Bullseye No. 46 "Immigration - perception in Europe"

BullsEye

December’11 50th year / No. 46 / ISSN 2033-7809

The newsmagazine of European Democrat Students

Immigration - perception in Europe Towards the a European Governanance p.10 Knowledge is power p.8

p.13-19

EDITORIAL

Sandra Falkowska, Editor-in-chief

CONTENT

The European Union is struggling with problems. The second wave of crisis, instability of governments and additionally challenges within the Euro zone are topics dominating our evening news day by day. Are we really on the way towards the Europeanization of our political action or will we be just able to simply survive this heat wave put upon us? Some of these items we try to focus on is our main article about the European governance.

Pessimists are announcing the end of the European Union. Optimists are looking nervously what the future will bring. Many questions, few answers. European Democrat Students (EDS) answers many of the challenges of our times with a clear perspective to a more integration friendly politics: More Europe is the answer, as Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk (apropos, congratulations to his fabulous re-election) pointed out with clarity. Additional to this success, in the general election in Spain, after eight years of social government, the EPP member Partido Popular won more than of 50% of mandates in the Cortes General, the Spanish Parliament.

I still believe in Europe as a great project. We all have to gather our visions, our energies and our deep compassion to make this unique endeavour true. Let us seize it to possess it!

CHAIRMAN’S LETTER

Dear readers, friends!

Garrick Club 04 Pasión por Europa

The newest issue of our magazine Bullseye is in your hands – a fresh issue with new ideas, topics, and discussion points. It comes out whilst EDS holds its meeting during and after the EPP Congress in Marseille. The title of our seminar and Council meeting is “Multiculturalism in Europe: Challenges and Opportunities”. It is topical for Marseille, France and Europe. In the EPP Congress there will be talks regarding solving the immigrants’ problem, however we wish to focus beyond what is necessary in the short term.

Integration of immigrants and their children in Europe, in our universities and helping them overcome difficulties is also a feature and trait of a united Europe without borders and we should not shy away from it. Europe’s motto “Unity in Diversity” is to be applied on people who ended up in Europe searching for a new home.

However, when speaking about taking it further, we not only mean proclamations. I believe EDS should engage itself in the new society building of freed North African states. EDS and its alumni could be of valuable input to young people from these countries that will also be represented in Marseille. In short, share knowledge and best practice in forming, running and sustaining a youth organisation. That is why EDS is happy to see young activists from North Africa in this EPP Congress.

When talking about building up structures, we shall look at the EU for a moment. The current sovereign debt crisis, distrust of the markets, and a possible recession are discussed deeply.

Talks of further integration and answers calling for more Europe are held. In to this came EDS, with its resolution passed in the Political Assembly in September, calling upon a wider discussion in EPP looking towards its logical and closest partners for the upcoming elections in 2014.

The Lisbon treaty will allow coalitions to be formed and our resolution was and is there to spark discussions. I feel that talks regarding the direct elections of the Commission President and the permanent President of the European Council should be put on the table. More Europe does not only mean suggestions of fiscal union, but it also means creating a single European electorate – demos. This in turn will legitimise the President of the European Council bringing the European citizens closer together and looking in the same direction. A message of unity for Europe has never been needed more so before, than now. Nowadays it is indeed easy to be strong when everybody else around you is strong. However, true strength is to cope with the problems Europe has today so we can recall these times with a smile in future.

I believe as well that more Europe means cohesion and consensus in many other areas of our European life. Such a crucial area is education where EDS has its role. Ever since its first day EDS has been a great supporter of the education as a foundation for personal and societal progress.

Since the beginning of the current EDS Bureau term, an idea of a campaign in support of knowledge was strongly supported and discussed. Currently “Knowledge is Power” is about to be launched as one of EDS’ greatest campaigns in support of a core value of the organisation.

The Europe-wide campaign will unfold by involving young people and will focus on the evident need for regarding education as a tool for development, sustainability and better future for Europe. The campaign will be a continuation of a strong statement EDS made by adopting a resolution - “Higher Education in Times of Crises”. One of the concrete goals to be achieved by the campaign is to set a true new priority on the European agenda and to turn governments’ attention towards it. I believe young people should be the carriers of this message across Europe and this is why “Knowledge is Power” has targeted them. Another key aspect of the campaign is to involve business and thus put emphasis on binding education and business. The culmination will take place in mid-2012 and I am convinced that a good example will be passed to the EU decision makers.

Freedom fighters

05 Wangari Mathai – with Africa in the heart

Actualities

06 The Warsaw Summit: challenges & opportunities 07 20 years of ODM 08 Knowledge is Power 09 How lawful is Palestine’s admission to UNESCO?

Bullseye on

10 Towards a European governance?

Reports

Andraž Kastelic, EDS Vice Chairman

Migration is a solution. Migration can be one of the hidden yet possible solutions for European challenge number one. It’s not all about money. The long term issue most EU member States face is aging.

It is no secret that Europe is growing older. Latest reports show fertility continues to rise slowly and has increased to 1,6 children per woman. Yet for a self-sustaining population, 2,1 children per woman would be required. Another factor contributing to the phenomenon is the simple fact we live longer. The average European’s life expectancy is annually increasing by two or three months.

The benefits of migration on the other hand are numerous and the potential of minimizing the aging effect should not be underestimated. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development studies show migrants are often involved in older people’s health and care jobs which are usually difficult to fill, can boost female labour force participation, help to fund the growing healthcare and pension bills etc. But don’t send a ship to China yet, migration also raises questions regarding social integration and the scope of the migrant contribution in one country.

If You want to know more about migration “on the ground” flip the page and enjoy!

12 Azerbaijan strives to enhance the energy

security of Europe

13 Immigration: A crucial topic for UNI-MET

Theme

14 No New Christendom 15 Marseille : A city facing the issue of multiculturalism 16 Challenges of Multiculturalism in Germany 17 Problem with integration in Czech Republic?

18 Supporters and opponents of multiculturalism

in the Netherlands

19 How is it to be an immigrant?

Events

20 EDS in Pragueg 21 EDS active and vivid on international

stage all over Europe

University

22 University of Manchester

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BULLS EYE The newsmagazine of European Democrat Students 2

Bureau

Juraj Antal,

ISSN: Print: 2033-7809, Online: 2033-7817 Editor-in-chief: Sandra Falkowska Editorial team: Tamar Bagshvili, Henry Hill, Andraz Kastelic, Vladimír Maryška, Ann-Sofie Pauwelyn, Amelie Pommier Contributions from: JContributions from: Juraj Antal, Bence Bauer,Mariam Chakhvadze, Ana Janelidze, Samuli Kauranne,Ramin Mammadov, Charlotte Spurkeland, Holger Thuss, Martin Tokár Photos: Balázs Szecsődi, Gintare Narkeviciute, European Commision archives, KAS archives Publisher: European Democrat Students, B-1000 Brussels, Rue du Commerce 10 Tel: +32 2 2854-150, Fax: +32 2 2854-141 Email: eds@epp.eu Website: edsnet.eu Publication supported by: European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe

Chairman

BULLSEYE

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GARRICK CLUB

FREEDOM FIGHTERS

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Wangari Mathai with Africa in the heart

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Tamar Baghishvili, EDS

01 EDS Winter University, Antwerpen, 2001 02 Mikael von Rabenau, Tuhatkunta, Finland, Vice-chairman; me; Gustaf Casparsson, FMSF, Sweden, Chairman; David Teillet, France, Vice-chairman, UNi; 03 Secretary General Holger Thuss with Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel at the EDU Party Leader Conference in January 2001 in Berlin

Pasión por Europa

by Holger J. Thuss, PhD.

My involvement in EDS 1991-2002

How it all started

Just recently, on September 25th, people were shocked to hear that Professor Wangari Mathai died of ovarian cancer. She was internationally recognized for her struggle for democracy, human rights and environmental conservation. Wangari Maathai was born in Nyeri, Kenya in 1940. She was the first woman in Eastern and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree. Mathai highly advanced in her academic career, becoming senior lecturer in Anatomy in 1974, chair of the Department of Veterinary Anatomy in 1976, and associate professor in 1977.

Wangari Maathai was active in the National Council of Women of Kenya in 1976-1987 and was its chairwoman in 1981-1987. It was at the same time as she served in the National Council of Women that she introduced the idea of planting trees with the people in 1976 and continued to increase it into a international, grassroots association whose main focus is planting of trees together with groups of women in order to protect the environment, improve their quality of life and became recognized as the Tree Mother of Africa.

She was the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, awarded to recognize her campaigns to support conservation, women’s rights and transparent government. “I hope it will encourage (women) to raise their voices and take more space for leadership.” (Wangari Maathai’s Nobel Peace Prize receipt speech). Professor Maathai was also listed on UNEP’s Global 500 Hall of Fame and named as one of the 100 female heroes of the world. In June 1997, Wangari was elected by Earth Times as one of 100 persons in the world who made a distinction in the environmental arena.

In 1997 this woman ran for the president

In 1991, a strange incident occurred: Mr. Jacek Bendykowski, a student from Gdansk, Poland, and Mr. Holger Thuss, a student from Jena, Germany, passed each other near the main building of the Jena University. While Mr. Bendykowski was extremely busy resolving internal conflicts of EDS (by talking to RCDS and other organizations at an informal meeting), Mr. Thuss had just decided he would never enter any political student organization, due to personal experiences with the very people Mr. Bendykowski was meeting. Thus the encounter passed by without further consequences, and was only exposed at a Finnish EDS sauna event some five years later. However, this curious incident was historical in a sense, because for Mr. Thuss it was the first encounter with an organization that would later on substantially influence his life.

How it really started

As most of us know, John Maynard Keynes was a lousy economist. But he coined one of my favorite aphorisms: “When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?” When some facts changed, I changed my mind and joined RCDS. One year later, I got a call: There will be this student conference on Cyprus I was told. Was I was interested to take part? Of course I was! It was November, after all. In Cyprus, I eventually understood that there was this European student organization called EDS, and I realized that - after some reforms and investment – it has the potential to be something really great. My next early EDS memories are linked to working group meetings and my first Annual Meeting in Berlin (Hotel “Berlin”!) with only 12 or so voting member organizations in 1994. The same year I attended a joint German-British student seminar in Oxford, England, on European conservatism, which was an excellent opportunity to get an idea of Tory politics. In early 1995, I have been elected as Vice-chairman of RCDS, responsible for EDS, and started to attend its meetings regularly.

1996/98: EDS-Vice chairman

In the summer of 1996, I have been elected Vice-chairman of EDS in the Czech town of Podiebrady. The Austrian Chairman Mr. Gunther Fehlinger, the Greek Executive Director Mr. Michalis Peglis (Chairman 1997/98), the other bureau members and me quickly formed a gang of friends eager for political success, trying to tackle three core problems of EDS: resources, reach out and relevance (R3). Hence we submitted tons of grant applications and adopted the least restrictive membership policy possible.

From then on, the sole important membership requirement was a value-based “Pasión por Europa” – the motto of the 1997 Summer University in Spain. After two years, we thought we had accomplished a lot: more members, more events, more participants, and more money. Our annual Summer and Winter Universities were attended by up to 150 students from around 40 European countries. The political highlight was however the admission to the European People’s Party as associated member on 16 October 1997, 6 p.m., after a passionate speech of Chairman Fehlinger at the EPP-Political Bureau meeting.

1998/2002: Secretary General and Executive Director

At the Summer Universities of 1998, 1999, and 2000, I was appointed as Secretary General. I added another half term as Executive Director until March 2002. In these years, we tried to lift the activity level of EDS even higher. We spoke out in favour of the European students at all the EPP congresses and became famous for our tireless support for full EU membership of all the new democracies in Central and Eastern Europe. Other than certain policy “experts”, we always wanted a Union of free nations from the North Cape to Malta and from Portugal to Ukraine. In addition to our European activities, we became friends with American students of the YAF and Algerian students of the UGEL, and exchanged views with students from China to the Russian autonomous republic of Kalmykia. In 1998, we embarrassed the UNESCO at their World Conference on Higher Education, since we did not accept their very friendly relations with dictators from all over the world.

What else to say

To even mention everything I experienced during my time in EDS is impossible. EDS really is unique: as a place to make friends (and to even find a husband or wife!), to learn how our world works and to reverse prejudices. Another experience I’d like to share is that sooner or later you’ll regret any bitter personal conflict or argument you might have had with other EDS-activists. At least I do. And one last thing: not to become personal doesn’t mean becoming politically correct and to not to have any serious political debate! A streamlined politically correct EDS without its authentic center-right values and its political debates would actually be pointless. Such organizations disappear sooner or later. Let’s do everything in our power to prevent this from happening.

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of Kenia, however the party withdrew her candidacy a few days before the election without letting her know. She was defeated for a place in the Parliamentary elections. In 1998 Wangari gained worldwide attention when the Kenyan President backed development of a luxury housing project and building began by clearing hundreds of acres of Kenya forest. In 1991 she was arrested and imprisoned. An Amnesty International letter helped to liberate her. She was arrested numerous times by the government of President Daniel Arap Moi. In December 2002, Professor Mathai was elected to Parliament with an overwhelming majority of 98% of the votes. She was subsequently appointed by the President, as Assistant Minister for Environment, Natural Resources and Wildlife. Mathai was a minister until 2005, but lost her position after a single term. She ended up politically sidelined because she refused to keep silent and toe the government line.

In 2007 she published her autobiography “Unbowed”. A third book followed in 2009, The Challenged for Africa, in which she criticized Africa’s leadership as ineffective, and urged Africans to solve their problems without Western assistance.

Wangari Maathai is a great figure to learn from. If we regard all those difficulties she had undergone throughout her career, her experience and motivation seem to be a true jewel for those who try to find and utilize one for their own progress.

This information is only the smallest part of the immense and complex experience Mrs. Mathai had in her life. It will be truly wholesome for those interested to learn more about at least one part of those multiple details about her. It will only help people to enhance their courage to face challenges.

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ACTUALITIES

The Warsaw Summit

Mariam Chakhvadze, YSO Graali, Georgia

challenges & opportunities The Warsaw Summit ended with the adoption of a joint declaration, which sends a clear message to Eastern Partnership Countries that the EU will assist them in further integration. The motto will be ‘more for more’, aiming to provide the EAP countries with support, depending on their ‘genuine progress’ in reforms.

The Summit representatives stressed that further financial support of the Eastern Partnership is vital, as the EU has committed itself to building a new strategy for countries of the South. EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso stated that the Partnership countries could expect increased funding: “The European Commission has proposed additional funds that will allow further development of the Eastern Partnership”. Now it’s almost €2 billion.

During the Warsaw Summit the participants agreed that the negotiations with Ukraine on an association agreement and a deep and comprehensive free trade agreement should be concluded by the end of the year. Similar negotiations should be started with Moldova and Georgia. The Warsaw Summit welcomed the EaP business forum as well.

The aim of cooperation in areas related to freedom, security and justice remains a core

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objective. The EaP countries were promised visa-free travel to the EU. In this context, Moldova and the Ukraine take stock of progress.

The participants of the Warsaw Summit welcomed the effective implementation of the visa facilitation and readmission agreements with Georgia. For the further development of the democratic Institutions in EaP countries an Eastern Partnership Public Administration Academy is to be established in Warsaw.

In terms of the energy partnership, the recent membership of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine in the Energy Community Treaty was welcomed. The EU and her partners also pledged to take steps towards the realisation of the Southern Corridor.

Further promotion of stability and confidencebuilding were amongst the highlights of the summit. The appointment of the new EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus, and importance of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia was stressed. The recent decision to resume official negotiations in the “5+2” format aiming at a comprehensive political settlement of the Transnistrian conflict was welcomed.

The Warsaw Summit also stressed the possible challenges for the sustainable develop-

ment of the Eastern Partnership, “We should be sincere and frank about the fact that unfortunately there has been a clear backtracking in terms of democracy, human rights and rule of law in some of our Eastern partner countries,” said the EU Parliament President Jerzy Buzek.

Viktor Yanukovych, the President of Ukraine received a cold reception in Warsaw. It’s thought that the Euro integration of Ukraine may be reduced as a result of the fate of Yulia Tymoshenko, as there is no doubt that the charges against her are politically motivated. It might be presumed that if Ukraine doesn’t improve its democratic governance, Yanukovych will face danger in terms of his reputation as the legitimate partner by European leaders.

The Ukrainian government plans to have an EU-Ukraine summit in Kyiv in December, finalising the association agreement talks. However, there is a danger that the summit won’t be held, if the Tymoshenko issue remains unsolved. It’s even argued that the summit might be delayed until the parliamentary elections next year.

In Warsaw, Belarus decided to withdraw form the Eastern Partnership Summit currently being held, declaring what it sees as discrimination against the authorities in Minsk as its reason.

The decision came as Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Belarus was the only leader from an Eastern Partnership countries not in attendance at the Summit. Nor did Minsk send its foreign Minister. Belarus should be represented by the Ambassador in Warsaw, Viktor Gaisenak, though, in the end it became clear that he too would not be attending.

After Belarus snubbed the summit, Poland left at the table a symbolic empty chair, “It is waiting for representatives of the European nation of Belarus,” declared Polish PM Tusk. It might be suspected that the Belarusian government was irritated by the meeting between the Polish Prime Minister and Council President Herman Van Rumpuy with the Belarus opposition at a civil society conference.

In a special declaration adopted at the Summit, the EU Member States expressed their deep concern at the deteriorating democratic values of Belarus and called Belarus for the immediate release and rehabilitation of all political prisoners.

To summarise, the participants of the Warsaw Summit welcomed the intention of both the High Representative and the EU Commission to present by the end of the year a roadmap, in consultation with partners. The roadmap will present the objectives, instruments and actions. It will also guide and monitor their implementation until the next Summit in the second half of 2013.

20 years of ODM

ACTUALITIES

Martin Tokár, Vice-chairman (ODM)

The Civic Democratic Youth (ODM), NGO from Slovakia and long-term member of EDS celebrated the 20th anniversary of the foundation of ODM on the 11th November.

We invited many Slovak politicians including members of government, members of parliament and founders of the organization. It was an honour for us that our invitations were also accepted by Mr. Juraj Antal, Mr. Bence Bauer, Mr. Samuli Kauranne and Ms. Sanda Falkowska from European Democrat Students. ODM was established in 1991 during a very complicated period. Slovaks during these times strongly acted against the communist party and against the remaining communist politicians in public office. The communist regime ended but still not all of Slovaks’ representatives in the public sector wanted to help Slovakia to become one of the developed democratic countries. ODM was established during those times; in a situation when in Slovakia only a few politicians really wanted to inte-

BULLSEYE

grate Slovakia into European structures. The main goal of ODM was to participate in those changes and educate a new elite of people, people without any prejudices.

During the 20 years ODM created many projects including statements about the current political and economic situation and participated in many other projects with partners.

We focused on education of young people about democratic and conservative values.

We also created many campaigns where we

Struggling for Europe

tried to influence and change people’s thinking about important political issues.

The day after the celebration, ODM had a congress where the delegates re-elected Jan Buckuliak as chairman and Miroslav Jurčišin, Martin Tokár and Alexej Dobrolubov as new vice chairmen. The newly elected representatives of ODM expressed their strong belief in the new bureau and they believe in stronger cooperation within Slovakia and with their European partners.

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ACTUALITIES In 2012 the European Democrat Students will be launching a Europe-wide campaign, entitled Knowledge is Power.

The objective of the campaign is to get the message out that Europe has to speed up its efforts on Higher Education and Research in order to ensure that Europe will stay competitive and innovative in the future.

Throughout history mankind has been developing itself, and this development has led to the extreme wealth we have today.

Wealth and growth could never have been possible had it not been for knowledge, innovation, imagination and education.

Showing examples of how knowledge has

ACTUALITIES developed Europe, EDS wants to show how education and research has made the way our transportation, communication, IT and renewable energy is today.

The European Democrat Students emphasize the importance of having a good education system for our future generations, and wish to encourage politicians to invest more in higher education and research.

We know that other countries such as China and India are starting to compete with Europe in technology and education. Our message is that the only way for Europe to stay in a leading position in the world when it comes to innovation is to have leading universities. In the future, Europe will have

to get more powerful through knowledge.

This campaign will be EDS’ first Internet based campaign, and will consist of several online films and an online petition. A film school will be chosen from a competition to make the campaign films, and we also want to involve the public by urging them to send us their films on how they view the impact knowledge will have on Europe’s future. Our hope is that using the EDS member organizations 1.6 million members we can reach out to many youths and thereby send a bold signal to Europe’s policy makers that young people in today’s Europe believe that we have to invest more in Europe’s future.

Knowledge is Power

Andraz Kastelic, EDS

How lawful is Palestine’s admission to UNESCO?

As of October 2011, Palestine is a full member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It gained its long awaited status after 107 members of the organisation’s General Conference voted in favour and provided the two-thirds majority needed for admission as provisioned in the UNESCO Constitution of 1945. With the unresolved issue of Palestinian statehood, the act of admission itself is not as straightforward as it seemed to the applauding representatives in the General Conference Chamber.

Charlotte Spurkeland, EDS

a Europe-wide campaign

Non-UN members can, in theory, be UNESCO members

The UN system, due to its decentralisation, could be seen as an ‘umbrella organisation’, where the UN sponsored sub-organisations, like specialised agencies, enjoy a certain level of autonomy. One such agency is UNESCO. The issue of Palestine being a member of UNSECO but not being a member of the UN may be seen as inconsistent and unusual, it may not, however, been argued as unlawful. After all, the UNSECO Constitution states that “states not members of the United Nations Organisation may be admitted to membership of the Organisation”. As much as this provision allows Palestine to be a member of UNESCO, it also poses an issue because the aforementioned Article II (2) explicitly refers to States only. Thus, the question is whether Palestine is a State?

Palestine is not a State

Judging by the qualifications of the Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States, in order for an entity to be recognised as a State, it should, amongst other criteria, have “capacity to enter into relations with other states”. Today Palestine is not able to fulfil this particular criterion, despite the fact of current peace negotiations with Israel. Furthermore, international law should also be interpreted in a social and political context, since it is not immune to them, as some international lawyers tend to believe.

Accordingly, considering the aspect of international recognition of the statehood of political community it shall be noted that by the end of September 2011, only 127 out of 193 of the UN Member States recognised Palestine as a sovereign state, what is just below the required threshold of two thirds. In addition, many international law scholars argue that Palestine is not a State, for example Professor Fletcher from Columbia Law School stated that: “Not only is the Palestinian Authority not recognised as a state by the United Nations, but the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) own documents and practices have not recognized it as a state”. Similar opinion can be found in the notes of James R. Crawford of Cambridge. Who wrote that “the State of Palestine has not yet become a fact as distinct from an aspiration”. Finally, the European Centre for Law and Justice in its study presents twenty pages arguments that “Palestinian territories do not meet the legal criteria for a statehood”, specified in the Legal Memorandum in Response to the Al-Haq Brief and Opposing the Palestinian Authority’s Attempt to Accede to ICC Jurisdiction.

US withholding millions

Consequences of Palestine admission to UNESCO will not be minute. Not only has the Palestinian Authority gained a boost to pursue its ultimate international goal of becoming a full UN Member State, but also undertook a step towards globally recognised Palestinian statehood. However, one should keep in mind that the US promised to veto the admission of Palestine to the UN, and has stopped its financial contribution to the UNESCO budget under the argumentation of domestic US law, preventing the government of the US from financing any United Nations agency that admits Palestine as a member. As a result UNESCO will suffer a shortfall of $65 million to the end of 2011 and further $143.7 million, or 22 per cent, of the 2012-2013 budget. Besides a dangerous combination of domestic and international law, pursuing political goals within an organisation with an instrument of withholding its due financial obligations would be violation of UNESCO General Conference decisions if it were not for the issue of lawfulness of Palestine admission to this UN agency.

Instead of taking what seem to be shortcuts, Palestine should strive towards long lasting peace building and wide international recognition. On the other hand, the US, even though one might argue UNESCO took unlawful decision admitting Palestine, should take more constructive measures to show opposition to the discussed membership; withholding funding has ramifications for important sites all over the world. Should the issue of Palestine in UNESCO and its statehood, as a prerequisite for a status of subject in international relations, not be widely discussed and resolved in the upcoming months, the situation could go seriously downhill. The US could pull out of UNESCO entirely, as it has done so before in the past, Palestine could be admitted to other UN agencies where the US does not hold a veto in the admission process, and so on.

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Bullseye on

Bullseye on

Towards a European governance?

Bence Bauer, EDS

It is time to make Europe stronger Crises - they force us to change old patterns, well-known procedures and long-term policies. But a crisis can also create a new stimulus towards fundamentally rethinking the role of the state, that of the economy, and the role societal changes can affect both. From a crisis, those who are courageous enough to answer the new questions of their times can win. It is possible to emerge from every crisis with a fresh spirit, an unorthodox approach and considerable innovation. Political leaders are demanded that see the not yet available, the possibilities and chances, rather than those just trying to re-allocate what already exists.

The financial, then economic crises of late 2008 and 2009, followed by the debt and eurozone crises in 2011, proved mainly one new set-up of European integration: National governments within the European Union are not always able to master the immense conflict potential crises is inflicting on their countries and economies. The interdependence within

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our political community results in a crisis and thus conflicts do not stay purely national, but exceed the overviewed frames of national regulation and answers.

Taking some of the governments in to consideration that could not solve the financial problems within their own national community, and had to seek fresh money not only from the European Union, but even from the IMF, and we see several collapses in a row: First the Irish government failed in elections in February 2011, the Portuguese government in June, followed by the Greek government in November 2011. Since the fall of European governments is advancing with rapidity, even governments that had no relation whatsoever with extraordinary aims like the leaders of Greece, Ireland and Portugal had, like Italy’s, have been affected. In Italy, at the beginning of November, Prime Minister Berlusconi had to resign and make way for an expert cabinet, with early elections in February 2012 – the same sce-

nario as in Greece, just some days prior to that, and Greece now set to have early elections at the same time.

The crisis is accelerating and providing munitions against national borders, the complexity of the Euro-17 financial mechanism making even the political elite of a country fail that does have solid state finances, proper growth and no debt crises. The frightening example is Slovakia, where a liberal group within the ruling four-party-coalition simply refused to vote for the Greek rescue-package in mid-October, claiming Greek life quality is still much higher than the Slovak equivalent. The price was voting down their own Prime Minister in the vote of confidence that was linked to the vote about the rescue deal. This recent development clearly demonstrates that national governments have lost control.

European leaders came together to save the euro, implementing tough decisions for all the eurozone, not to speak about the

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dependent countries in question. While a convinced European can be happy that responsible heads of states and governments overcame national patterns and self-isolationism, marking the way towards a responsible and strong Europe under the guidance of the German chancellor, one may ask himself why, for example, a Greek who never voted for the politicians putting together these deals should accept all constraints and measures put upon him. Do national parliaments whose vote was so much awaited all over the 17, really have the deep expertise and political knowledge to supervise the taken decisions and to evaluate with a clear mind? And do national governments have any other chance than to accept what has been agreed on in Brussels?

From this point, national sovereignty had already ceased to exist and this became obvious for anybody observing the political scene prudently enough. Where crises imposed quick

and resolute action, the status quo was rather appalling: National governments, national parliaments and national public opinions in a number of countries had to be persuaded and convinced – a rather odd notion when we think about how fast markets can react.

What stays in the end? A de facto governance by the most important European leaders, having neither democratic legitimation from those they coerce with their measures, nor from the all-European population. As regards the understanding and the acceptance of our political community, this trend can be dangerous, leading to alienation of Europeans from our construction, the so-called common European house, and the possible rise of those who claim to go against with rigid opinions and strict answers: The rise of Populists all over the continent is a European phenomenon and marks the menaces European integration is still faced with.

Calling for direct democratic legitimation on the European scene appears to be the logical next step in European integration. This can be achieved by multiple measures, and several suggestions have been made; like the single European electorate for EP elections, where the inhabitants of the European Union are taken as a joint political community, depicting a unique group of ‘voters’. Others called for the top positions such as President of the European Commission, or that of European Council, to be elected in direct elections by the people, this incidentally meaning the realisation of a single electorate, the so-much dreamt of European demos.

As for now, a proposal came in mid- November to establish a top candidate for the European Parliament, by each European Political Party.

Europe needs to have more identifiable figures and a positive resonance on our common European project and our European Identity. It is forecasted with certainty that EP elections in 2014 will offer more political competition and a bigger role of our common identity - which is a European Identity - this also being the position of the biggest political force, the European People’s Party (EPP).

Active and pro integration organisations, for instance the European Democrat Students - with its 1,600,000 members the biggest youth organisation in Europe - can and must play a vital role in shaping European policies and politics in this regard. EDS was a driving force behind the movement for direct EP elections, for a single European party, for full enlargement and integration. Now it is the time to call for European answers and to make Europe stronger – more Europe is the answer, let us dare to continue this endeavour.

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REPORTS Following the Fukushima disaster natural gas has already begun increased as a source of energy and is substantially cleaner than alternative coal reserves. According to the Financial Times Europe’s current energy balance is determined as follows: natural gas – 23%, nuclear energy – 28%, renewable -19%, and the remaining 30% from hydrocarbons. It is not difficult to predict that following Fukushima natural gas will be a priority of energy sources given that nuclear energy is increasingly unpopular among many European countries. According to International Energy Outlook’s Energy Outlook 2010, by 2035 primary gas demand in Europe will be 628 bcm per year. If some European countries refuse to use nuclear power by 2022 this figure might even reach 700 bcm per annum. Some of this amount will be covered by unconventional gas, mostly LNG, which will be delivered from mainly Algeria, Qatar, Egypt and The US. In order to meet the deficit of gas in the European market the Russian firm Gazprom aims to increase its share of gas supply to Europe from current 23% to 32% by 2020.

While Imports for Western countries are duly diversified, new EU members from Central and Eastern Europe remain almost entirely depend on Russian gas. Overdependence on a particular oil and gas supplier is dangerous in terms of national security and dependent countries are striving to diversify their gas supply sources as a matter of both energy security and geopolitical stability.

However depending on one energy supplier for 23-32 percent is considered as a highly risky in the event if Russians halts gas supplies as a result of any future Russian-Ukrainian transit crise. Several Eastern European countries such as Bulgaria depend of Russian gas for between 90% and100% of total supply. To address this issue the EU initiated the Southern Gas Corridor, a project which will deliver Caspian and Iraqi gas to Europe via three main projects – Nabucco, ITGI and TAP. Azerbaijan is considered as the only gas supplier country for the Southern Corridor, which is able to start the project after 2017 when

THEME

Shah Deniz Phase Two (SD2) will come on stream. Turkmenistan and other Central Asian states don’t have the necessary infrastructure to pipe their gas westward, since Transcaspian pipeline is strongly opposed by Russia and Iran ostensibly over environmental concerns but in reality for political and commercial reasons.

The alternative option of delivering Turkmen gas to Europe through Iran is constrained by EU and US sanctions, and Iraqi gas is unlikely to start production any time soon. The main Iraqi gas fields located at the Kurdish and gas supply from Kurdistan in Iraq remains constrained by political misalignment between regional and federal government, which makes it almost impossible for foreign energy companies to sign any agreement on exploration and development of these fields.

Consequently, in the Joint Declaration on the Southern Gas Corridor signed on 13 January 2011 between Azerbaijan and the EU, Azerbaijan was designated as a substantial contributor to – and enabler of – the Southern Gas Corridor. In this regard the SD field in Azerbaijan has the greatest available production capacity.

The principle target for Azerbaijan’s future energy policy will be to develop reliable gas exports from the second phase of the Shah Deniz development. This gas will come on stream in 2017. The Azerbaijani state oil company SOCAR seeks to create reliable, trustworthy

Azerbaijan strives to enhance Ramin Mammadov, Youth Union of New Azerbaijan Party

the energy security of Europe 12

Immigration: Ammelie Pommier, EDS

and solid access to the world’s most lucrative, legally regulated, stable, commercially reliable gas market - namely Europe with its 500 million consumers. Azerbaijan wishes to be an important gas supplier to the EU but as its output is completely different from producers such as Gazprom, so Azerbaijani policy has to reflect the realities of global gas competition. After 2017 Azerbaijan will gain significant additional export potential and because the country has no direct access to the sea it must decide how best market its gas. The main gas field in - Azerbaijan Shah Deniz II - will produce 16.7 bcm, of which 6 bcm will be exported to Turkey. 10 bcm of SD2 gas will be available for export to the EU. Between USD 20 and 22 billion is needed for development of the field. The Azerbaijani government has to guarantee repay investors. Bearing this in mind, the country mostly driven by commercial profitability of the projects rather than political viability in making its strategic choice. After the transit routes to the EU market have been decided, SD2 will be followed by the development of other gas fields such as ACG, Umid, Babek, Nakhchivan and Absheron.

Given the increasing importance of unconventional gas, especially LNG in the U.S. and Europe, Azerbaijan is considering a diversification of its energy exports through LNG and has already launched a project named AGRI which will deliver Azerbaijani liquefied gas to European countries via the Black sea.

In accordance with Azerbaijan’s strategic diversification policy, SOCAR seeks to have an access to multiple buyers, multiple pipelines and different transit countries not only in the region but also elsewhere. As they say in English “don’t put all your eggs in the one basket”.

Each of the projects – Nabucco, ITGI and TAP has its merits and disadvantages. The main task of SOCAR in conducting negotiations with potential buyers in Europe is to determine which projects or buyers represent the best offers, as well as the most appropriate transit route.

Conclusion. Azerbaijan clearly aims to become one of the main players in the European gas market after 2017 when Shah Deniz 2 will come on stream. However, Azerbaijan is a new and small player and has to make its way in a highly competitive market. It neither expects special political treatment, nor any monopolistic position. SOCAR’s target is to access multiple buyers, pipelines, and transportation routes both inside and outside the region. Azerbaijan wants to gain importance to the EU as an energy state – it wants to build a reputation as a reliable supplier and commercially focused partner rather than as a player of ultimately pointless geopolitical games.

A crucial topic for UNI-MET*

For UNI-MET, immigration is an important issue in contemporary France and produces communitarianism. As UNI-MET has always been fighting against communitarianism, immigration appears to be an important question for this right-wing students’ organisation. The dangers immigration can bring in some ways to the French Nation have to be understood.

UNI-MET wants politicians to work on immigration with integration as a purpose. Indeed UNI-MET do not accept a lack of respect of French values and wants the state to get immigrants involved in the Nation’s life. In the past years, UNI-MET ran many campaigns on communitarianism. The last one, presented in February, was called “Burka, hallal… Stop au communautarisme” (Burqa, halal… Stop communitarianism). Indeed the pressure of some groups of immigrants creates some unbelievable situations like serving only halal food in some French schools. For UNI-MET, this cannot happen in France.

As talking in public about immigration and its problems in France is almost a crime for right-thinking people, UNI-MET supported many people who were condemned by the media for telling the truth. This was the case of Eric Zemmour last year, a French journalist, who just said that in France the majority of the dealers were black and Arab during a discussion about French suburbs. For UNIMET, even if this is not nice to hear, this is the sad reality, and we need to face it to solve French social problems. That’s why UNI-MET supported him during his trial. Then UNI-MET launched a campaign against the danger of politically correct – “Politiquement correct, vérité baîllonnée” (Politically correct, muzzled truth). In fact, some lobbies are making barriers to freedom of speech when France is a symbol of this vital freedom.

Above all, UNI-MET is for equality of opportunity, so the same treatment should be applied to French people and immigrants by authorities.

Besides, the French Nation and its values should be respected by anyone living in Franc. *UNI-MET is the French member organisation of EDS.

BULLSEYE

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theme When people talk about multiculturalism in the EU, they usually mean within states. The problem is usually framed about how to integrate religious or ethnic minorities into European societies. The problem is less frequently looked at in terms of integrating states of a different ethnic or religious character into the EU. Yet the Turkish membership bid, not to mention the existence of other hopefuls, means that the prospect of non-white, non-Christian majority states joining the EU must be considered and accounted for in European policy making.

With the EU in such turmoil at the moment, it might seem like a strange time to be talking about expansion of the Union. But it is in times of crisis and lack of confidence that politicians and populations can make their most serious mistakes, so it is worth discussing.

There is great debate within European circles about the admission of Turkey to the EU, and there has been that debate for decades now.

Similarly people who talk about admitting Georgia and Armenia often – but not always – exclude Azerbaijan. And despite its complete rejection of the African Union, continued modernisation and the fact that it shares a land border with Spain, Morocco continues to be denied even the faint prospect of membership.

In my opinion, this is a serious mistake. The EPP contains several Christian Democratic parties, but it must resist the temptation to try to make the European Union into a project with a Christian image. The inclusion of Muslim states serves two functions: first, they provide assets that greatly strengthen the EU’s strategic position; second, it confirms the EU as an inclusive, secular project. Both are vital for its future.

The most obvious strategic asset provided by the admission of Turkey and Azerbaijan alongside Georgia and Armenia is direct control over a southern oil pipeline. This would allow the EU a secure alternative to Russian or imported supplies in times of need, and would be a great strategic asset.

Additionally, Turkey boasts one of the foremost military forces in NATO, and her inclusion alongside France and the UK would greatly increase the Union’s potential weight as a military power. Morocco too has been a firm ally of Europe and the West, not only in the struggle against Islamic terrorism but also in being the only African state that is not a member of the African Union.

Moroccan membership would grant EU control over the Straits of Gibraltar and provide a ‘southern rib’ for the projection of influence into North and West Africa. Similarly Turkish/Azeri membership would allow the EU greater clout in the near east.

That is the bare bones of the ‘hard’ strategic

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theme case for the inclusion of these states. But more compelling still is the devastating impact that a rejection of Muslim states would have on the European project in terms of our influence with our neighbours and the wider world.

First, the prospect of membership is one of the greatest gifts at the EU’s disposal when it comes to encouraging neighbouring countries to adopt the European model. One need only look at Serbia and the rest of the former Yugoslavia to see how effective this carrot can be.

Similar to Serbia, reforms in Turkey and especially Morocco towards more liberal, tolerant societies have been driven in great part by the hope of joining the EU. Yet for some reason, many in on the European centre-right – including many in the EPP – don’t think this is good enough.

They talk about giving Turkey a close partnership ‘just short of full membership’, and in Sarkozy’s case attempt to completely rule out the prospect of Moroccan accession. In both instances the objection is the same: that these states are not ‘European’. To justify such a statement one would require a clear definition of what is “European”, which does not exist.

Even if you exclude the fact that some of the wealthiest and most developed areas of Turkey are on continental Europe, or that Spain has territory bordering Morocco in North Africa, the argument fails to hold up on a geographical level because the EU already contains

non-European territories. This not only includes Outermost Regions like French Guiana but a full Member State, Cyprus.

If Nicolas Sarkozy can comfortably accept that territories from the African coast to Latin America to Polynesia can be part of the French Republic, why are he and others incapable of seeing friendly states separated by a few miles of water as European – especially when other geographically non-European states like Armenia are considered for membership?

Is it because Armenia, Georgia and Cyprus are culturally similar? Surely, if being European is a state of mind, we should be seeking to spread it.

If the answer is cultural, that has serious implications for the EU. Without the prospect of membership, our influence amongst our immediate members greatly diminishes. Turkey is already showing signs of exploring a different path to the EU, which is dismaying but hardly surprising.

Similarly, if the EU simply becomes seen as an old-world redoubt for declining European states, our stock with the rest of the world, especially the Arab world, will be lowered.

The acceptance of Muslim states into the Union would yield great strategic benefits to the EU both in terms of hard and soft power.

It would also demonstrate that the EU is a forward-thinking, inclusive project that is not obsessed with the ‘clash of civilisations’ of centuries past.

No New Christendom

Marseille

Ammelie Pommier, EDS

A city facing the issue of multiculturalism

Henry Hill, EDS

Europe must welcome secular, modernising Muslim states into the Union.

The origins of Marseille show us the exceptionalism and the diversity of this French city. Massalia, at that time, was founded by the Greeks from Phocaea in 600 BC. Marseille has always been an important place for Mediterranean trade, shown in the importance of its port. Through many different influences, a strong identity emerged in this city. That is why in France we use the term “Marseillais” to talk about pride.

Marseille, partly because of immigration, became the second biggest city in France.

Indeed, from the end of the Second World War and the need of workers in France, many immigrants arrived in Marseille. Marseille also became a very important city for French people sent back to France from Algeria at the end of the war, in 1962. Many of them settled on the French Mediterranean cost and it had a real effect on the economic development of this region. That is how, with its crucial geographic situation, Marseille has always been a crossroads of influences, marked by Mediterranean history.

The number of immigrants in Marseille is quite high and shows to France the problems the

Bullseye

country can face with the social issues immigration can lead to.

Immigrants in Marseille come from different parts of the world, creating many communities in the city. We count in Marseille many people from the Maghreb region, especially Algeria.

These are the most important group of immigrants, and also the oldest. Today, most new migrants come from places such as Romania, Serbia, the Comoros, China or the Sahel region.

These people come to get a better life and to work to support their families, but unfortunately the country is not able to provide them jobs, especially with the recent economic crisis. Furthermore, France embodies a dream of security, freedom and positive values to most immigrants. However some want to bring their own culture with them and to live it even if it is against the French laws, an example of which is polygamy.

Last year, the burqa debate showed the problems France faces with multiculturalism.

The respect of other peoples’ cultures is fundamental to the French ideal. However, the French Republic should not change its rules because of the aspiration of some communi-

ties. The equality in France, between men and women, cannot tolerate the burqa and other ideas which strangle women’s freedom. Marseille is one of the cities which face most of these immigrants’ demands, such as womenonly swim hours in the public swimming pools.

The biggest issue is that most of the immigrants face social problems like unemployment, bad quality accommodation, drugs and violence. This situation cultivates a ‘black’ economy and leads to a the lack of respect towards the State’s representatives such as policemen or teachers.

However, an important issue for Marseille, and France in general, faces is that some immigrants do not want to become integrated into French society. This creates many problems including tensions between different communities and the non-respect of French laws and values.

To think about the future of Marseille, we have to look at the Arab countries where revolutions happened this year. Many waves of immigrants could come to Europe, especially on the Mediterranean coast, and become a new issue for cities like Marseille.

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Challenges of Multiculturalism in Germany Ana Janelidze, Graali, Georgia

In Europe Germany has been the main destination country for refugees and asylum seekers for many years. Managing an influx of refugees, asylum seekers and migrant workers is a considerable challenge. The most important test is how to make it possible for people of different backgrounds, values and beliefs, coming from different nations around the world, to live harmoniously side by side in a multicultural society.

After World War II, when the whole country was in ruins and the German economic miracle demanded labor, the guest worker program was launched by the then government, which directly responded to the increasing demand in construction and industry. They were supposed to work in Germany and then return to their home countries, but the policymakers were wrong. They wanted workers, but they got human beings with their families, customs and culture. Thus, these migrants were treated as guests. This program had also its disadvantages: In 1978, the German Parliament considered the problems of housing, medical services, schooling of migrant children and relations with the German population carried a risk of rising conflicts, and established the office of a “Commissioner for the Promotion of Integration of Foreign Employees and their families” under the competence of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Integration of migrants was officially recognized as obviously necessary.

In December 1983, a new law came into force which promoted voluntary return of migrants by financial support such as refund of the employees’ share of pension fund payments in case of per-

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manent return. About 250,000 migrants returned, but the expectations of the government were not fully met: the number of returned migrants was far below the intended figures; Moreover, many of those who returned already intended to do so and simply brought forward their planned departures in order to get the benefits of the program.

The concept of integration of immigrants was ignored for a long time by German policymakers.

The conservatives long maintained that Germany was not a country of immigration, while the political left relied on laissez-faire, claiming that a multicultural society without conflict would simply develop automatically and live harmoniously side-by-side. The consequences are different, as nowadays a disproportionate number of young people from immigrant families are unemployed and dependent on welfare benefits mainly due to the lack of language skills and lower levels of education. Nowadays, according to the interview of former Federal Minister of the Interior of Germany Otto Schilly, with the Carnegie Council Public Affairs Program, “Germany is a country of immigration… and needs immigration, which serves the economic and demographic interests of our country”.

Since the 1980s, Germany has been the main target destination for people seeking asylum in Western Europe. The German government did not develop an immigration policy and for the longest time either ignored immigration or treated it mainly as a burden and a problem. For half a century, German policy on immigration claimed that “The Federal Republic of Germany is not

a country of immigration; it does not aim to increase intentionally its number of citizens by naturalization”. Thus at the beginning of the 1990s, Germany was regarded as a “reluctant country of immigration” by the American scholar Phil Martin.

In response to an increased demand for foreign specialists in the IT industry, in March 2000 the German chancellor introduced a so-called “Green Card” for the recruitment of foreign information technology experts. There was a demand of changes in German immigration policy. The new German Immigration Act, which came into force in 2005, aimed “to control and restrict the influx of foreigners into Germany as well as to enable and organize immigration with due regard to the capacities for admission and integration and the interests of Germany’s economy and labour market and humanitarian obligations”.

The German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s statement that German multiculturalism, the socalled “multikulti” concept-where people would “live side-by-side” happily - “utterly failed”, and that immigrants needed to do more to integrate including learning German, has caused intense debates about multiculturalism in Germany which is home to around 4 million Muslims. On the other hand, Angela Merkel also mentioned that immigrants are welcome in Germany, and although the words “utterly failed” are very strong, but there are also nuanced messages under these words about the usefulness of immigrants in a country that needs skilled labour to promote economic development and fill vacancies in the labour force. Later, Horst Seehofer, the premier of Bavaria and a member of the Christian Social Union, the Bavarian sister party of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats which is conservative on social issues, called for a halt to Turkish and Arabic immigration and “get tougher on those who refuse to integrate”. In August 2010 Thilo Sarrazin published a book in which he claimed German multicultural society was facing collapse due to the growing number of under-educated Muslims who were increasingly reluctant to integrate and tended to rely more on social services than to be productive. According to the report prepared by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, 55 percent of Germans found Arabs to be “unpleasant people” compared with 44 percent in the foundation’s 2003 report. As for whether Muslims should face restrictions in practicing their religion, 58 percent agreed.

The issue of multiculturalism has always been a subject of hot debates and Germany is no exception. The main interest in this process is to somehow manage to regulate the situation and promote the harmonious life of different people with disparate cultures, values and beliefs side-by-side.

Several politicians and writers in Europe are reconsidering security issues following the London disturbances, demographic stagnation in most western countries and increasing international migration. That’s why politicians try to rethink the traditional concept of cultural pluralism and multiculturalism.

In the Czech republic, our main problem in this field is the so-called “Roma integration”.

Recommendations and programs of the major intergovernmental and international organizations concerning the so-called “Roma Integration” identify the causes of social problems of the Roma, but so mistakenly. These programs lead to the creation of symbolic structures attempting to implement often impractical (and impracticable) programs and concepts, which have led to the strengthening of the Roma Community (“empowerment”). However these have actually weakened the Romas’ chances for integration with the majority.

The reasons for this are historical. After the mass extermination of Gypsies during World War II, only 600 Gypsies survived - mostly men. The Communist party enticed Gypsies to work into the abandoned Sudetenland.

The idea was to replace the previous German population. The Communists decided to prac-

BULLSEYE

Vladimír Maryška , EDS

Where is the problem with integration in Czech Republic? tice social engineering (typical for that time).

The idea was that “socialist states, based on the Marxist doctrine of solving gypsy issues in accordance with the dialectic, would change the lifestyle of Gypsies and eventually destroy all social and cultural differences. ” One result of this policy was for example Act No 74 of 1958 - Ordering the permanent settlement of migrating persons.

This policy failed, and so after 20 years a new wave of social engineering was launched.

The new idea was “Gypsy relocation” into the larger community, regardless of family bonds and traditions. A typical example might be the “Chánov” estate - established 1978.

Coexistence with the majority deteriorated and the Communist regime tried to appease Gypsies with social benefits. This made them dependent on the state as this was the only way to demonstrate loyalty.

This trend merely accelerated in 1989. Tensions between majority and minority groups are currently growing and are demonstrated more aggressively, and this is directly attributable to the communist regime’s lax approach to this issue.

The Communists destroyed the idea of an emancipated gypsy elite which would be gradually assimilated show the way to others.

Today we are at the beginning in the Czech republic and our society must learn to respect the Roma identity, autonomy and its life style. This is of course easier to said, in fact we will have a lot of tolerance in the future. A fundamental condition is that Czechs realized that the country is not their exclusive property but that other ethnic groups also live in the Czech Republic.

The Roma need a leader and to develop effective leadership they must cooperate.

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THEME

THEME

Supporters and opponents of Ann-Sofie Pauwelyn, EDS

multiculturalism in the Netherlands

Multiculturalism is a hot issue nowadays.

In a lot of countries it is a contentious subject.

Living in a multicultural environment can be very interesting. You can learn from each other and

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re-adjust your points of view on any subject from religion to cooking. But often natives wonder how far multiculturalism can go. Should they give up their own culture and build on a new mixed culture or are immigrants expected to leave their culture behind them and adapt to the culture of their new home country? How can we achieve the right balance? This question remains unanswered until now.

One of the political figures in Europe has an answer to this. His name is Geert Wilders and he is the leader of the right-wing party PVV, Partij voor de Vrijheid or Party for Freedom. Geert Wilders is a kind of eccentric looking man. But he is not only known for his platinum blonde hair; he receives a lot of media attention because of his hard criticism of Islam. His party is the third biggest party in the Netherlands and one of their main points is to stop the immigration of people who come from Muslim countries. Because of this policy line, PVV, is often seen as a populistic and extremist right wing party, although Wilders strongly states that he does not agree with extreme right leaders such as the Austrian politician Jörg Haider or the French politician Jean-Marie Le Penn.

For PVV Islam is not a religion but a totalitarian political ideology. That is why Wilders was not afraid to compare the Koran with Mein Kampf. In 2008, he released a short film, named Fitna, in which he makes the link between verses from the Koran and terrorist activities. Another famous statement of Wilders runs as follows: “I don’t hate Muslims, I hate Islam”. Wilders is also a big fan of the freedom of speech law. Every time he provokes, he falls back on this law. But on the other hand he speaks against the distribution of the Koran in the Netherlands. He wants the book banned.

Reason enough for some people to accuse him of hypocrisy and of spreading feelings of hatred against immigrants. Reason enough for others to start threatening him and to try to murder him.

Wilders does not really care about those threats and the persons who planned a murder attack were captured before even being able to execute their plans, but eventually Wilders was brought to the Court in 2010-2011 because of his racist one-

liners. Unfortunately for his opponents, the court cleared him of the charges. Freedom of speech allows him to express his opinions, and his provoking statements could be a stimulus for the public debate around immigration, multiculturalism and Islam in society.

Europe is also a big issue for the PVV: The EU takes too much sovereignty from the Netherlands and makes too many decisions that are not in favour of the Netherlands. Furthermore, Wilders strongly opposes a Muslim county such as Turkey ever joining the EU. The Christian, Jewish and humanist traditions are the dominant traditions in the West, and it should remain that, certainly in the Netherlands As seen from the European point of view, Wilders’ ideas are pretty radical. The balance here between the culture of the West and the cultures of immigrants is totally lost. Unfortunately, this loss of balance is strongly present in the Netherlands and that is a huge problem, as more than 10% of the inhabitants are foreigners from nonwestern countries. That is why I looked for a Dutch organization that supports multiculturalism. They do exist!

SMOA (Stichting Multiculturele Organisatie Almere, loosely translated as the Council for Multicultural Organisation in Almere) is one of those organizations which tries to reestablish the balance. SMOA is based in Almere, a city of 200.000 inhabitants and the PVV hold 9 of the 39 seats on the City Council. For the SMOA it is important to make natives and foreigners work together, because multiculturalism is not only about foreign cultures but also about the culture of the natives.

They work at neighbourhood level and try to integrate non-natives into the city and at the same time to respect their culture. Working at neighbourhood level is stimulating for the social coherence of the city and good for participating in cultural debates. SMOA stresses solidarity between all the citizens of Almere and supports the young citizens in discovering their talents and gives them the chance to develop them. They achieve this by the Street Story Project. This project takes place every six months and gives citizens of Almere the chance to tell stories about their lives in their city.

There is also a bigger project, that is meant for the whole country: the World Cup Football. People from all over the country can represent their native country in a football team.

The Dutch are a very multicultural society. Although there is sometimes considerable tension between the different cultures, multiculturalism is something very valuable. It is a source of innovation, creativity and exchange. Finding the right balance between those cultures will take a long time, but organizations such as SMOA show us that there are people who are eager to search for this balance.

First week – PLANNING FROM HOME

Let’s start with looking for a flat. Ok, but how much it is? Need to learn fast about currency of this country. Sounds terrible. And how is the market price for renting a flat there? Where should I rent it? Is it better to stay in city centre or rather go to the outskirts?

In the end of the week I decided for small apartment in the centre, with similar price to my hometown.

Second week – FIRST STEPS IN NEW CITY

read a bit on the embassy website about immigration regulations. After renting a flat I need to go to official immigration office to register myself. I could recognize office from far away after a long queue. Hour. Queue moved a bit. Two hours. Doesn’t look optimistic. Third hour. I am trying to follow the strange queuing system. I got the number but there is no order number logic in inviting number holders. Ok, thats me.

After half hour talk with the office clerk I get to know that I cannot be registered as my work contract is not signed yet. That surprises me much as in work they told that I first need to obtain documents to sign the contract. Vicious circle. Luckily for me the office superviser decides register me after signing declaration that I will present a signed contract within ten days.

Next day I decide to face court. For my job I need to present evidence that I haven’t been sentenced by any court. Would be easier to bring it from my country, but unfortunately this is not possible. Actually as I never have been here before it is pretty obvious I will not have any criminal record here, but still that procedure is making my life more complicated. There is just one office i can receive it. Prepared for another long queue I took a book with me. This time it was faster. Just an hour and I can obtain a document stating I have no criminal record in this country. What a surprise…

My next steps lead me to the tax authority. Here it is easier. Just a few documents are required and the tax number should be send within a few days to my new apartment.

People are looking on me pretty strangely when every time before filling in my new address I need to check how to write it…

At the end of the week I am going to the bank. I need to have a bank account here as the company doesn’t want to pay for international transfers. It isalso easier for me as the charges for withdrawing money in other country are usually high. Again that strange queue system. In the entire bank just a handful of people speak English, so I need to wait until one of them will take care of me. No way! I would never believe that could take one and a half hours to open an account.

Third week – LET’S START THE JOB

Every country has it’s own working culture, that was pretty obvious for me. But I never suspected how big these differences can be. Lunch does not imply the same thing everywhere. I think I will never learn about the public transport system here. In the beginning I am walking all the time with a map.

After reading about all these problems likely you, dear reader, believe I moved somewhere far away in totally other culture country. I will surprise you. I moved just from one to another member country of European Union. Even if in theory we already have freedom of movement, it is still not so easy. Language barriers exist as not everyone in the administration speak English, and the registration process in most of countries of European Union are time consuming and very complicated. I am afraid if I was really alone in this new city, I would not have managed.

Decided. I am moving to another country. I received an interesting job offer and this is my chance to develop my career. I already know it will be not easy. I do not know the language. I do not know Sandra Falkowsk a, EDS the country. I do not know anybody there.

How will I manage?

Ok, calm down – it is not Australia. In the worst case I am just a few hours flight from home.

BULLSEYE

How is it to be an immigrant?

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EVENTS

EVENTS

EDS active Juraj Antal, EDS

Samuli Kauranne, EDS

EDS in Prague

and vivid on international stage all over Europe

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The first Council Meeting of European Democrat Students of the working year 2011/2012 took place in Prague, Czech Republic from 13th to 18th September, 2011.

Tuesday was an arrival day featuring welcome addresses and a foreword to the ConferenceSeminar by patron of the event, Czech Minister of the Environment Tomáš Chalupa. He stressed his pleasure that the topic of this event, ecology and sustainable development, attracts so many young people and that they had decided to attend this conference. The evening was concluded with a welcome dinner, and informal ice-breaking activities.

Wednesday and Thursday were centred around educational activities for the participants, following a participants-based approach. Lectures aimed at providing accurate and up-to-date information from experts in the field of energy security, environment and sustainable development. The lectures were mostly concentrating on the Czech Republic as a case study of the situation and challenges faced in Central Europe during the last 20 years. Half a year after the Fukushima tragedy, lectures on nuclear energy and its future in Europe were given and vividly discussed among participants who did not all share the same views about this controversial, yet current subject.

On Wednesday morning, participants took part in a group exercise; a simulated session of the European Parliament. During the long session, young politicians gathered to discuss important issues which Europe faces nowadays, such as the Greek financial crisis, the European monetary union or the future of eurozone.

During Wednesday and Thursday the participants also had a chance to get to know the cultural heritage and political background of the Czech Republic in the informal part of the programme through visits to the Czech Parliament, Prague castle, and during guided walks in the centre of the Golden City.

Friday’s main content surrounded the interactive Working Groups on

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1.

the areas of Higher Education and Research, Human Rights and Policies for Europe. The groups were moderated by participants, known as cochairs, who had received training for the task during the preparation meeting. The main purpose of the working groups was to discuss and to amend the proposed conference resolution, taking into account the different perspectives of each working group and the general topic of sustainable development. Participants had the chance to debate on this matter, recalling the issues they had been learning about during the last two days, and to make their voice heard in the resolution paper, which aimed to foster the awareness for sustainable development in this part of our continent.

After each group had exhausted their input to the conference resolution, they also discussed several group-specific political motions on various topics, which had been presented by member organisations of EDS before the event, with approved motions then discussed in a further political debate during the Council Meeting on Saturday.

On Saturday morning, the participants gathered together at a plenary session to present the work of each working group, and to merge the proposals into a single cohesive document.

In Saturday afternoon, the Council of EDS had its formal session, where it, among other current topics on the agenda, the council adopted the presented final conference resolution unanimously, making it the official position of European Democrat Students on sustainable development.

During his closing remarks, Chairman Antal gave thanks to the organisers of the meeting, Mladí Konzervativci, the 20 year old youth organisation which is active all over the Czech Republic

This fall started with an active presence of the European Democrat Students in many diverse fora. Just after CM in Prague Juraj Antal, Chairman, Bence Bauer, Honorary Chairman and Samuli Kauranne, Secretary General were present at the first Political Assembly of the EPP 19-20 September finalizing the changeover meeting from the old to the new bureau.

The EDS resolution on European Identity, adopted in CM Budapest, passed the PA with unanimity.

The same week, Chairman Antal and Editor-in-chief Sandra Falkowska represented EDS in the European Ideas Network Summer University from 22 -23 September in Bucharest, Romania. The meeting concluded with a clear stand in support of the earliest possible Schengen accession of Romania and Bulgaria, a policy towards a Europe without borders which EDS has long supported. The Ideas Network also highlighted the role Europe can play in its Eastern neighbourhood, especially in the Black Sea Region.

In its second year in this role EDS has also been present in the Civic Academy in Gdansk. Policy Director Gintare Narkevičiuté took part in this event commemorating Polish Solidarność Movement in Gdansk (Poland) between 28 September and 3 October. The event showed the importance of Solidarity in history but also its message for today.

Also EPP WG 3 has been attended under chairmanship of Corien Wortman Kool. Director for European Integration Issaev took part in the discussion about possible members of European People’s Party on 5 October 2011 in Brussels.

EDS went to the Forum 2000 for the first time ever which was held on 9 – 11 October in Prague. Chairman Antal and PWG cochair Charlotte Spurkeland took part of the 15th annual seminar, this time entitled “Democracy and the Rule of Law”. It was opened by the founder, President Václav Havel, and the video message of Aungh San SuuKyi. In the next week, between 16th and 19th of October the Advisory Council on Youth of the Council of Europe and the Joint Council with the ministries met in Budapest.

Juraj Antal was representing EDS as it has

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one seat in the AC. Discussions about the importance of Youth in Action Programme and its future engaged people from different countries and regions all over Europe.

Following the meeting in Budapest, Juraj Antal was present in the EPP Campaign Managers Meeting, 19-22 October hosted by EPP associate member party G17+ from Serbia in the Serbian capital Belgrade.

Samuli Kauranne represented EDS on IRL Youth‘s Seminar in Tallinn and Tartu, Estonia between 28-30 October. Our Estonian friends held the event entitled ”Europe Remembers: The Price of Freedom and Democracy as Seen from a Historic Point of View“.

Juraj Antal and Bernhard Krall, Vice Chairman for External Relations and Memberships were present in the Political Assembly of the EPP between 7-8 November and EPP WG 1 in Brussels when at the same time Deputy Secretary General Dace Spelmane represented EDS in EPP WG 2.

On 11th and 12th of November Honorary Chairman Bence Bauer and Secretary General Samuli Kauranne represented EDS at the ODM 20th anniversary and congress in Bratislava. In presence of all former chairmen of ODM and invited ministers and members of parliament, the importance of cooperation between

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ODM and EDS has been pointed out.

In the meantime Bernhard Krall represented EDS at RCDS’ event in Königswinter, Konrad Adenauer Fundation Academy Eichholz, Germany at their Europakongress on 12 November.

In the following week Juraj Antal and Benrhard Krall have been present in the General Assembly of the European Youth Forum in Braga, Portugal between 17-20 November. Together with DEMYC and YEPP they worked on election of center right representatives to new Advisory Council on Youth of the Council of Europe.

As active chairman Juraj Antal also went to TK Finland’s congress in Vaasa, where he addressed the delegates in Finnish between 24-28 November.

At the beginning of December Editor-in-chief of BullsEye Sandra Falkowska as regular member of the working group on Eastern Europe and Caucasus of European Youth Forum attended WG days in Baku, Azerbaijan.

All the activities described above have proven constant interest in the activities of EDS. The partners of EDS were presented with EDS’ positions and standpoints for the further successful implementation of our political beliefs.

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UNIVERSITY

BUREAU

University of Manchester

Henry Hill, EDS

The biggest University of UK The University of Manchester is the largest and – according to some – best university in the United Kingdom. In 2005 and 2006 it was awarded the title ‘University of the Year’. It is the UK’s most popular university, with some 60,000 students applying for undergraduate study every year.

The university is part of the Russell Group, a group of the most research-intensive universities in the United Kingdom. It has 25 Nobel Laureates amongst its former students and staff, the third highest number in the UK after Oxford and Cambridge. The university also has four Nobel Laureates currently on staff, including Joseph Stiglitz, former Chief Economist to the World Bank. This is the highest number of Nobel prize-winning current staff of any UK university.

The University of Manchester was established

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in 2004 following the merger of two universities. The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology – UMIST – traces its origins back to the Mechanics’ Institute which was founded by Manchester industrialists in 1824. The Victoria University of Manchester could trace its origins back to 1851, and it was for a while part of the federal Victoria University which covered Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool.

Manchester is the UK’s largest university, with over 40,000 students studying there at any given time. It teaches undergraduates, postgraduates and doctoral students across a wide range of over 500 subjects. There is also a large community of international students from over 180 countries across the world. The university offers guaranteed accommodation for international students accepted to study, which makes the decision to move to Manchester considerably easier to make.

The university also has a thriving International Society. This society of over 3000 foreign students organises dozens of classes and over 100 social events a year. These range from cultural trips and parties to hikes in the local countryside. They also offer a Hospitality Scheme to introduce international students to local people and run their own café. You can find out more about the International Society by visiting their website, www.internationalsociety.org.uk.

The main university campus is located in south Manchester along the famous Oxford Road.

This is where humanities and medical students spend most of their time. This is very close to the Student Union as well as the John Rylands Library, the third largest university library in the UK, which contains over four million books as well as access to lots of online journals and archive material. The old documents library in Deansgate contains thousands of historical manuscripts and even medieval texts.

Some science and engineering students use a different campus, which includes the famous Sackville Street building. Science students at the university may also have the opportunity

to use the Jodrell Bank observatory as well as cutting edge laboratory facilities. Two University of Manchester staff, Professors Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, were recently awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics for their discovery of two-dimensional graphine.

The student union, UMSU, has a huge number of student societies for people to get involved with. These range from national and cultural societies to hobby groups and political clubs.

If a club you’re looking for does not exist when you arrive, you can set it up with only 30 signatures. Such societies receive money and support from the student union to help them engage with students.

One of the best things about student life in Manchester is Pangaea, the huge festival organised twice a year by the student union. This huge not-for-profit event has live bands across more than 12 stages, including big-name artists. It also attracts acts as diverse as carnival parades and fire jugglers! There have also been themed festivals which saw thousands upon thousands of students rock up in fancy dress, transforming the campus overnight into a fantasy garden, a Latin American festival or even an alien planet.

International students are also represented on the Student Council by the International Students Officer and a number of council seats are reserved for international students as well. This helps to ensure that the concerns of foreign students are heard by the student union and the University Senate.

The university campus is deeply embedded into the city centre, ensuring that students have full access to some of the best culture and most exciting nightlife in the whole United Kingdom. Being in the north of the country, living in Manchester is much cheaper than living in London and the possibilities are almost as great. The historic cities of Liverpool and Leeds, the mountains of Wales and even Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland are all easily reachable by railway. Meanwhile, Manchester International Airport is well-connected by bus and train to the city, allowing students easy access to all manner of foreign destinations as well as easy access home.

Founded as a school to teach workers the basics of science at the start of the Industrial Revolution, the University of Manchester has been at the heart of one of the UK’s greatest cities for almost two centuries. Today, a regenerated Manchester is once again one of the UK’s foremost cities for business and culture.

If you’re looking for an affordable and exciting student experience at one of Europe’s largest and most respected universities, then look no further than the University of Manchester.

The New Executive Bureau of EDS is chaired by Juraj ANTAL from Slovakia, with Samuli KAURANNE from Finland as the Secretary-General. Both served as Vice-Chairmen in the outgoing Bureau. They are responsible for the daily operation of EDS, Juraj as a political leader and decision maker, and Samuli as the manager who keeps things organised and moving.

The new Bureau has eight Vice-Chairmen, each with their assigned areas of responsibility. They keep busy individually and together in smaller teams in order to keep EDS up to speed.

Kalin ZAHARIEV from Bulgaria and Alexandros POLITIS from Greece together form a team in charge of the core policy work of EDS. While Alexandros plans the input to EDS Working Groups, Kalin is responsible for co-ordinating the practical work of the Permanent Working Groups, as well as planning strategies to improve the output of EDS policy work.

Martin HALADA from Czech Republic complements the policies team by planning and executing EDS campaigns. He is also responsible for coordinating EDS fundraising activities together with the Chairman and the Secretariat.

Ingrid HOPP from Norway is responsible for co-ordinating and helping to organise all EDS events. She stays in touch with the organisers, observes the following of guidelines and performs evaluations afterwards. She is also responsible for staying in touch with the extensive EDS Alumni network.

Bernhard KRALL from Austria is in charge of representing EDS in external events and towards organisations where EDS is a member, together with the Chairman.

Romain SIMMARANO is in charge of all legal questions the Bureau faces.

He is the designated expert in EDS statutes, as well as in charge of any legal questions regarding both current and prospective EDS member organisations.

Finally, the Publications and Communications team is formed by Andraž KASTELIC from Slovenia and Nenad VAJZOVIĆ from Croatia. Nenad is in charge of maintaining all communications, both towards our members as well as towards the outside world and press. He is also in charge of nonlegal membership questions as well as evaluating prospective member organisations. Andraž oversees the productions of all publications of EDS. He also works as the Editor of the Monthly EDS Newsletter and assists the Policies team in input and research questions.

Two Directors are also non-voting members of the Bureau. The Director of Policies Gintare NARKEVICIUTE from Lithuania assists the Policies team by taking care of long-term strategic planning of EDS. Meanwhile the Director of European Integration Artur ISSAEV has responsibility to actively scout prospective new member organisations, especially from Western European countries which currently have no representation in EDS.

Last, but not least, the Honorary Chairman Bence BAUER works as the Bureau’s senior advisor as well as a high ambassador in honour. Dace SPĒLMANE from Latvia works as the Deputy Secretary General and is the only employee of EDS. Her tasks include running the EDS office in Brussels and assisting the Bureau in daily management of the organisation.

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