops than with y spent them. It ou, who ew wa these for s you who filled aiting for you t or th m chapter erly blank pages em. We hope you ead you ju e an EYP e have opened by st as much as th njoy e vent. deciding to par tic fresh ipate in Yours, Benny an
d Sophie
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content
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first impressions of a newborn
8
the add you’ll like
6
a historic problem
a futuristic approach
10
reality check
talk is cheap
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12
state of the union
9
a crisisoriented policy
18
16
written in the stars
3 The Blank Page
EYP’s youngest EYP initiative brings many first-time visitors to Kosovo, Henriikka Hannula and Marie Storli have questioned some of the foreign participants of the session about their expectations and first impressions of Kosovo.
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ot only is this session the first EYP experience for most of the delegates, but for many of us it is also the first time here in Kosovo. It is the youngest country in Europe and thus not very well known. All the more reason to find out, with which expectations the session’s participants came to Kosovo and how these were met. Probably one of the longest journeys was that of the Swedes. Nathalie (IMCO) had only heard positive things about Kosovo before coming here and the country has really lived up to those expectations so far. Her impression is that despite the deeply rooted problems, things are now little by little getting better in Kosovo. Johanna (ECON) in turn had expected that Kosovo would be more “wartorn” and was therefore somewhat surprised to see how beautiful the country really is. However, another Swede, Oskar (ECON) arrived with more realistic expectations. He had read about Kosovo on Wikipedia beforehand, but still he confesses to have been relatively uninformed. All the Swedes have friends from Serbia who were more or less shocked by the fact that Nathalie, Johanna and Oskar were travelling to Kosovo. Nevertheless, Nathalie and Johanna report that they had also heard positive things about the country from their common Serbian friend. For Johan, who also came all the way from Sweden to The Blank Page 4
chair at this session, Kosovo was in many ways what he had expected, although a tiny bit cleaner and safer. For Monika, who is chairing FEMM, the first impression of Kosovo was a “creepy man with weird hat” staring at her at the airport. Also Theodor (AFET) reports that all the people were staring him as he stepped out of the terminal building.The eagerness of taxi drivers to offer their services was a generally recognized fact, too. Lara (FEMM) first noticed how different Kosovo is from Switzerland. Of course she was aware of Kosovo’s history and today’s difficult political situation. As KosovoAlbanians living in Switzerland are mostly uneducated and poor, she expected to see a different side of Kosovar people. Lorenzo (SEDE) thinks Pristina is a surprisingly “European” city in contrast to Tirana, which he considered to be more oriental and exotic. However, he describes Kosovo as very modern and finds the atmosphere stimulating. With all these varying expectations and impressions, one thing is for sure. Kosovo is rapidly developing. The symbol of Kosovo’s independence is a famous sculpture spelling the word “newborn.” Whatever Kosovo now looks like the impressions of tomorrow will probably greatly differ from those we got today. The most striking memory of Kosovo many of us will keep will thus be a dynamic process – a new beginning.
first impressions of a newborn
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the add you’ll like In the digital age advertising is about to make another great leap forward. Jan Janouch explores the risks and opportunities of behavioural advertising and asks himself whether it’s time for advertising to get personal.
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y purchasing products we fulfil our needs and it is the goal of suppliers to understand and satisfy our demand. This is a simple, almost natural process on modern markets. An integral part of this process is advertisement. Many of us perceive advertisements as the tool of evil companies trying to force us into buying something The Blank Page 6
we neither need nor want. We are constantly bombarded by tons of unnecessary ads. Wouldn’t it be more pleasant to get offers that really meet our needs? Wouldn’t it be great to know where in the thousands of boutiques you can find the summer dress you have been trying to find for weeks now? Or to get 50% off on a burger in the restaurant around the corner when you get hungry? All that, and even more, exchanged for just a bit of privacy. Are you in for a deal? A considerable amount of users are concerned about social networks selling their personal data to third parties. But is this kind of information really valuable? Your name will never reveal what colour you like or if you are currently looking into buying a new car. However, your Facebook status or your search history on Google will. Worrying about our personal data is not in the main concern. Our digital footprints are what we should focus on, they are much more interesting. They will reveal more about
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us than we would think. In the information age such data is becoming extremely valuable. Every salesman will confirm that the key how to make a good deal is to know your customer. Thus, companies are more than willing to pay for such information. It gives them a competitive edge on the market. In other words: a thirty-year-old vegetarian won’t be interested in purchasing a coupon for dinner in a steakhouse. So there is no point to bother him. Facebook recently tested out a new algorithm that scanned chat histories for keyword suggesting wishes of the users. If you wrote your friend: “I would totally go for a pizza,” Facebook would send that information to your nearest pizza vendor. In a matter of seconds you could expect some discount offer popping up on your laptop. That may sound scary but Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, disagrees. He claims that there is no such thing as privacy anymore. At least not the kind, that we were used to. Privacy turned into a new form of currency. We ex-
change our information for additional services. This phenomenon is called behavioural advertising. Another great thing is that we can now use the massive amount of data that is stored on the web and use it as a source of information for our personal and professional projects.Take Google for example. The data collected from Google search is accessible trough Google’s Analytics platform, which shows graphs of popularity of researched terms over time. If you are not interested in these new services you can always back out of this deal. All you have to do is a little research. It is not that difficult to find the privacy settings, “un-tick” a few boxes and after five minutes you are almost invisible. However make sure at least to skim trough the privacy policies before agreeing or disagreeing with them. By excluding ourselves from this new dynamic environment we may end up left behind. Is keeping our privacy still more important than making use of new opportunities in a globalised world? 7 The Blank Page
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a historic problem
Is understanding the history of the Balkans the key to future coexistence or is it time to let go of the past? Henriikka Hannula talks to Kosovan delegates about the role of history in Serbo-Kosovan relations.
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o understand the present, we must understand the past. This more or less universal statement also applies very strongly to the whole Balkan region. History is the key to understanding the Balkan mindset and thus the roots of the cultural and religious tensions in the area. Different cultures, nations, ethnic groups and religions have co-existed in the Balkan region throughout history. The Balkan wars in the 20th century increased the tensions between different groups in the region, further complicating the difficult political situation. For a foreigner it is almost impossible to fully understand the political and cultural climate of Balkan countries and, in this specific case, all the dimensions of the relationship between Kosovo and Serbia. To get closer to understanding, I interviewed three Kosovar delegates from AFET and asked for their opinions about the matter. According to Haris all the ethnics groups in Balkan have their “own history.” Ezgon, too, emphasised how varied the opinions on the past and the roots of today’s problems are. Different perceptions of history make it difficult to find mutual understanding and co-existence. Egzon gives an interesting answer to the question of why history is often given such great significance here in the Balkan region. In his opinion people now look back to the past – every nation and group from another angle – because they consider it better than the present day and its problems. History is The Blank Page 8
politicised, often used as an excuse or explanation for political acts and demands. Serbs view Kosovo’s region as the cradle of their national heritage, which is one of the reasons behind the reluctance of Serbia to recognise the Republic of Kosovo. Having been the administrative and cultural centre of the medieval state of Serbia for some 200 years, Kosovo is now widely perceived as a place of the utmost historical importance in Serbia. In Kosovo there are many valuable monuments of Serbian art and architecture that make the region a kind of cultural symbol. Kosovo is sometimes described as “Serbia’s Jerusalem” as many important orthodox churches were built here during the Middle Ages. Erblin has a slightly different stance on the matter. According to him history is often used as tool of manipulation and he sees the essence of the Kosovo-Serbia-problem mainly as political and economic rather than cultural.Thus, he doesn’t consider the cultural boundaries impossible to cross. Whilst recognising the differences between the two cultures of Serbia and Kosovo, he thinks that it’s possible to achieve mutual understanding in the relatively near future. Cultural differences and problems of the past are not to be overlooked. That said, it would be dangerous to think that they make it impossible to achieve mutual understanding and fruitful dialogue. History indeed is important to understand the present day, but does the past really have to wholly define the future?
a futuristic approach
e d se
From colonialism and imperialism to present day peacekeeping operations and military interventions, European influence has been a significant factor in global politics. However, as European defence budgets are increasingly cut, Marie Storli and Henriikka Hannula discuss whether Europe’s global influence will be a thing of the past.
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s European States slowly but surely decrease their military capabilities, it seems we are leaving military responsibilities to “the new world”. Nowadays it is primarily through NATO, an organisation led by the United States as the biggest contributor, that European states get involved. Most EU Member States also are members of NATO and mostly rely on this membership for their defence policy. However, there also are some Member States who choose to remain “neutral”, meaning that they don’t want to join NATO or be dependent on it. This lack of united stance towards NATO makes it difficult to form a coherent, common European security policy. The Committee on Security and Defence wants to find a solution outside NATO, emphasising the importance of common solutions on an EU level. They argue that Europe needs to be self-sufficient and not depend on the US. Hence, they promote the idea of a European army, not a new but an increasingly relevant idea. The US recently reported military budgets cuts as consequence of the economic situation, which means their military power will decrease. In addition, the US has suggested that they will now focus more on the Pacific – rather than Europe’s neighbouring areas. The European Parliament voted for the creation of Synchronized Armed Forces Europe (SAFE), which is a first step towards a European military force. Also the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) has already been quite
active. There have both been military and diplomatic measures, and the 19th mission started in 2009. The ESDP particularly focuses on rebuilding institutions and reforming governments in war-torn countries with the aim of ensuring safety and stability, such as the efforts made to establish police forces in Congo and Bosnia. Perhaps Europe’s military future is not as dark after all? However, the problem with these measures has been countries’ varying willingness to contribute to such forces – the main factor of course being the costs. Since France and Great Britain are the only countries with considerable military force, European missions are dependent on these two states. In response, SEDE emphasise the need for all European countries to contribute with at least 2% of their national GDP. At the moment, there isn’t a single country in the EU that manages to meet this goal, but if SEDE have their way in tomorrow General Assembly, that may spark change. As the European Union is crucial for European countries to remain in a position of global economic power and influence, co-operation will be key to a stance on the military front. Unified, we are stronger. However, SEDE also wants us to bear in mind that military force is not the only root of power, so European co-operation should also include intelligence services. They advise us to value the opportunity to prevent outbreak, rather than simply sticking plasters on the bullet wounds of yesterday. 9 The Blank Page
reality check
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hat is it EYP is giving its long-term alumni that keeps them coming back for more? Facilitating personal development is one of EYP’s strong suits says Kerstin and suggests that this focus also distinguishes us from other political youth organisations.The framework of discussions in small groups is crucial for personal development within EYP. Kerstin finds the academic side of EYP, the committee work, most interesting, because it is where you see the successes of teambuilding and you can best develop yourself and your relationships with your committee through academic discussion. She therefore finds it crucial for delegates and chairs to have a strong academic understanding of their topic so as to best articulate their views and really get to know and trust other EYPers. It is through the articulation of views and the discussion of our own and other peoples’ perspectives that she feels we can really communicate with each other. The Blank Page 10
Kerstin has clearly made the most of her EYP experience and will keep on doing so. Having been involved in EYP since she was 16 changed her over the last eight years. She certainly feels that EYP has given her much more selfconfidence and taught her many practical things such as organisational skills and public speaking. However, somewhat atypically, she feels that EYP has made her more cynical: “When I started EYP I was very idealistic. When I was 14 my dream was to become a lawyer and move to the United States and abolish the death penalty.” Now she admits that she has a “more realistic view of the world”, which, she added, ”is a very good thing to have”. To Kerstin it is important that we be mindful of the gap between expectations and reality, and that “if it is too big then you’re just not going to be happy.” This awareness of your own expectations and how they align with reality is a ‘’good process connected to growing up.” Having said
An International Forum in Germany marked the start of a now eight-year long career in EYP for Kerstin Mathias. She is now the President of the German EYP National Committee and our Session President here in Kosovo. Sam Skalla sat down with her to discuss the gap between reality and expectations and how EYP has helped her recognise it.
this, she notes the importance of being ambitious and having hopes and ideals. She tells me that she is always amazed by the logistical successes of EYP sessions – the International Forum in Pristina being no exception. As she mentioned during her speech in the opening ceremony, we are privileged to be able to attend sessions like these and to have the ability to articulate our views., “Unfortunately the likelihood of someone taking part is still strongly connected to financial and social background,” Kerstin deplores and further emphasises the need for delegates and officials to make the most out of their EYP experiences. As for future sessions and the structure of EYP in the broader sense, Kerstin’s vision is to expand the range of EYP activities in order to reach more young people from different social backgrounds but not at too great a cost to the academic quality of our work. Kerstin is a rare beacon within EYP, a mixture of sensi-
ble pragmatism spurred on by a desire to settle for nothing less than the very best. She is warm and very approachable, watching over the session like a mother would. Before you lose your chance, find her when she isn’t busy and get to know her a little more. When asked if she had any regrets from her involvement in EYP, the only major regret she mentions is the strain it sometimes placed on her friendships as she was trying to maintain her professionalism. Fortunately she is in the company of many of her friends from previous sessions and with such a caring President we can trust in and see the success of this session.
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their interests are ignored, regardless of those rights that our holy religion has given them and even though they can compete with men in science or employment?
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hese were the words of King Mohammed VI of Morocco, the day of his ascension to the throne in 1999.Yet, despite this progressive statement, the situation that women in MENA countries (Middle East and North Africa) are facing today is still diametrically in contrast with the powerful and suggestive rhetoric of Mohammed VI. Amina Al Filali was a 16-year-old Moroccan girl who was raped three times in Rabat, and forced under article 475 of the Moroccan Sharia to marry her rapist. Her tragedy has become an emblematic episode of the ongoing violations of women’s rights and gender equality occurring in Morocco. Her fate also paints a dire picture of the human rights situation of states legislated under an Islamic framework. The Blank Page 12
“
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How can we hope to achieve progress and prosperity
while women, who constitute half of society, see that
Both by tradition and law, a rapist can escape prosecution in such states if he marries his victim, thereby restoring her honour as well as her family’s respect and reputation. From a legal standpoint, in any case of rape the burden of proof lies on the victim. If a raped woman cannot corroborate she was attacked, she, the victim, will be the one who will be persecuted for debauchery. Debauchery means excessive indulgence in sexual pleasure – so in other words, if the victim cannot prove she was raped, she goes to jail. If she proves the contrary she will be forced to marry her tormentor. Indeed this paradox portrays a dramatic scenario in the eyes of our society, but it is a part of the reality women have to face in some of the MENA countries. When interviewed, Amina’s father confessed that the girl was accosted on the street and raped when she was 15,
talk is cheap While women’s empowerment has played an important role in the Arab Spring revolutions, the state of women’s rights is still alarming in most MENA countries. Julian Kuci reports on religiously sanctioned practices of rape and forced marriage in the region.
but it was several months later that the minor came forward to her parents. Apparently her perpetrator initially refused, but he consented to marry her when faced with a possible 10-20 years penalty. Amina’s father said that court officials dealing with the rape were the ones who insisted on the marriage option from the beginning, when the victim’s family first reported the rape. Morocco is considered to be a moderate Islamic country with a relatively high living standard and a secular tradition and not a hotbed for such terrifying abuse. However, in Islamic jurisdiction the manifestation of the oppression of women is inevitably institutionalised. After Amina was obliged to enter into marriage, she told her mother she was being constantly violated by her husband, but – constrained by the grip of the Sharia’s regime – all her mother was able to do was to desperately
counsel patience. In the end the traumatic repression led the teenager to commit suicide. Amina’s story illustrates the alarming state of women’s rights in the MENA region. Beyond the lack of legal support from the government, it is firmly rotted in the mind-sets of men dominating the MENA societies that women do not deserve the right to giving consent before entering into marriage, rendering King Mohammed IV’s assessment a sad reality, more than a decade after he first voiced those words. But more than words are needed from political leaders in the region because only a change of values initiated by local authorities can be a lasting one.
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n o ec
As most Member States are moving towards a Fiscal Compact, Sam Skalla scrutinises whether the current extent of European economic and fiscal integration is still in line with the objectives of our Union.
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ithin EYP sessions, the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs is a particularly challenging committee. From the technical fiscal questions to the broader philosophical question of economic sovereignty, ECON encompasses a wide range of issues. The topic of this session’s ECON committee addresses technical fiscal issues but also pertains to an analysis of the fundamental concepts that underlie European integration: which measures should a sustainable European fiscal policy adopt to balance preventative and corrective schemes? ECON intends to move toward a more balanced and sustainable economy within Europe. In deliberating possible appropriate solutions to imbalances within the European economy, they have touched on many salient issues, for example the moral hazards inherent within a system of shared responsibility, and the inevitable diversity of European economies. The Blank Page 14
These considerations are the result of a decision to promote a unified and more integrated Europe. Coordinating the fiscal policy of countries within Europe and closer scrutiny of members’ spending can be seen as a step closer to unification as well as a step closer to European-wide prosperity. However, it could be asked: whether or not these aims are in line with the foundations that the EU was built on? Although formally established in 1993 with the implementation of the Maastricht Treaty, the aims of the European Union were present from as early as 1950, with the intention of securing “lasting peace” and preventing the “frequent and bloody wars between neighbours”. However, the aims of the European Union have grown in ambition and scope with its geographical expansion and this begs the question: do the current economic objectives move toward full unification and therefore go beyond the scope of the original goals?
state of the union
According to the Lisbon Treaty, the current objectives include the promotion of peace and the well-being of the Union´s citizens, ensuring an area of freedom, security and justice without internal frontiers, sustainable development based on balanced economic growth and social justice as well as a social market economy – highly competitive and aiming at full employment and social progress and a free single market. These objectives do not explicitly refer to full unification. Furthermore, the EU and its Member States have avoided publically committing to full unification. However, clauses within the Lisbon Treaty suggest that there is a movement toward such unification and even a supra-European state, for example in Article 3(a) 3: “Pursuant to the principle of sincere cooperation, the Union and the Member States shall, in full mutual respect, assist each other in carrying out tasks which flow from the Treaties.” It could be argued that there is a clear distinction
between Member States and “the Union,” marking a shift from the original ambitions to prevent conflict between neighbours toward unification making the EU a distinct political entity. Has the European integration process fulfilled its primary function, is the question that arises. If this answer is yes then perhaps it has outgrown its use? If no, then we need to make a clear and legitimised decision about the new aims and objectives of the EU and publicly recognise the new objective of closer integration and ‘sincere cooperation.” But then what? The logical conclusion of closer integration is more than just a union – rather unification. Are Europe citizens ready to embrace this process? It is my strong opinion that the EU should avoid further fiscal integration before it travels too far along the road of full economic and political unification before Europeans are ready to travel along. 15 The Blank Page
a crisisoriented policy? While the face of European foreign policy is changing just as rapidly as its agenda, Marie Storli contemplates the need to balance the necessity of immediate action with the aim to create sustainable foreign policy.
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urope as we know it is rapidly changing; throughout these last decades the landscape has been completely reformed. New countries are being created, forming new alliances and contributing to a more dynamic world. Just think about the world prior to fall of the wall, when most of the world was locked in a stand-off between East and West. Now the world is much more dynamic, with new alliances being formed daily and multilateral cooperation and trade leading to a far more interconnected world. As the landscape changes, the world’s conflicts do too. With the exception of a spike in 2010, the number The Blank Page 16
of armed conflicts in the world has been descending since the early 1990s. Furthermore, there has been a shift in the kinds of conflict. Instead of inter-state conflict, societal warfare now constitutes the primary form of military conflict. This in turn means the world of conflicts is more dynamic than ever, the scene is continuously changing. Little did we know when we entered 2010, that Mohamed Bouazizi would set himself on fire on the 4th of December, causing a landslide of revolutionary movements in North Africa and the Arab World. He sparked the most sensational political movement of our century so far, and again the world is being reshaped. As international organisations like the EU and the UN cannot interfere in all corners of the world simultaneously,
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the need to prioritize is crucial. The lack of ability to take effective steps against arising conflicts has led to a great number of internal conflicts, some of which escalate to civil wars – the most recent examples being Libya and Syria. These conflicts often arise very suddenly, proving the need for more urgent crisis correction policy. The reactions to this kind of clash vary from case to case. From a rapid reaction and firm determination in Libya to a total standstill on the Syria issue, the international handling of these conflicts contrasts greatly. Was the quite controversial intervention in Libya a bit too rushed? Syria on the other hand has been discussed much more, leading to less of a determination to act. Rushed decision making is, in my opinion, unfortu-
nate. When dealing with these crises, we have to balance the need to take immediate action and the desire to produce responsible resolutions which will work in the longer term. Especially when justifying a military intervention, thorough intelligence is necessary to strengthen the credibility of missions. However, the fear is that it will only slow down the process, creating more bureaucracy. The ability to act fast is without doubt important, as internal wars often come with a vast amount of civilian casualties. Several recent studies estimate the civilian casualties to be around 90% of all deaths caused by armed conflicts globally. Choosing between quantity and quality is always hard. The solution must be in the prevention work and long term correction, as opposed to short term action. 17 The Blank Page
You might be upset, Aries, by certain committee clauses in GA, but you‘ll realise their value when you look at your own. It’s possible that you invested a lot of time on your introductory clauses that could have been spent on finding solutions. These are hard lessons to learn, but everyone learns them some time, especially now that your resolution won’t pass. Leo, you are particulary inspired by and sensitive to crisis situations. Not having your resolution passed has no bearing on how the stars look on you. Why don’t you think about going easier on yourself, just for GA? Try it – you might like it!
Just for GA, Taurus, ignore your habit of always trying to over-explain everything. The desire to overcomplicate the more difficult aspects of your resolution is the basis for these changes. Why not answer concisely? It will be appreciated by higher celestial bodies.
The planets want to make a deal with you today, Gemini. Either you stay in bed fantasising about life as a President of an EYP Initiative or a handsome Journalist, or you get formally dressed, ditch the converse shoes and do what you have to do to get that resolution passed. Try and convince yourself that you don’t have to lose your outrageous accent when you make a speech, that never goes away, no matter how old you get!
Cancer, it’s possible you could meet people today who will act as a kind of Pygmalion for you.You are surrounded by people who believe in you and will encourage you to succeed, listen to your supporters in you committee and you will go far in GA. When you find these people, don’t be a showoff, listen to what he or she has to say to you. You have a rather strange day in front of you, Pisces. The celestial atmosphere could be playing tricks on you. Watch out. Seriously.
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written in the stars
Our resident astrologers Sam Skalla and Jan Janouch peer into your future. GA is excellent for just letting your intuition guide you, Scorpio. If you have time you might want to open your mind and consider the general scope of the resolution and not specific clauses. That way you will unlock the higher understanding of the moon. Libra, you might have questions about the quality of your argument. It’s possible that your chair is criticising you more than ever, but why not take advantage of this attitude to talk with them about your deepest academic desires? Things will be much clearer.
You are an excellent committee member, Capricorn, and you take pride in supporting those around you. Have you ever thought enough about your own abilities? If you feel that you are ready and able to deliver a speech then you need to step up and tell your chair.
GA is the kind of day when all you, Sagittarius, want to do is think about a vacation, somewhere different where there’s no sun and only clouds, the UK would be nice... You need to pull through and focus throughout all of the speeches. If you succeed the sun will shine its warmth upon your skin. Virgo, days like GA will push you to act with more energy than in other areas of your life where you may have held back before. Does your love life need a breath of fresh air? Have you been dreaming of a nice romantic walk around the Emerald Hotel? Remember what happens in Kosovo stays in Kosovo. Go for it! The planets are calling for you to act now! Your natural desires may have got the better of you, Aquarius, on multiple occasions but you should be more aware of the effect you have on other people. Understanding how the people you work with in EYP is crucial to good teamwork. Try and understand your impact on your team especially when you are under all the pressure of GA. 19 The Blank Page
The TheBlank BlankPage Pageis isfilled filled byby Henriikka Henriikka Hannula, Hannula, Jan Jan Janouch, Janouch, Julian Julian
Kuci, Kuci,Marie MarieStorli, Storli,Sam SamSkalla, Skalla,Sophie SophieHall Hall& &Benjamin BenjaminGradhand. Gradhand.