BullsEye No.55 "U matter! European Elections 2014"

BullsEye Feb’14 / 52nd year / No. 55 / ISSN 2033-7809

The newsmagazine of European Democrat Students

EDS

MATTER

U!

EUROPEAN

ELECTIONS 2014

EDITORIAL

CONTENT

Hello, and welcome to the latest edition of BullsEye – the EDS’ magazine written by our members.

Henry Hill, Editor-in-chief

This continues to be a time of trials for the European Union. The economic crisis continues to drag on, depriving the EU of the growth and prosperity which was its foundation as a free trade area. In my own United Kingdom, talk of secession continues to mount as the country gets increasingly furious as European meddling in domestic affairs.

Even I have not been immune: as I write in the BEOn section, if the Union continues to promote worthless regulations like banning menthol cigarettes my patience with it will wear very thin.

Yet in the east things are even more serious. The post-communist dictatorship in Byelorussia remains a stain upon a continent that believes in democratic politics and the rule of law.

Meanwhile in the Ukraine Putin and his henchmen threaten to tear the country apart in a bitter Cold War rearguard action. The scenes in Kiev are a reminder that Ukraine is yet another test of the EU’s willingness to exert strength, police its borders and protect vulnerable democracies – a test we previously failed in Yugoslavia.

Finally, we are on the cusp of the next elections to the European Parliament, in which our own EPP will go head to head with a range of new opponents on the Eurosceptic right – from the reform-minded European Conservatives and Reformists to the Europe of Freedom and Democracy bloc, not to mention the possibility of a new far-right bloc forming after the polls.

The role of young people in these elections will be critical. This is particularly true for young supporters of the pro-European centre-right, who stand the best chance of convincing their peers that a regime of low taxes, personal liberty and free markets is deliverable inside the European Union (against, it must be admitted, current evidence).

As ever, I’ll finish this editorial with an invitation to get involved. BullsEye has no paid staff and depends on contributions from you, the reader with something to say. We’re a great outlet for new writers and if you would like to join the debate on the future of Europe, we’d love to hear from you.

Society in the Society 04 Georgians on the march for European power 06 The Situation in Ukraine

Interview Interview with President of EPP Joseph Daul 10 Interview with MEP Roberta Metsola 09

BeOn

11 Strategies against populism and

Euroscepticism 13 Strength and Liberty: The EU I want

Theme 16 This time you decide

Reports

Dear readers,

18 Eurosceptic Parties - An Overview

Welcome to the EDS Winter University in Budapest. And along with that great event, new issue of Bulls Eye arrive. Thanks to the high-quality contributions from the editorial team and other authors, we assemble an excellent overview in many European topics, events and processes. You hold in your hands a “bouquet” of different opinions, views and attitudes of young people from across Europe.

We live in interesting times. Numerous protests dynamic changes on the political map, and European elections are only part of the eventful year ahead. Many people who read this magazine are precisely the people who will take the most active part in upcoming elections for European Parliament - as candidates and activists.

Therefore, I want to wish you a fruitful campaign and I’m sure after May we will greet each other with a convincing election victory.

I wish you a pleasant reading.

EDS Vice Chairman

04 Student Occupation in Bulgaria:

14 Are we “Up2Youth”?

Please, enjoy the issue.

Andrey Novakov,

Current Affairs

19 Capitalism will eradicate poverty 21 Fidesz and the Reinvention of

the Hungarian Center-right

Universities

22 Living the European experience 23 A University in Exile 25 Italian university system on the precipice 26 Interview with Commissoner Hahn

Council of Europe 27 Guarantee for human rights and

rule of law

Bureau 20 Bureau

BULLSEYE

ISSN: Print: 2033-7809, Online: 2033-7817 Editor-in-chief: Henry Hill, Editorial team: Silvie Rohr, Stefanie Mayrhofer, Elisabeta Ungureanu, Henry Hill, David Vaculik, Annette Thoresen, Contributions: Silvie Rohr, Annette Thoresen, Florian Hartleb, Kalin Zahariev, Boyan Tanev, Eva Majewski, Elina Foinska, Florian Weinberger, Virgilio Falco, Gueorg Georgiev, Bence Bauer, Ivan Burazin, Viivika Melts, Stefanie Mayrhofer, Andrey Novakov, Henry Hill, Photos: Balázs Szecsődi, European Commission archives, KAS archives, private archives, Shutterstock, Design: Creacion. si, 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

The newsmagazine of European Democrat Students

Articles and opinions published in this magazine are not nessessarily reflecting the position of EDS, EDS Bureau or the Editorial team.

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Publication supported by: European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe

CHAIRMAN’S LETTER

Dear friends of EDS, Welcome to Budapest! Just one week before the big EPP Congress in Dublin, where the party will nominate its candidate for Head of Commission, we are meeting here to discuss the influence of young voters. In fact, the participation of young voters in European Elections is significantly lower than the one of the general population: just 29 per cent vs. 43 per cent in the EP elections in 2009.

However, it does make a difference! Not just in the onset of revolutions, the young generation plays a significant role. In fact, young voters in university cities have often tipped the scales: by as little as 200-300 votes the majority support for candidates was altered and decisive voting districts were lost - or won - bringing a new government into office.

Therefore, in EDS we are certain: YOU MATTER! We deeply believe that students and our peers can add to elections. So it is up to us to have a say, express our opinion, and influence our future by casting our vote! It is this deep trust that we in EDS share. We need to spread this trust to our peers - and we can guide by example. Over the last couple of months, we have had our say in the compilation of the electoral programme, the ‘Action Programme 2014-2019’ of the European People’s Party.

By having our ideas included in this programme, we ensure that they will be reflected in the work of the yet to be voted in European Parliament.

The vote at the end of May will therefore be a vote for our ideas! This is our chance to not just support young candidates and hence young views - it is OUR PROGRAMME and our EPP! We are in the campaign together with some of the most experienced politicians and experts from Europe. We offer solutions for the Union that we live in. It is not by accident that the Nobel Peace Price was awarded to the European Union. The whole idea has made a continent grow together. And we grow closer together every day - not just out of economic necessity but by learning from each other. We students experience a Europe no generation has seen before: (almost) without borders, we unite and can stress the opinion and demands that we as a young generation have. And we have a lot relevant ideas - and we have a choice.

We must encourage our friends, our peers, to go strive for a future we can believe in. Therefore, we will discuss during this Winter University and beyond how we can get involved better than before.

Being part of EPP means being progressive in that respect, too. We are the first political family to open the stage to a vaster public by allowing them to contribute with ideas through the CES initiative ‘Up2Youth’. Here, young people from all over Europe have participated and contributed with their ideas to the electoral programme, among them many members from EDS member organizations. This helps us in enforcing our policies we have been promoting within EPP, such as the European Digital University with the agenda evolving around the opportunities of digital supported learning as well as research and education in general.

Also, the EPP has taken the next step in online campaigning. The eCampaigners will contribute to our success in the elections. By the use of the vast variety of all social media channels, they reach to our generation as no one before. Together, we will succeed!

It is our future, so MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT! But for now: enjoy the read of our new issue of BullsEye to stay tuned about the policies we discuss!

BULLSEYE

With best regards from the entire Bureau,

Eva Majewski, Chairwoman

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CURRENT AFFAIRS Georg Georgiev

Student occupation in Bulgaria: Society in the Society

For a long time, the general perception of young people was of a marginalised group apathetic to political and social processes - a group of people which either cannot or does not want to form an opinion or to express it in public space.

This perception led to the paradoxical “lost generation”, and to the patronizing terms of the politicians and the civil society directed towardsthe young as people who are unable to deal with their problems and whose views extend no further than “here and now” .

Young people became objects of a constant search for solutions to secure their existence, developing policies tailored to their specific needs, which created a separate branch of the state apparatus to address the enigma called “youth”. Few however questioned what requires separation of the young from all other social groups, what makes young people the more different, the more specific, the more atypical.

It looks like no-one remembers the time when he or she was a student, looking for a first job or facing the difficulty of choosing which path to take. Listening to

speeches we might think that the past gave birth to grown individuals, mature enough to be fully prepared to face the difficulties that life throws at them.

Perhaps it wouldn’t be fair to say that this marginalization of young people is only relevant in to today.

Mistrust has always beenfactor when reviewing this group of society, although we find significant paradox if we think how many expectations and responsibilities young people areburdened with.

In the linguistic tradition as the most complete form of the term “young “ are recognized the students.

Those people whose age sometimes does not fit within the concept of youth but completely fills this category with semantically intrinsic characteristics - strength, activity, innovation. Students who have always been the “last pier” for the moral and ideas, ambassadors of dignity and values, correctors of the highest of politicians and governors.

History shows that it is the students who have always been at the forefront of dissatisfaction against power.

They have organized protests,defied the suppressive status quo, they have been the agents of change.

Consecutive confirmation of this fact came this month whenstudents occupied the central building of the oldest and largest university in Bulgaria – the Sofia University.

This came as sequel of more than four-month lasted protests against the socialist-led government in the country, which was formed in May this year after elections with suspicious results, for which there is evidence that the Bulgarian Socialist Party and its partner, the ethnic party Movement for Rights and Freedoms, manipulated the vote.

Anette Thoresen

Georgians on the march for Eur Georgia, as a country on the outskirts of Europe, has been going back and forth between Europe and Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union. Under the rule of Saakashvili, the country reached out her hands towards the European Union and dreamt of becoming a member of NATO. After the parliamentary victory of the pro-Russian political party Georgian Dream in the elections of 2012, Tbilisi looked to Russia.

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Newly inaugurated President Margvelashvili however, has changed the course of the country once again. He has promised a focus on NATO and called Georgians a nation of Europeans. He also wants to end the Soviet times and sees Georgia as a balance between Asia and Europe. Despite his hopes, his speeches of promises and good words, the parliament is not in harmony over its choice of partners and the country faces major challenges in the near future in the battle of picking its closest ally.

As the demonstrators in Ukraine cried for the integration into Europe while the government sold their soul to Russia, the disputes spilled over to Georgia.

A large section of the politicians support President Janukovytsj, while the rest of the parliament supports the demonstrators and the dream of Europe.

They condemn the violence against the demonstrators and demand the resignation of the President.

This led to a clash during the parliamentary meet-

ings, with throwing of documents and brawling.

This is a clear sign that the political elite of Georgia are divided on the right international path.

Prime Minister Garibashvili recently met with President Barroso of the European Commission. Georgia still has a way to go when it comes to freedom of the press, fair trials, a reliable justice system and basic human rights, as was stressed by President Barroso. Garibashvili seems eager to reform and his first trip to Brussels cheers on the hopes of integration, although no promises were made in regards to the already incarcerated political prisoners.

NATO and the USA have deepened their defence alliances with Georgia over the past few years, both politically and through corporation in Afghanistan. Both Georgia and the US have recognized their mutual respect and the dire need for the partnership, and the new president argued for further and stronger relations.

CURRENT AFFAIRS And if ever in Bulgarian history student protests were the first manifestation of civil unrest against the government, as in 1997 when student discontent overthrew the Prime Minister Zhan Videnov (also socialist), now the actions of the young people came as a sequel of the 120 days lasted protest of the civil society against the government.

For many in Bulgaria, including other students, the occupation of the main building of the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski “ was excessive and reckless decision rather more likely to harm the interests of the university, the students and the teachers than to make the government to resign. But you see, this occupation was perhaps the last despairing try by young people in Bulgaria to make their voice heard and to rise above the general din, which mutes any reason in the country for several months.

Bulgarians who for so long showed their disapproval against the office of the Prime Minister Oresharski have remained with the legitimate feeling that the protest stays unnoticed by the government whose resignation people wants. Exactly at this particular moment the occupying movement was set as last hope for bringing some change. The students managed to wake up the society and give it the energy it almost lost.

Gradually the occupation was joined by all major universities in the country. This form of protest, which was implemented by the students in 1997, won a victory and led to the fall of the government of the “reformed” Communist Party and its replacement with the right one.

Now there is a bit difference – the protesters don’t

have an exact party which they want to win the early vote. They just want a new form of policymaking, they want to see the moral and ethics implemented in power, they want to see the rule of law, the absence of corruption. The message is clear – whichever political party comes to rule must obey the rules put by the civil society or this party will pay the price – resignation under the public pressure. That’s how democracy works.

Now, six years later, the political and social situation seems changed and with it also the demands and expectations of the people. At last we can definitely notice a significant change in the awareness of citizens about their understanding of policies and rules which stay at the basement of the state.

Today the so-called period of “transition” in postcommunist societies - the dichotomy of communism and anticommunism - is exhausted. Thisonce strong line of opposition in society now is not available and its use by individual political actors to implement their own purposes isimpossible.

Demands of the protests from the 90s emerges in a narrow range - withdrawal of the Socialist government and replacing it with democratic right one, which is perceived as a complete representative of the much-desired change. For Bulgarian society during the transition period theright parties are the embodiment of all that the state must become ot fit into the civilized context of Europe.

Today’s protests overcome the simple opposition against a political regime, and features rising demands dictated by moral values and desire for true democratic principles and rule of law. The occupation

opean power However, to the north a luring giant can be found in Russia. Georgia will not ultimately turn its back to the powerful neighbour, and the president balanced his rhetoric on a knife’s edge during his inauguration. Georgia is building its relations with the EU, NATO and the USA, but its ties to Russia and the need to keep a friendly agreement with Moscow will lower the capacity of a full-blown entry into NATO despite American hopes.

The Georgian Orthodox Church has been another unresolved issue for Georgia and the European Union. The Georgian Orthodox Church has very traditional views and strongly opposes general European views, especially regarding abortion and homosexuality.

The EU wants all members to guarantee these basic human rights of choice, a view not shared by the church. The church calls for an individual choice by each country to decide what is right for its own

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nation without the interference of the European Parliament.

President Margvelashvili recently declared that the Georgian Orthodox Church will not be in conflict with a closer connection to the west. As a further move to ensure basic human rights demanded by the EU, the government has recently decided to fund four other religious minority groups, contrary to earlier where the Georgian Orthodox Church was the only church mentioned in the state budget. This new step opens opportunities for minority groups to establish themselves, and be recognized. This is also the Georgian government’s way of compensating for the atrocities done by the Soviet regime.

While the conflict is raging within the borders, Georgia is stretching a hand out to the many immigrants living abroad, another lead towards integration with Europe over Russia. Over 2,500 Georgians living in Turkey was recently granted Georgian citi-

movement organized by the Bulgarian students came as a strong support of these moral values.

Courage is required to face your colleagues and friends, and teachers and say, “Today no lessons will be conducted, please legitimise yourself in order to enter the University. From now the University is under occupation”. Courage was required by the students when they break their teacher’s lecture in order to ask him why he as a constitutional judge ventured to break the Bulgarian Constitution. Courage is required for students every day to face thousands of policemen who the politicians use as a weapon to hide from “people’s love” and to protect their power.

Yes, here we figure high political and social culture.

Bulgarian students chose for their protest songs instead of stones, peaceful marches instead of clashes with the authorities, art instead of vandalism - even in their discontent they don’t crumble, they create. Create new morality and new value stands on which they would like their society to rest.

Unfortunately I can say that the attitude of the government stays in conflict with this of the students and the society. They will continue to send batons and masked, uniformed men against the nation, they will continue to push the young man out of the streets, they will try to stifle their enthusiasm, to have their energy sucked but they’ll never be able to kill the free spirit, the free will, the eternal hankering for justice.

That’s why is so important the Bulgarian protests to succeed: because that would be the clear sigh for the politicians that their actions must be strongly in favour of people and the opposite will not be tolerated.

Not anymore.

zenship, as well as others living in Germany, Greece and other European countries. The decision, based on ancestry, excitedly spread like wildfire across foreign Georgian settlements and spurred a hope of a tighter connection abroad and to other European countries as well as Turkey.

Brain drain has been a problem for the country, but with newly granted citizenship the hope is tighter bonds with domestic citizens and maybe some returns by expatriates. On the other hand, remittances are a problem. In 2012 it resolved to 8.4 per cent of the country’s GDP. Georgia is making all the international moves towards integration with Europe and NATO, but internal disputes – abetted by their Russian neighbor – have so far put brakes on the situation. The signing of the Associate Agreement in May will, however, bring Georgia much closer to its goal. All hopes are now on the new political elite.

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CURRENT AFFAIRS

Elina Foinska

The Situation in Ukraine On 21 November 2013 the government of Ukraine suspended the preparations for the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU, scheduled November 29. The preparations included legislation drafted over the previous three years. The pro-European population in Ukraine took to the streets, hoping to convince President Victor Yanukovych to sign the Agreement.

As a result of his refusal to sign the Agreement – under severe political, economic and state media pressure of the Russian Federation – mass protest rallies have been taking place across Ukraine ever since. On November 30 at 04:30 the riot police physically assaulted several hundred protesters at Maydan Nezalezhnosti in Kiev, using tear gas, rubber truncheons and mantles. The news about the violence fuelled even more people to join the protests in Ukraine and abroad.

On December 1 and December 8 the greatest demonstrations since 2004’s Orange Revolution – more than one million people participated. Provocations organized by the authorities and their associates led to aggression and excessive use of force by the police, because of which more than one hundred peaceful protesters (journalists, students, NGO representatives) were brutally assaulted and several dozens of

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them were imprisoned for 60 days.

These facts are denied by officials, despite having been recorded in numerous videos by journalists and independent eyewitnesses. Russian mass media are spreading falsified information about the situation in Ukraine. Students at Ukrainian universities and higher educational institutions are threatened with expulsion for showing their civic position. The Prosecutor General Office of Ukraine is demanding all universities provide the personal data of all students who were absent at universities since 21 November. The minister of Education of Ukraine is threatening to take away scholarships from those students.

The pressure on civic activists, politicians and journalists, who are actively involved in peaceful protests in Kiev, and all over Ukraine, is growing.

There are numerous notifications from different sources and cities all over Ukraine on threats,

violence, excessive use of force, arson attacks on cars, and arrests on doubtful charges. Two examples of the enormous pressure are Ukrainian journalist Tetiana Chornovil, who was brutally beaten (suffering numerous hematoma, concussion and a broken nose), and political activist Dmytro Pylypets, who was stabbed twelve times at the night of 24 December.

On 27 December a law (drafted by the second Azarov Government) introduced criminal liability for the seizure of buildings “which leads to the disruption of their normal operation” in the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

On 29 December, re-energised by the 25 December attack on Tetiana Chornovol, tens of thousands gathered again in Kiev. About 200 cars packed with protesters joined by over a thousand protesters marched on President Yanukovych’s Mezhyhirya residence 10 kilometres outside Kiev’s outskirts. On New Year’s

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Eve, 200,000 attended Euromaidan to jointly celebrate.

On 3 January, after being questioned by police, a Svoboda MP Andriy Illenko and his lawyer Sydir Kizin were attacked and brutally beaten outside of a police station in Kiev. Both received extensive injuries. According to Svoboda, Illyenko was primarily diagnosed with a broken jaw and treated for a concussion; according to police, a broken nose.

On 10 January, Berkut riot police clashed with protesters near Kiev-Sviatoshyn Raion district court in the Sviatoshyn neighborhood of Kiev, where guilty verdicts against the so-called “Vasylkiv terrorists” were announced.

On 15 January, courts banned protests and public assembly in Kiev once again. This led the opposition to believe that the following night (“and the next ones”) Maidan Nezalezhnosti would be cleared by Berkut special police units.

On 16 January the MPs from the Party of Regions and Communist Party of Ukraine, alongside a number of independent MPs in the Ukrainian parliament, passed anti-protest laws (the texts of some of them only became available after MPs had voted for them) which criminalized all of the Euromaidan opposition’s methods employed during protests. The laws introduced ten-year jail terms for blockading government buildings; hefty fines and prison terms for protesters who wear face masks and helmets;

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fines and prison terms for unauthorised installation of and provision of facilities or equipment for tents, stages or amplifiers in public places; and driving bans for people who form convoys of more than five cars.

Also approved was legislation to more easily strip members of parliament of immunity; the identification of members of non-government organisations funded by foreign governments or foundations as “foreign agents”; two-year jail terms for defamation spread through social media; one-year jail terms of corrective labour for slandering government officials; and mandatory registration for internet-based media and prepaid mobile phone services purchasers.

According to The Financial Times, the 11 new laws were approved while opposition lawmakers were occupying the main session hall and voted in by MPs by means of show of hands that “were too rapid to actually be counted, and in some cases done in five seconds. The opposition dubbed the day in parliament ‘Black Thursday’ and stated that, “Today Ukrainian parliamentarianism is dead”. On 19 January a Sunday mass protest, the ninth in a row, took place gathering up to 200,000 in central Kiev to protest the new anti-protest laws, dubbed the “Dictatorship laws”.

Between 21–22 January, 4 persons were killed during the Hrushevskoho Street riots. In the early morning of the 23rd, police raided

and destroyed Euromaidan medical center. On 24 January President Yanukovych stated (at a meeting with religious leaders) that the dubbed “Dictatorship laws” would be amended, saying that “we will prepare and compromise solutions together with the opposition. They will vote for amending these laws and so will settle all issues.” Also on 24 January Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko guaranteed “that the police will not take forceful action to clear Maidan Nezalezhnosti.”

The third meeting since the start of the Hrushevskoho Street riots between President Yanukovych and the three main opposition leaders Yatseniuk, Klitschko and Tiahnybok took place on 25 January, as requested by the All-Ukraine Council of Churches and Religious Organizations. During the meeting President Yanukovych offered the position of Prime Minister of Ukraine to Arseniy Yatsenyuk and the position of Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine in charge of humanitarian affairs to Vitali Klitschko. Yanukovych would dismiss the second Azarov Government if Yatsenyuk accepted the Prime Minister post.

On 28 January, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov tendered his resignation to a special emergency session of the Verhovna Rada called by President Viktor Yanukovych. The President subsequently accepted the resignation and signed a decree dismissing the Cabinet, which decree would not take effect until the Verhovna Rada

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CURRENT AFFAIRS

approved a new Cabinet. Hence the Second Azarov Government continued as a caretaker government. Azarov was replaced by Deputy Prime Minister Serhiy Arbuzov. Hours after resigning, Azarov fled the country to Austria with no intent on returning in the near future.

EDS CAN’T STAND BESIDE UKRAINIAN EUROPEAN REVOLUTION December 2013. Council Meeting, Greece, Athens: An ad-hoc working group on the Eastern Partnership held a session. It discussed and prepared motions, which were adopted at the CM: Human Rights in Ukraine and Police Aggression against Peaceful Demonstrations. EDS also organized the action campaign “Ukraine has its place in Europe”. Participants came to the Ukrainian Embassy, where Ms Eva Majewski presented the petition that EDS prepared to the Ambassador EDS also published many actual statements and posters on our website and the fFacebook page, particularly about the events of Euromaidan.

EDS Chair Eva Majewski visited Ukraine and Euromaidan between 24-26 January 2014, and gave two speeches from the main scene about EDS’ support for Ukraine. She showed to the protesters that EU is on their side, that we see Ukraine as a member of EU family, and we proud of heroic spirit and intent of those Ukrainians who are confidently standing on Euromaidan.

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EDS sent Letter to UA Minister of Education to protect the students of Ukraine who are actively participating in the protests, showing their strong civic position and fighting for their rights EDS decided to organize the mission to Ukraine because they understand the importance of support from the EU to Ukrainians that are participating in Euromaidan activity, especially youth and students.

As Eva Majewski, the Chair of EDS said: “The idea of going to Euromaidan was a call of duty.

Ever since being founded, EDS spoke up for the freedom of speech, human dignity and our European values. Following the events in Ukraine and the decision taken by Yanukovich against the will of large parts of the population were unbearable. Consequently, EDS has been raising its voice for a European Ukraine.

“I believe that Ukraine has a prosperous future only if it sticks to European values and sound economic principles. The reason to extend our activities from my visit to all what has become ‘Mission UKRAINE’ was born out of the necessity to keep up international pressure, show support from students from all across Europe and evaluate the situation.”

During their visit to Ukraine, the participants visited Euromaidan and had a meeting with Mr Andriy Fishchuk, Euromaidan organizer for the UDAR political party. After that were organized meetings with Ms Gabriele Baumann, Head of the KAS office in Ukraine; Mr Volodymyr Maksymenko, Euromaidan activist; and Mr Volodymyr Brushchenko, NGO activist. The participants also met with Ms Kateryna Kruk, a Euromaidan blogger, and a visit to the Ukrainian House, the House of Trade Unions that belong to Euromaidan infrastructure.

Later the participants had a meeting with Mr Andriy Parubiy MP, one of the Euromaidan leaders and Head of Maidan Samooborona (Maidan self-defense units), then Mr Juan Manuel Vilaplana Lopes, from the Delegation to EU in Ukraine and Ms Baiba Aleksejuka, from the EEAS Russia division.

Chairman of Ukrainian Student Association

Stanislav Kutsenko said: “I am deeply impressed how much the EU is supporting Ukrainian citizens these days. I support the opinion of European colleagues that only imposing particular sanctions from the European Union to the oligarchic clans who are holding Ukraine in their hands several years would lead to effective results in the long lasting struggle of Ukrainian people.”

On 17 February the “Law on amnesty of Ukrainian protesters” was passed, exempting from criminal liabilities and punishment all Euromaidan protesters imprisoned in the period 27 December 2013 to 2 February 2014. This was after the conditions (giving up of the seized administrative buildings, among them the regional state administrations, self-government bodies and the Kiev City State Administration, and the unblocking of Kiev’s Hrushevskoho Street) were met by the evening og 16 February.

In the morning of the 17th, protesters were prepared to organize peaceful protests and proclaim that Euromaidan will stay until the Parliament votes on their requirements. But a Maidan crackdown has started. The police are dismantling barricades at the European Square, and Ukrainian House and Zhovtvenyi Palace around Maidan have already been seized by the riot police, who are using grenades and throw Molotov cocktails to set the Maidan tents on fire. BBC journalists report internal troops are armed with Kalashnikov guns.

Lot of police is using unnecessary brutal force against people in the streets: on Hrushevskogo Street “titushky” (state-sponsored thugs) started robbing houses and people in the streets.

The riot police are coordinating their activities with armed units of “titushky”. Riot police snipers are noticed and photographed on house roofs in central Kyiv.

During the night the battle between protesters and armed police forces and special troops continued. Now Kiev is a battleground, the center of city is blocked, and many buildings are on fire. The negotiations with President Yanukovych were held without result. Protesters do not give up.

On 20 February numerous citizens of Ukraine have been brutally shot down by the police with aimed shots to head and neck – more than 100 are reported dead. A real war and chaos has started on the streets of Ukraine’s capital.

Finally, after so much grief and struggle in Ukraine, when hundreds of people have been killed and thousands seriously injured, the EU has decided to impose sanctions. The Parliament of Ukraine has made a new majority and cancelled the “antiterrorist operation’ introduced by the government two days ago, which is a promising relief for the situation.

INTERVEW

Eva Majewski

Interview with the President of EPP, Joseph Daul MR PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE BEEN SERVING IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT SINCE 1999. HEADING TOWARDS THE ELECTIONS, CAN YOU TELL US HOW YOU THINK THE EXPECTATIONS THAT CITIZENS HAVE FOR PARLIAMENTARIANS HAVE CHANGED OVER TIME? The powers of the European Parliament have increased over time, so it is natural that the citizens are more demanding of their representatives. In addition, new ways of communication offer more direct interaction between elected representatives and the citizens. This enables Europeans to more easily voice their concerns, and they expect that their Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will respond by addressing the relevant issues at the EU level. With the crisis that started in 2008, people expect from their MEPs an efficient and rapid response to their problems. The European People’s Party has delivered on many levels: for example, we have put forward legislation protecting Europeans’ savings and reinforcing the stability of the euro.

MEPs are thus the bridge between the citizens and the European Union.

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO FURTHER INCREASE THE INTEREST OF CITIZENS IN EUROPEAN POLITICS? We need to pave the way for a real political European space. In the long run, one of the steps in this direction would be pan-European elections with a direct election of the President of the European Commission. The national governments should also stop blaming “Brussels” whenever it is convenient for them. Moreover, members of the European Parliament and elected representatives across Europe have key roles to play. They must explain Europe to the

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citizens, they must explain to them their roles and the importance of the decisions taken at EU level: Europe protects its citizens from the moment they wake up until they go to sleep, whether to ensure food safety or to increase the rights of passengers.

HOW CAN THE ELECTION OF A TOP CANDIDATE - A CANDIDATE REPRESENTING THE WHOLE OF THE EPP - FOR THE POSITION OF PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION HELP US TO REMAIN THE STRONGEST PARTY IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT? The European elections in May will have a new dimension with the presidential candidates.

This new process will make the European project more democratic and transparent.

One of the requirements agreed by the EPP heads of state and government in January 2013 is that the EPP candidate needs to have executive experience.The EPP has always displayed strong leadership and the ability to take action and propose sustainable solutions. The EPP believes that with a convincing programme, based on our values, and by selecting an experienced and strong candidate, the citizens will renew their confidence in us. This candidate will go country to country to convince Europeans that the EPP project for Europe is the one that ensures them of a better and safer future. It is also crucial to get the vote of young people. Therefore I count on the students of EDS, the official student branch of the EPP, to spread our ideas and support our campaign.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN POLICIES THAT THE EPP WILL TRY TO PROMOTE DURING THE CAMPAIGN? At the election Congress in Dublin on 6 and

7 March, the EPP will finalise and vote on its programme. The economy will obviously be one of the most important parts of our programme.

We want to ensure sustainable growth and job creation, notably for young people. We are in favour of the Social Market Economy. This means we need to establish conditions where each individual has the opportunity to reach his or her full potential, but we are also ready to assume responsibility for those in need. This is also how we responded to countries which experienced economic difficulties. No European country was left to handle its problems alone. Solidarity is very important to our political family. We will advocate for a more secure Europe and a sustainable and competitive energy policy. The EPP will also continue to promote democratic values and support neighboring countries such as Ukraine, where the EPP and its member associations have been very active. Furthermore, youth will be at the core of the EPP campaign: we will publish a Manifesto dedicated solely to youth-related issues. Here again, the input of the EDS and its members is crucial.

How does the EPP distinguish itself from its competitors?

Responsibility, experience and action. This is how the EPP distinguishes itself. EPP leaders in the European institutions and in the Member States have shown great responsibility in tackling the economic and financial crisis.If you look at the countries that have suffered severe economic difficulties in Europe, they were all led by socialist or liberal governments. The people of Ireland, Spain, Latvia, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus elected EPP leaders to clean up the mess and put their countries back on track. All these measures and reforms have been undertaken to prepare the Europe of tomorrow. The EPP has a vision for this Europe of tomorrow, based on our values, with an emphasis on subsidiarity.

WILL THE ELECTIONS AND THE PERIOD THEREAFTER BE A TIME OF DEPARTURE OR OF CONSOLIDATION? HOW CAN WE BEST “SELL” THE SUCCESSES THE EPP FAMILY HAS ACHIEVED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS? As mentioned earlier, the EPP has been the party in the driver’s seat in responding to the economic and financial crisis. We laid the foundation for a stronger Europe that can take the lead in a globalised world. This work must continue in order to ensure a better and more prosperous future for European citizens. Young people should look to their futures with confidence. We are preparing today the future of Europe and who better to help us than the future generations.

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INTERVEW ROBERTA , YOU ARE A FORMER SECRETARY GENERAL OF EDS. DOES THIS EXPERIENCE HAVE AN INFLUENCE ON YOUR CURRENT LIFE? My time as part of EDS helped shape my political future. It was the spark that led me to get involved in the campaign for Malta to join as a Member of the European Union and which helped push me into putting myself forward as one of Malta’s MEPs WHICH THEMATIC FOCUS WILL YOU HAVE DURING THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN? In Malta, this is a national election campaign in which the entire country votes for the same list of candidates. So there are many issues that I will address over the next months. The most important aspect for me is to deal with issues where there is a European added-value. We must be careful not to mix issues up and not confuse the electorate by giving the impression that the EU can legislate on every area or regulate every sector.

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONVEY THAT EUROPE IS IMPORTANT AND SOMETHING POSITIVE? Europe is a successful experiment of increased integration and closer ties between Member States. Becoming a member of the EU 10 years ago has meant that Malta has been

Silvie Rohr

transformed economically, socially and politically. Europe has had a hugely positive effect on my country. But we need to be careful not to allow some politicians to blame every unpopular decision taken on a national level on ‘Brussels’. Yes there are issues, where there is over regulation and where more concrete solidarity is needed, but we need to approach issues as partners rather than taking an ‘us’ versus ‘them’ approach to the EU. This is the message that I try to convey.

IN 2009, ONLY ABOUT 43% OF THE CITIZENS ENTITLED TO VOTE USED THEIR RIGHT. HOW CAN WE FORM THE FUTURE EUROPE, IF CITIZENS DO NOT REALLY PARTICIPATE? We need to work hard to increase voter turnout. One crucial area we need to work harder on is communicating to our constituents what it is we do as MEPs and how they can also help influence and make their mark in Brussels. We need to bring Brussels a bit closer to the people we are here to represent.

THE TURNOUT IN MALTA WAS WITH APPROX. 80 % THE HIGHEST TURNOUT IN THE 2009 EUROPEAN ELECTION. WHAT IS THE SECRET? At almost 80%, it is true this is one of the highest turnout rate in the EU, but it still represents a

Interview with Roberta Metsola 10

significant drop from the turnout in the national elections which is much higher. So there is still a lot of work to be done.

EUROPE IS A PEACE PROJECT AND A COMMUNITY OF VALUES . DOES THIS COMMUNITY OF VALUES STILL EXIST? Yes. Absolutely this is what binds us together as Europeans.

HOW CAN THE EPP BECOME THE STRONGEST PARTY IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT? The EPP is already the strongest party in the EP and it is crucial that it remains so, in terms of numbers and influence. We must win because our ideas are consistent, strong and visionary.

KEYWORD : EU EXPANSION . WILL WE BE MORE OR LESS PEOPLE IN THE BOAT? We are strongest when we are together. So in the words of a 2003 EDS campaign which I led: Go Europe. Enlarge.

A PERSONAL QUESTION: HOW DO YOU MANAGE WORK AND FAMILY LIFE UNDER ONE ROOF? Good question! An excellent calendar app and a very patient husband and family.

Thank you for the interview!

BEON

Dr Florian Hartleb

Strategies against populism and Euroscepticsm “Europe is of interest because I fight it with all my strength.”

“The EU is a gigantic, undemocratic monster.”

“Anybody wanting to lead Europe into the future must ultimately go back down the road towards national currencies. Whenever the EU is involved, you get problems.”

All these quotations are from politicians who are currently enjoying a renewed upturn in popularity in Europe. Although Euroscepticism is a trademark of all populists, they have intensified their criticism and polemics against Europe in recent years, and not only in Scandinavia and France.

Unlike the purely extremist forces (hard Eurosceptics), populists are not totally against the European project (soft Eurosceptics), but against the EU as a political system, arguing that the EU is too centralised, too bureaucratic and insufficiently concerned about national sovereignty. However, recent years have seen even the formerly soft Eurosceptics turning into hard-core critics of Europe. Dutchman Geert Wilders has not been alone in shifting his focus from Islam to the EU. Harsh criticism of the EU is now standard fare for all right-wing populists.

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Bogeymen

1. (Muslim) immigrants, asylum seekers, ethnic/religious minorities 2. Political, economic and cultural elites 3. EU procedures, structures and bureaucrats

‘Therapy’

1. Stop to immigration, stricter application of immigration laws and welfare state benefits, deportation of immigrants who have a criminal record or are unwilling to integrate 2. Breaking up the ‘elite cartel’ 3. Stop to further EU integration and further financial transfers

Basic political orientation

Xenophobic, anti-immigration, anti-establishment and anti-elitist

Communication style, including campaigning

Alarmist, vociferous, exclusionary, wildly oversimplified, taboo-breaking, deliberately misleading and opaque, subtle, opportunistic,confrontational (‘us against them’), negative campaigning

Internal party organisation

Led by and tailored to one leadership figure for the public to identify with (political entrepreneur), top-down decision making

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BEON The success of right-wing populists has had a negative impact on both conservative and Christian Democratic parties. While they have not all been affected to the same extent, since other parties too have suffered losses, a number of conservative and Christian Democratic parties, including the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), the Flemish Christian Democrats (Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams, CD&V) in Belgium, the Dutch Christian Democratic Appeal (Christen-Democratisch Appèl, CDA), the conservative French Union for a Popular Movement (Union pour un Mouvement Populaire, UMP), the Norwegian Conservative Party (Høyre) and the Swiss Christian Democratic People’s Party (CVP), have been hit hard by the right-wing populists’ advances.

However, in Denmark and Sweden, the Social Democrats have been affected more than the conservative parties by the growth of the rightwing populists.

The politics and strategies of conservative and Christian Democratic parties are by no means the only reasons for the emergence of rightwing and national populists. Conservatives and Christian Democrats are also not the only players who need to think about how deal with the populists. Finding ways to effectively combat populist forces is a challenge for the whole of society, although given ongoing ‘Europeanisation’ - which provides a breeding ground for populists - national efforts will probably no longer be sufficient to keep the populists at bay.

Therefore, it is essential for pro-European parties such as the Christian Democrats and conservatives to ensure more broad-based support for Europe. Such support is certainly not going to be easy to achieve, given the very different political systems and expectations of EU Member States. However, doing so means engaging with citizens (without turning to populist models to achieve this), emphasising the benefits

of closer European cooperation and insisting on compliance with basic rules for the management of public finances and the responsibility of the politicians involved.

This seems necessary in order to give European cooperation new legitimacy and to eliminate the breeding ground for right-wing and national populists, especially in the northern countries of the eurozone.

A second way to deal with right-wing populists is to directly attack their propaganda. They are essentially both demagogues and ‘naysayers’, who stir up feelings against somebody or against something but are very rarely able to offer constructive solutions, since there are always voters who - for various reasons - are relatively easily attracted by the populists’ simple ‘solutions’ and their negative campaigning.

This makes it all the more important that conservative and Christian Democratic parties in particular show the public what the populists’ agenda really involves, namely mostly empty propaganda without any trace of a proposed solution.

Even if democratic parties need more time to explain their policies and even if political subjects are very complicated for many voters to digest, the democratic parties must not shy away from patiently explaining to the public their goals and measures, and where appropriate, their visions also.

In this respect, populist propaganda may even help them identify areas of policy that are causing dissatisfaction or concern among the public. These areas must be addressed in a clear, targeted way by the established mainstream parties.

In this way the growth of right-wing and national populists should be seen as an early-warning system whose signals must be correctly interpreted by the established democratic parties.

About me: Dr Florian Hartleb, was previously a research fellow at the Centre for European Studies (CES) in Brussels and is currently a party researcher in the Department of Politics and Consulting at the Konrad-AdenauerStiftung. In addition he is appointed as research associate at the CES and lecturer at the University of Bonn and the University for Politics in Munich. He co-edited, with Karsten Grabow: Exposing the Demagogues: Right-wing and National Populist Parties in Europe, Centre for European Studies/Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Brussels 2013.

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BEON Henry Hill

Strength and Liberty:

The EU I Want

When Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg address, he expressed his desire for a government “by the people, for the people”. Those words have since passed into the common language of democracy. Yet for some reason, Europe – both the Union herself and many of her constituent states – seems to struggle with them.

Not ‘for the people’, of course. That part comes to us as easily as ever. Everything done by the governing elite in Brussels, London or elsewhere is always done ‘for the people’. To the layman, it seems that much of the EU’s time is dedicated to devising new ways in which the government can step in to protect the ordinary citizen from themselves. European politicians and institutions – aided and abetted by like-minded people in national governments and civil society – are constantly demanding new measures to prevent adult citizens from consensually engaging in unhealthy activities like smoking, drinking and even meat-eating. It’s for their own good.

But ‘by the people’? That’s another matter. It is a commonly accepted position these days that the EU is not democratic. Much of its power is vested in unelected officials. Its democratic element, the parliament, is greatly diminished by the fact that the Europarties do not contest European elections, instead hiding behind a veil of national politics. As I have written before, the fact that the EPP does not put candidates forward in the United Kingdom is ridiculous. More broadly, by not standing for elections and organising under their own names the Europarties make their own sad contribution to shutting the people of Europe out of the European political process.

Does this matter, though? BullsEye ran an article in a recent edition which advocated ‘good government’ as the proper priority for a political system, rather than democratic government. Whether or not a system was democratic was secondary, in the view of the person the article was about, than whether or not the system delivered the right outcomes.

This lack of faith in democracy is evident on both sides of the Atlantic. In recent years the European Court of Human Rights – not an EU institution, but nonetheless a ‘European’ institution – has become the go-to vehicle for those European progressives who wish to use courts bypass the need to win battles in parliaments. In America, this has produced a fiercely polarised political sys-

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tem where neither half of society is willing to give the other a hearing. In the EU, it has produced a system where a layer of European politicians adhere to a corporatist consensus and shriek at the democratic national politicians harnessing Eurosceptic disaffection as ‘populists’.

Who can truly say that the European Union trusts the people? Not me.

I write this as someone who supports Europe. I think that overcoming ancient national divisions to work together is a fine thing. I think continental free trade is wonderful. I think that the Europe I want – a Europe that cherished liberty, unity and continuity with the good and harmless parts of our continents long history – would be a welcome addition to the world stage and worth fighting for.

But even though I’m not a nationalist, I find it hard to summon the same enthusiasm for Europe that I used to have.

It is now almost certain that the United Kingdom will have a referendum on our membership of the Union. The Conservatives – my party – have pledged to hold one in 2017 if they win the next election. Many in our party want to stay in, but with a looser relationship with Europe. Cameron has pledged to try to renegotiate our membership and then put the result to the people. But enthusiasts for “ever closer union” are practically extinct in Britain, and that same weariness is rolling out across the continent.

The prospect of a referendum, and my having to campaign on the pro-European side, really focused my mind on what the European Union actually is. And it is a long way from the Europe I want.

In practically every area of policy I can think of, the EU offers me nothing. As a believer in personal liberty I can’t help but hold in deep contempt the endless torrent of regulations and controls that pours out of Brussels. I cannot think of a single instance of the EU overturning or prohibiting a national law that restricts the freedoms of lawabiding citizens. Keen to be busy, Euro-politicians dedicate themselves to the manufacture of fresh controls, such as the latest upcoming ban on

menthol cigarettes. Outposts of personal liberty still exist in Europe – for personal defence in the Czech Republic, for smoking in Portugal – but they are isolated pockets.

So the EU does not stand for personal liberty. Nor does it stand for economic liberty, having recently passed mandatory boardroom quotas. What the EU claims to stand for is the “social market”, which is speech code for a system wherein the structure and activities of private enterprise are suborned to a plethora of regulations drawn up by big-state politicians, few of whom have spent much time in the productive economy themselves.

Nor does it stand for international trade – see the fact that we patronise Africa with aid spending whilst closing our markets to African farmers, choosing instead to dedicate an absurd proportion of the Union budget to supporting our own, tiny, agricultural sector.

OK, so the EU is currently a system that prizes the bureaucrat, the politician, and the civil-society lobbyist over the entrepreneur and the industrialist. It could still be a strong world player, standing up for ‘European values’ (whatever they are) and carving our old continent a place in the 21st Century.

But let’s be realistic. Since the end of the Cold War, most European countries have slashed their military budgets to pay for more social democracy. The most important factor in European military thinking is that if we’re invaded, the United States will save us. Given that, it is hard to envision a pan-European armed forces being particularly formidable – and even harder to imagine us being willing to send it anywhere. The only proper martial cultures in the Union now are the UK and France, and it’s hard to imagine any other member states rediscovering their enthusiasm for military affairs if asked to share the load. After all, wasn’t Europe meant to stop all that? Soldiers and wars aren’t very “European”, are they?

So that’s what I see when I close my eyes and think about a referendum campaign on my country’s membership of the EU. Far from my dreamed-of empire of liberty and prosperity, the EU is a system that lives in perpetual distrust of its electorates. I cannot see it realistically projecting strength abroad or defending liberty at home.

That’s when I realised that my well of sympathy for the Union is not infinite. I have no identity attachment to Europe the way I do to my own union of British nations. There is no sense of “my country, right or wrong” in my dealings with the EU. I know it is good for British trade, and our influence with America. I still believe that the UK is better off inside the EU than out.

But that is conditional on my continued belief that the EU can change course, and become something better than it is or is currently becoming. If ever I stop believing that, I’m out.

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ARE WE “UP2YO Boyan Tanev and Kalin Zahariev

‘How should Europe address the issue of migration from third countries?

Are there measures necessary for more security online?

Do you find it easy to setup a new company in Europe?

What can be improved?’

These are only some of the questions to which ‘Up2Youth’ is trying to find answers and it makes it by asking Europe’s young people.

With the approaching European Parliament elections in May 2014, now is the key moment to develop an understanding about the issues that trouble Europe’s youth and communicate them to political leaders. What is more, it is necessary to draw inspiration from the creativity of young people in order to find better solutions when making public policy.

In fact, the youth are already actively participating and politically outspoken in social media. It seems this is the closest and most accessible

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platform for them. The challenge here is rather for politicians to tune up to the relevant channels and come back with appropriate feedback.

Otherwise, they risk being unnoticed by the beam of ingenuity which young people bear. For that reason, giving young people the floor was the main idea behind the ‘Up2Youth’ project.

The ‘Up2Youth’ was launched as an online participation platform giving the youth of Europe an opportunity to make their voices heard on policy priorities. This initiative is supported by the EPP, the CES, the EDS and the YEPP and runs in 6 languages.

There are three main aspects that make Up2Y-

outh different form the various surveys which are mushrooming before the European Parliament elections: • First and foremost, all policy proposals submitted by participants in ‘Up2Youth’ are given the chance for real-life policy impact. After closing the platform, an EPP ad hoc Amendment Committee meeting will be convened in order to discuss all the proposals received. The members of this Committee will decide which proposals will be included in the EPP electoral programme for the European elections in May 2014.

• Second, ‘Up2Youth’ rewards talent and

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OUTH”? participation. The ten participants offering the best policy ideas will be invited to the EPP Congress in Dublin, Ireland on 6 and 7 March 2014 to meet and share their ideas directly with EU leaders, including the EPP’s candidate for President of the European Commission, who will be nominated in Dublin.

Furthermore, one participant, offering the very best idea, will also be invited for a paid, six-month internship at the CES in Brussels.

• Third, ‘Up2Youth’ provides for sustained communication on policy proposals even after the competition is over. It facilitating the sharing of proposals through social media, so those

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who want to keep on working on certain initiatives can stay in touch.

So far the project surpassed all expectations both in number of participants and quality of comments. While at the beginning the organisers were doubting if policy proposals would come detailed enough, now they are extending the deadline as the creative flow of ideas is producing more and more inspiration for political action. The overall number of participants is currently approaching 40 000 participants coming from Helsinki to la Valletta and from Lisbon to Nicosia.

There is no second opinion that youth participa-

tion at EU elections is generally low. There is a big chance that the project will serve as a wakeup call to other political families who are going to echo the idea and create similar platforms in the future. This would be even greater success for the cause of ‘Up2Youth’ as it will open the door for participation for young people who have been isolated from political life for long time.

If you haven’t done so yet, we invite you to participate in “Up2Youth” by 28 February. Even if you have no concrete policy proposal in mind yet, it might be a good idea to visit the platform – it is interactive, inspiring and fun: www.up2youth.eu

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THIS TIME YOU DECIDE Andrey Novakov

We are just few months before the elections for European parliament this May. As never before now it’s up to us, who will be the decision makers to address the challenges of our times.

And why this elections are different for us, and when saying “us” I mean the generation born in the Eighties. Because we’ll be the ones who will live in the Europe, shaped by today’s politicians.

Therefore, now we will not simply participate in the next European elections. We will contribute, in any possible way. Some young politicians already announced their candidacies for MEP’s and certainly many further similar announces are to come. Wait and see.

As I said many times before, here in BullsEye, a new generation young politicians is crucial for the future of the Union not just because are “new”, but because they are carriers of new ideas and brand new approaches to current and future issues. Probably wondering what I’m talking about? One example - European Democrat Sstudents were one of the first to campaign for direct elections for European parliament. And it happened, as we know very well.

One of the most successful innovators and entrepreneurs in recent years have been young and progressive people. I believe this can be said for policy as well, and the first examples won’t be late in coming. That is why young people have to vote. Because they have to recognize their representatives and to appoint as many of them as possible. Because we are on the verge of a major shift from being teenagers and people with ideas to

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people who will apply those ideas and will be responsible for everything going on in Europe.

If 2013 was the year of stagnation, economists are expecting 2014 to be the year of a mild recovery. But while growth may be at the doorstep, governments have to continue reforming their economies, as the GDP forecast for EU member states shows a slow recovery fluctuating between zero and 1.9 per cent growth. With the exception of Germany, most EU member states need to continue to address their fiscal and economic issues. The challenge remains to bring back competitiveness without killing the welfare state. And I believe youngsters really understands that, since they will pay the bill very soon.

There is another reason to say that this time the voice of young people is more important than ever: the growing euroscepticism in all member states. More and more elderly people do not see a future for the EU and in the same time more young people understands that the future of the continent goes only through stronger and united European Union.

Where is the place of youth in this puzzle, and why is the position of young people important? Young people are one of the most vulnerable groups in society. This is because the crisis inevitably has an impact on the educational system. For many students became difficult to finance their education amid rising costs and semester fees. There were proposals for reducing the cost for education and as it was intended - that unleash a wave of discontent and disapproval.

Unyielding was the position of the EDS. The “Knowledge is power” campaign has become a pan-European voice of many young people and students who were against budget cuts for higher education.

Moreover, many European leaders and politicians such as EPP President Wilfried Martens, President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, Prime Minister of Finland Jyrki Katainen, Vice-Presi-

dent of the Union of European Federalists Dr. Andrey Kovachev and many others supported that campaign.

But the most important thing is that the new generation of young politicians of Europe clearly understands that only with prudent policies, combined with high technology and innovation, is the key to increase employment, to decrease indebtedness and actually to ensure a better life.

But talking about challenges and opportunities we have to say what is actual condition of the Union. More recently Europe has become regarded as a region losing its position in the global knowledge economy. Many regions are growing faster, but to put things in perspective it should not be overlooked that EU remains world leader in research and innovation, contributing 24 per cent of world expenditure on research, 32 per cent of high impact publications and 32 per cent of patent applications - while representing only 7 per cent of world population.

However, over the past decade the international research and innovation environment has evolved very rapidly, and there is growing evidence that the EU research and innovation system is under-performing compared to its major rivals.

Over the last two years EU institutions have worked hard to encourage and facilitate a major boost of European knowledge-based competitiveness through the Europe 2020 Strategy, containing also its research and development component, the Horizon 2020. A series of framework policies have been adopted to encourage more innovation, revive smart specialization, including manufacturing, and modernizing education and training – all in line with requirements of the 21st century global market.

And all above mentioned achievements and approaches to the issues should be continued. Should be continued by the new generation of young politicians. And that will happened very soon, but only with the support of the young voters in Europe.

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REPORTS Stefanie Mayrhofer

Eurosceptic Parties – An Overview Since the founding of the European Union we have enjoyed the longest period without war in the history of Europe. Even if all the positive achievements of a united Europe were discounted, this long period of peace is, to my mind, sufficient to claim the European Union as a success.

In the past Europe was characterised by many different cultures, languages, governments or ruling dynasties, and unfortunately the wars between them.

In the beginning the peace-keeping mission was one of the main reasons for establishing what would become the EU. Sixty years later, the Union has evolved into an economic and monetary bloc, and aside some problems is now a successful counterpart to the USA.

But since the start of the global financial crisis, inside the EU critical voices are getting louder and louder. There are an alarming number of who try to tap into anti-EU politics, especially before elections to the various national parliaments.

UK In my view, the United Kingdom is the most Eurosceptic member state. There are even several parties who aim for Britain to secede from the Union entirely, for example the United Kingdom Independence Party, the far-

right British National Party and a new, singleissue “We Demand a Referendum” party.

This Eurosceptic tendency was visible in the latest Eurobarometer survey of the 21 member states, where the UK tops the list of countries opposed to the Euro with 74 per cent of respondents opposed to the common currency. The UK is also one of the countries whose citizens are least likely to identify as “citizens of the EU”, with a mere 42 per cent of respondents claiming to do so.

Euroscepticism was once seen as a British disease, but now it has spread across the continent like a virus. The problem is that to an increasing number of citizens in southern European coutnries, the EU looks like the International Monetary Fund does to Latin America: a golden straightjacket that is squeezing the space left for national politics.

Meanwhile in northern European countries the Union is increasingly seen as having failed to control the politicies of the southern rim.

FINLAND In Finland support for Finnish membership of the EU and the Euro remain high, but trust in the EU is at a much lower ebb and there is little sense of a European identity. The economic crisis has polarised Finns and the sharp rise in Euroscepticism in Finland gave a boost to the Finns Party (known also as ‘True Finns’), who became the third-largest party in parliament in the 2011 general election.

The increase in criticism of the EU has also strengthened the Union’s advocates – whilst True Finns have mobilised opposition they have not been able to undermine the broad, deeprooted support for the Union that exists in Finland.

FRANCE In France there are many Eurosceptic parties from all sides of the political spectrum. Some of them only ask for less EU intervention in national affairs, whilst others support withdrawal from the Union and Eurozone, but all opposed the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon.

Moderate right-leaning Eurosceptic parties include the Gaullist Debout la République, Mouvement pour la France and Chasse, Pêche, Nature and Traditions, both of which joined Libertas, a pan-European Eurosceptic party.

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REPORTS In a similar way to the moderate parties, the French far right criticise France’s loss of political and economic sovereignty to a supra-national entity. The main far-right political party is the Front National, who gained 6.5 per cent of the vote in the 2009 European elections to become the largest anti-European party in France.

On the left, Eurosceptic parties criticise the liberal agenda of the EU but normally support the unification of countries and the abolition of national borders. Examples include the Party de Gauche and the Communists, alongside the New Anticapitalist Party and Lutte Ouvrière.

AUSTRIA At the start of February 2014 a new survey from the “Deutsche Bank” was presented. It outlined that the highest number of potential Eurosceptic voters in Europe are amongst supports of the Freedom Party of Austria (Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs - FPÖ), and forecast that party getting more than 26 per cent of the vote in the upcoming European elections. They are the third-largest party in Austria and call for a shift in powers between national governments and the European Union.

They particularly gained support during the Euro crises due to their opposition to the single currency. In addition Team Stronach, which was first established in 2012, campaigned to replace the Euro with the old Austrian “Schilling” during the last national elections, but are not running for the European Parliament.

To counteract this growth in anti-European feeling the Union’s communication should become both better and more intense. Just as importantly, European politics should get closer to citizens – nobody understands ridiculous suggestions for council regulations like no open olive-oil jars on restaurant tables.

At present the anti-European bloc in the European Parliament is Europe for Freedom and Democracy (EFD), a right-wing party formed after the last elections from the former Independent/Democracy and Union for a Europe of Nations which is currently the seventh-largest group (of eight). The group is a coalition of ten political parties from twelve countries, the largest being the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and the Liga Nord of Italy.

EFD is the most hostile bloc to European integration amongst the various EU Parliament groups and I fear that it will be much stronger after the European elections this may. I hope that pro-Europeans will find a way to remind the public of all the positive aspects of the Union.

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Ivan Burazin

‘’Capitalism will eradicate poverty ‘’

“Capitalism will eradicate poverty” - Bono

I’ve always loved U2 and Bono Vox. In fact they are one of my favorite music bands, and Bono, well, he was a sort of my hero while growing up. But it seems that after his recent actions he is becoming my hero again.

No doubt, with all the actions he made during his carreer, all the messages he sent were absolutely right and noble, but of all of them the recent one has left the biggest mark for me. Saying that capitalism will eradicate poverty has even more significant meaning when coming from a ‘’freedom fighter’’ who clearly has no aspirations for exploiting third world countries, after being involved in so many actions for reducing poverty and warning the western world about the violation of human rights worldwide.

But he is not the first person, who is a sort of ‘’professional’’ in volunteering and helping people, from whom I’ve heard similar things.

On some sort of micro level on similar topic, I’ve been working for five years already with NGOs that are fighting poverty and homelessness, and after making series of fundraising actions and providing most necessary things required for lets say normal living standard to the poor, the next logical step on the ‘’evolutional scale’’ were entrepreneurial projects to ‘re-socialise’ these people.

I remember when the chairman of the most famous NGO that is working on this field said to me: ‘’Between you and me, we appreciate all the donations and helps, and its great that people are willing to help, but we need more sustainable projects and long term solutions, that on the beginning will be based on the social entrepreneurship and in the future on individual skills and will.’

But before glorifying the saying ‘Teach a man how to fish…’ we have to clarify that people who are living in the extreme poverty first

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need aid and help in a way of material donations so they can get on their feet; after that we can speak about future development.

First of all, extreme poverty is not related just to the lack of basic material needs.

Unfortunately extreme poverty is always followed by series of violation of human rights and lack of possibilities for any kind of development. Let’s take a historical crossover on how the personal freedoms, wealth and standard developed through the feudalism, socialism and capitalism.

Feudalism: prior to the industrial revolution peasants were legally tied to the land and possessed minimal rights. Scientists, artists and engineers were subordinated to the authorities and the educational development was stuck to the views of a few and the results were victims like Gallileo, Voltaire, Diderot… Famine, hunger and poverty were endemic during the feudal age.

The list can go on and on but the point is that today, still there are parts of the world where the authorities with same ‘’attitude’’ and systems are causing the same affects for their inhabitants and generating poverty, violation of human rights and, most importantly, they oppress the personal development which brought cures for diseases,

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economic growth, industrial and agricultural revolutions.

Communism and socialism (e.g. concentration of power in a hands of few) in third world countries became most popular tolls of suppression of personal and economical freedoms, proclaiming their brutal and ‘’righteous’’ rulings as the only tool in fight against scavenging and greedy corporations from the ‘’West’’. Theocratic governments in the Middle East, even more than 2000 years after the Hellenic era, are leading candidates for most non-tolerant parts of the world for those who think and act differently.

But before continuing and proclaiming corporations and politicians of developed states as saints and angels, according to the influence in third world countries, lets admit that greed and money of those who have the power and ‘’using the situation’’ very often create problems in some areas. But now we are talking about corruption and ‘corporativism’, which are the arch-enemies of the fundaments of liberty on which free society and capitalism, as a system that is allowing to the individual to act and work without harming others, is based on.

Political leaders, who under the protection of th state that is funded by taxes of citizens

act in some poor country just so they can share the profit of some corporation that is using them, are not the ‘’capitalist devils’’, they are opposite of that. They are the pure example of returning back to the feudal age, when individual in power was using the law and the money of others for their own goals.

It is banned and it’s illegal.

Now let’s get back to the statistical information of economical and personal development of individual through history. The freedom of capitalistic states created the scenario of people enjoying the middle class life whose ancestors were literally poor.

Because of medical developments, which were and still are banned in some countries average life expectancy more than doubled.

According to Angus Madison, during the centuries 500-1500 economic growth was non-existent, and per capita rose by 0.1 per cent per year in the years 1500-1700. According to Madison, European per capita GDP was around $215 per year, in 1700 it was $265. From the year 1820 to the present, in Europe and worlds freest nations total economic output increased sixty times, and per capita income grew to the 13 times. The population got tripled thanks to the development of living conditions and medical development.

In short, rational and free thinking, and working under the political systems that provide freedom of the individual as far as he is not harming others and not using powers that are given to him for his own greedy causes, has improved our every day life in measures that we even can’t imagine, and will do so in the future. Capitalism is not perfect like anything in this world, it is a product of society and a way that society is functioning in best offered way.

Most importantly it is giving an option to individual for self development which automatically generates development of others.

Capitalism is freedom – and freedom leads to prosperity. Creating goods is impossible without improving the actual society in which individual is operating, and that’s what makes capitalism the only real way to eradicate poverty world wide.

After 80 years of capitalism and socialism and centuries of feudalism, take a look on the actual conditions of countries which were operating and are operating under the mentioned systems, the score board is clear and simple. Don’t just teach a man how to fish, first give him fish first so he don’t die of hunger, then teach him how to fish. The world will be a better place.

REPORTS Bence Bauer

Fidesz and the Reinvention of the Hungarian Center-Right

Punctually to the 25th anniversary of founding of Fidesz the English book “Fidesz and the Reinvention of Center-Right” was released. The German-Hungarian journalist Edith Oltay, living in Berlin, wrote this study about Fidesz Hungarian Civic Alliance.

Actually the appearance of the opus is a sensation. Fidesz, one of most successful parties in whole Europe, was elected at the last parliamentary elections in Hungary dating back 2010 with 52,73% of the votes.

With the 2/3 majority in the Hungarian Parliament, this party is still unknown to a wide range of an international clientele. For the German observer, who was faced with a pure flood of negative reports concerning Hungary and the leading party, it seems necessary to have an objective and at least a factual assessment now, with special regard to the upcoming parliamentary elections in April 2014.

Even the unique features of this party are worth a detailed analyse. Concerning to other people´s parties in the region which are in many cases highly split, Fidesz is exactly the opposite. It is a non-fragmented, consistent and highly disciplined movement. Furthermore the party is professionally structured, disposes of appreciable allies and consortia and has a high number of sympathisers and supporters. It accomplished to be, still after a quarter-century, still one the most influential political forces that integrated a highly diverse voting block being a catch-all-party.

If nothing else this party reached an unprecedented result at the last elections not only at parliamentary or local elections but also at the elections to the European Parliament where Fidesz achieved one of the best results so far in whole Europe with 56,37% of all electoral votes.

Founded in 1988 as a student organisation with an age limit of 35, Fidesz developed in the 25 years of its existence to a broadly structured, widely ramified and strictly organised people´s party which is still popular in opinion polls. The party itself is in home and abroad despite of or even because of its unorthodox and brave decisions not undisputed. Since 2010 a series of uncomfortable reforms have been put on the agenda that actually have been necessary to prepare

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the country for the future, but even more to clear out the Augean stables Socialists governments left behind. In economy policies a balance between individual interests and the common good could be established, but unfortunately not without annoying foreign investors. In social policies, the Fidesz government is adhering to the Christian roots of Europe, something which is for the European mainstream despicable at all.

Not having before any such publication available for broader international audiences (meaning non-Hungarian) about this unprecedentedly successful political group, is remarkable itself. A book, written by Polish journalist Igor Janke, simultaneously published, is about Viktor Orbán and is available in Hungarian and Polish language. Soon it will be published in German. Anyhow, Oltay is filling this gap at the right time, not forgetting about thoughtfulness and stridency.

In 35 chapters, the author outlines the background of the party skilfully and multifariously, points out the genesis of the party as an opposition movement in late-Communist Hungary and describes its path over the first Fidesz government 1998-2002 until the opposition times from 2002 to 2010, where the basics of the fulminant election victories of 2006 (local elections), 2009 (European elections) and 2010 (national elections) have been systematically laid down. The motto to reinvent the centre right penetrates the thinking of main Fidesz protagonists, mostly of Viktor Orbán, the party chairman and current Prime Minister.

One cannot oppose the contentual core statement of this oeuvre, which says, Fidesz has reinvented the centre right. With masterful alliance policies the party succeeded in the years after 1994 to channel the remnants of the former centre right in a huge party and finally to integrate them 2003 in a broadly structured movement uniting the complete centre right spectrum. Thus, the name Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Alliance was

created, leaning as its name on the German Union parties. Much more the author should have worked out different models of European party cooperation bearing with importance for Fidesz those days.

The analysis of the party, its thinking, its background and its motivation is different to the usual pattern of political analyses. It is pleasantly fresh, full of variety and it manages in the end to observe Hungarian specifics.

It is Oltay´s big merit to trace the evolution of Fidesz comprehensibly and plausibly for the European public in order the policies of Fidesz can be iterated. By doing so, she is not forfeiting her journalistic independence and judgment.

Such an oeuvre is essential in a uniting Europe, where political players of most different origins are clashing, but have to find cooperation and mutual understanding.

Especially because Fidesz is not fitting to a prefabricated scheme, it is highly recommended to know this important political partner and the narrative behind it. Hope remains, that this newly published opus is capable to make its own contribution to objectify the picture of Hungary and especially of Fidesz.

Edith Oltay: Fidesz and the Reinvention of the Hungarian CenterRight, Budapest, 2013, Századvég, ISBN: 978 615 5164040, price: 3.000,- HUF or 10,- EUR This article was published on the blog “ZukunftVolkspartei” of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung on 13th January 2014

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REPORTS Viivika Melts

Living the European experience Albert Einstein once said that in theory, theory and practice are the same, in practice, they are not.

Theory is a fundamental basis of knowledge, but it is also important to put the knowledge into practice.

Although internship experience has become increasingly popular and more valued, complimenting university degrees and diplomas, the concept of internships is still quite new in many countries and their higher education systems.

Sometimes academic studies can be very theoretical, and basically no practice is foreseen – but better skills are obtained through the combination of the two.

While at my previous post, I felt that I lacked motivation and desired change. I then stumbled upon a call for a five-month internship at the European Commission. Since I had never previously undertaken an internship during my professional life, and was also curious about European institutions and international experience in the capital of European Union, I decided to apply.

The European Commission’s internship programme is the biggest in the world. In 1960 there were only 3 trainees, but with the expansion of European Union and by encouraging university graduates to gain multicultural experience their number reached 500 in 1983. Now they recruit approximately 600-700 trainees (also called Blue book stagiaries) for each traineeship period. The number might seem large itself, but considering the current high rate of youth unemployment in Europe, the competition, especially for a remunerated internship, is tough and has increased by nearly 75 per cent in recent years (nearly 19,000 applicants), so my joy was justified when I got selected.

Trainees work according to the same rules as European Civil Servants and each trainee is assigned to an adviser who acts as a mentor. The content of their job largely depends on the service they are assigned to. During the application stage trainees need to choose a type of traineeship and their preferred employment area, and in all likeli-

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hood, most will find themselves placed in a suitable department and unit within the institution, tackling tasks that suit their interests.

But the focus is not only on work. The Stage Committee, which is the representative organ of trainees, is elected at the beginning of each traineeship. Together with various subcommittees it ensures that your time is filled with many activities, weekend trips, social and networking events, conferences, seminars, visits and briefing sessions to other European or international institutions etc.

I cannot speak for others, nor discuss the quality of the practice, since every individual’s expectations and experience are unique. At the end of my stage, I can say there has been progress in my self-development: I was given the opportunity to have an inside view of the huge mechanism and its internal procedures; the daily tasks I undertook have helped to develop my competencies; and last but not least is the valuable opportunity to live, work and make friends in a foreign country.

Here you also realise that all authorities located in Brussels do not form an isolated bubble, but are open to the world, linked to every country and political system in Europe, trying to reach out to people, making effort to combat euroscepticism, far right movements, populism and xenophobia, standing consistently for all the values European Union was founded on.

During my high school years, our country was already independent, although not yet a Member State of the European Union, but even back then I did not dare to think about studying abroad.

Nowadays in Europe it is probably harder to find young people who do not have any international experience than to find people with some sort of international experience. I cannot argue against the fact that our generation, the most educated and skilled anyone has ever seen, is facing many problems, including unemployment, but never before have we had also so many options for travelling, studying, volunteering and working abroad.

We should take advantage of the opportunities we are offered. I highly recommend getting handson experience in the multicultural environment in some of the European institutions (European External Action Service, European Parliament, European Central Bank, Court of Justice of the European Union, etc). A wide variety of traineeships is offered to students and graduates from very different backgrounds, the choice can be made depending on one’s interest or qualifications.

The internship is definitely a significant experience, which broadens horizons, improves knowledge and skills in the chosen area of study, helps to gain more self-confidence, and make new acquaintances. But ultimately, it is an investment for the future and your further career, whether in the public or private sector.

UNIVERSITIES Silvie Rohr

A University In Exile

– The European Humanities University

In 1992, the European Humanities University (EHU) was founded in Minsk, Belarus. As a European orientated education alternative to the ordinary state institutions, the EHU offered many different artistical as well as critical subjects.

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But the focus on liberal-western values was too much for the Belarusian authorities.

The regime had EHU members observed by the KGB, and in 2004 the university was forbidden entirely. In one of Lukasheko‘s speeches he took personal responsibility for the decision.

After their forced closure by the Belarusian regime the EHU was rebuild in its current home of Vilnius, Lithuania, and in 2012 was even able to celebrate its twentieth anniversary.

The aim of the university in exile is to give young people the opportunity to get an ideology-free education and, in the end, to educate specialists who can help Belarus within its transformation. Therefore the students can select subjects which are not taught in their home country, and also have the opportunity to, for example, participate in the Erasmus programme.

The Rector of the EHU , Proffessor Dr Mikhailov, sketched out their achievements and challenges in his anniversary speech. It won’t be easy for the approximately 2000 Belarusian students to live in exile. Although some of them are living in dormitories on the campus and are surrounded by their fellow countrymen, it’s a life without their parents, siblings, and family. Furthermore, it’s sometimes quite challanging for the students to integrate into Lithuania. “You never forget that one day you will heading back home.”

In addition to many partners from around the world the RCDS, as a member of EDS, is a longstanding partner of the University as well.

In the beginning students donated their books and now an RCDS scholarship is advertised for the very first time. It’s a small contribution to ensure that the RCDS contributes towards the defence of academic freedom.

But not only RCDS is committed to the EHU. Recently an “EHU Funding Initiative e.V.” was founded in Germany. The club has been founded with the aim to support

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UNIVERSITIES the European Humanities University (EHU) both morally and financially. EDS took the opportunity to speak to one of the main initiators of the initiative and president of the Young European Federalists Saxony Michael Bechter.

DEAR MICHAEL, YOU HAVE BECOME ONE OF THE MOST ACTIVE EHU-ACTIVIST IN GERMANY. HOW DID YOU GET IN TOUCH WITH EHU AND WHAT MOTIVATES YOU? “My study friend Maxim Asjoma asked me if I am interested to travel with him and his Belarusian father to Vilnius. And of course I was interested. At the same time I was the secretary for European Affairs of RCDS Saxony and I knew that there is this university in exile. I wrote to the rector, if he could invite me to visit EHU and in the end Rector Mikhailov invited me to join him for a coffee in his office.

“Afterwards an EHU-student showed us around at the campus. He said that he does not know if he can go back to Belarus and start a professional career with his degree of EHU, but this was not important for him, because he is happy that he can learn new things without pressure laid upon him from the authorities. That was a very strong experience for me. In my university I often heard that people only studied because it is a “duty”. In Vilnius they take personal risk and economic and political hardships to get liberal education.”

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE IDEA TO START A NEW INITIATIVE? “The idea of a new initiative was born when Maxim and I finished our studies at the univer-

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sity in Dresden. Until this time it was ok to do it in the frame of RCDS, but afterwards…? We still wanted to be involved and to make a difference for young talented Belarusians, who are so eager to learn new things, so we decided to gather a group of supporters of EHU in Germany and found a special society for the sole purpose of supporting EHU. In February 2012 we established EHU – Förderinitiative e.

V. in Dresden and earned the status of a charitable society. Today we have a wide range of individual and institutional supporters.”

WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS DO YOU PURSUE AT THE MOMENT? “At the moment we have two main aims as a supporter society – firstly we raise awareness about EHU and the situation in Belarus in Germany. In pursuing this goal we reach out to individuals and universities in Germany to get them connected to the topic and to find new support, such as the scholarship from RCDS. Secondly we organize student exchange trips for EHU students to Germany so that they can improve their German language skills or their political and cultural knowledge about Germany.”

HAS THE EHU AN IMPACT ON THE SITUATION IN BELARUS? HOW DO YOU SEE THE CHANCE FOR A FUTURE RETURN OF THE UNIVERSITY FROM EXILE? “2/3 of the EHU Students are registered in the distance learning program. So most of them lives somewhere in Belarus and understands the problems of their environment. At the moment it doesn´t look like there will be a revolution, like in the Ukraine, soon – but

nobody knows. However, if such a thing happens it is utterly important that there are Belarusians who understand how to transform their country into a democratic civil society.

The example of experts who returned to Germany after World War II comes to mind, when I think about it.

“Of course EHU is a university and not a revolution camp. The aim of EHU is to give young and talented Belarusians the chance to learn to think freely, to think about Belarusian problems with other Belarusians and talk about it.

They can speak in their mother tongue, they learn new languages have the opportunity to travel and find other ideas, as well as another kind of thinking.

“Now, one can say they can leave Belarus and study on any European or US university and they would get the same, but from my opinion this isn´t the case. They don´t leave their culture, they leave the borders of their country and most of them want to go back to Belarus and change something in their society. The latest failure of EU diplomacy bears a brilliant example of how we cannot change Belarus.

The idea to buy democracy from Lukashenko does not work.

“Instead we can help to educate young Belarusians and to show them how to express their knowledge, bring them together with people from outside of Belarus so they can see that there is another world outside those narrow ideological borders they are used to.

Our approach does not aim at changing Belarus top-bottom, but to create a well-educated citizenship in Belarus who is able to express its own wishes and desires about how their nation should be like in the future.”

UNIVERSITIES

Virgilio Falco

Italian university system on the precipice

Falling student registrations, minimal investment in research, with support far from meeting the real needs of worthy and needy students, Italy is on the brink of an abyss that could lead to a (further) downgrading of its universities.

It is confirmed by the numbers in the tenth edition of Science, Technology and Society, published by Observa Science in Society. This photo leaves few hopes: with 12 per cent of university teachers under 40 and 1.3 per cent of GDP spent on research, Italy comes at the last of the charts in Europe and the OECD. In a picture so bleak, however, emerge of the strengths that indicate the quality of the young people involved in research, for though comprising only 4.3 per thousand employees (the European average is 7, Germans 8.1, French 9, the Portuguese 9.9, Danes 13.4 and Finns 16), Italian researchers are the eighth in the world for publications in scientific journals and fourth for European funded projects. All this confirms the potential, unfortunately not fully

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expressed, of young Italian researchers.

To all this grim news we should add the low percentage of women university professors (only 36 per cent, which is the twenty-first country in the ranking of twenty-two countries analysed), the low presence of students and PhD foreign students (3.7 per cent versus 6.9 percent of the OECD average, 11.95 per cent in France and 16.8 per cent in the UK) and the alarming position in the ranking of Italian universities in the QS World University Rankings. The University of Bologna is on top of the national rankings (but is in 180th place, last year it was at 194), the second of Rome La Sapienza (rising to 196, in 2012 it was at 216), third place for the Polytechnic of Milan (230, last year 244), fourth was the University of Milan

(235 place, 256 in 2012) and fifth the University of Pisa (259th place, was 314 in 2012).

The message that we see in this data is clear: either reverse the trend, or see the unstoppable decline of the system – not only academically, but also in the entire country of Italy.

The Minister of Education. Carrozza, former rector of the prestigious University Sant’Anna, is running the viaticum of upgrading the university and research sector, putting at the center the evaluation of degree courses and teachers. We will now have to look to the new government, recently took office, to take responsibility for a problem that threatens to plunge the land where universities were born into the abyss of a new dark age.

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UNIVERSITIES of each Operational Programme is to contribute to EU2020 objectives of smart sustainable and inclusive growth. Investments in ICT, research and innovation are at the cornerstone of Regional Policy in the new period. Through these investments, Regional Policy can help all regions to become more competitive, including in the field of education through innovative ways of learning and teaching and the use of new technologies and digital content.

Florian Weinberger

Interview with Commissioner Hahn European Digital University: Can we overcome regional disparities online?

COMPARING DIFFERENT REGIONS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION, WE STILL FACE BIG DIFFERENCES IN EDUCATIONAL LEVELS AND EDUCATIONAL OFFERS. WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE MAIN OBSTACLES TO OVERCOME? I think that Regions are not taking up sufficiently the potential offered by new technologies and the availability of digital content, including open educational resources. These are necessary pre-requisites to improve the efficiency, accessibility and equity of any region’s education, training and learning systems.

Without adequate action at EU level, the current problems of uneven availability of ICT networks will persist the same way as the discovery of quality digital resources remains difficult. All these have negative implications related to skills, social cohesion and general access to knowledge.

HOW CAN THE EUROPEAN UNION SUPPORT THESE REGIONS IN ADVANCING? Even though the key for success depends primarily on Member States, the European Union also has a role to play. The European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) promote the economic and social cohesion within the European Union by investing in the competitiveness of all regions.

Investments under the ESIF for the 2014-2020 period will be delivered through Operational Programmes with a specific development plan for the regions, based on a Smart Specialisation Strategy. The aim

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THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION LATELY STATED IN ITS COMMUNICATION THAT “EU EDUCATION IS FAILING TO KEEP PACE WITH THE DIGITAL SOCIETY AND ECONOMY” – WHERE DO YOU SEE THE OBSTACLES FOR EU EDUCATION? Today’s students expect more personalization, collaboration and better links between formal and informal learning. However, between 50% and 80% of students in the EU never use digital textbooks, exercise software, broadcasts/podcasts, simulations or learning games. The EU lacks a critical mass of good quality educational content and applications in specific subjects and in multiple languages. Moreover there are not enough connected devices for all students and teachers.

The USA and some Asian countries are investing in ICT-based strategies to reshape education and training. They are transforming, modernizing and internationalising education systems with tangible effects in schools and universities. These include better access and lower cost of education, new teaching practices and building their worldwide reputation or branding.

The EU simply needs to do more to keep up with our competitors.

WITH THE EUROPEAN DIGITAL UNIVERSITY RESOLUTION, EDS LAID A POLITICAL CORNERSTONE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ON ONLINE EDUCATION. HOW DO YOU ASSESS THE OPPORTUNITIES REMOTE REGIONS, EVEN OUTSIDE THE EUROPEAN UNION, WILL GAIN? The EDS resolution calls for the implementation of a platform to allow students to gain a comprehensive overview of universities across the EU and to enable participating institutions to voluntarily supply digital learning content. This could indeed provide the opportunity for Europe to attract new talent also from abroad, equip citizens with relevant skills, promote science and research and fuel innovation, productivity, employment and growth.

Undoubtedly lower levels of output of Member States and regions and the high levels of unemployment are a clear loss of potential and opportunity for the Union as a whole.

Therefore, investing in online education and training for people in all regions of the Union and beyond opens up new markets and extends the economic potential of all Member States and countries even

outside the Union.

Though online education and similar initiatives would be to the benefit of all interested citizens and regions, it might be of particular importance for remote regions as it will make it easier for their citizens to study without having to migrate.

IN THIS RESOLUTION, EDS ASKS THE EUROPEAN UNION TO PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR ONLINE TRAININGS, E-LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND MOOCS TO LAUNCH WHAT WE CALL A EUROPEAN DIGITAL HIGHER EDUCATION AREA. FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW, WHAT ELSE WILL BE NEEDED TO MAKE THIS EUROPEAN DIGITAL HIGHER EDUCATION AREA REALITY? European universities must be involved by supporting and providing European networking opportunities for higher education institutions committed to or interested in the challenge of an European Digital Higher Education Area. The European socio-economic context, the cost of education and the role of the public authorities in defining relevant policy has to be taken into account.

One thing is definitively sure: building a European level Massive Open Online Courses cannot be done exclusively at university level. The project is ambitious: content, resources and critical mass are required in order to succeed at European or Global level. However, without a proper framework in place, issues of fragmentation, timing, compatibility and transparency might derail the whole project.

ONE LAST QUESTION: WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL BE THE FUTURE TRENDS IN LIFE LONG LEARNING ESPECIALLY IN REGARD TO REMOTE AREAS? Populations in remote regions, with all the accessibility challenges, are facing an ever increasing disadvantage and are experiencing ever more social division. Uneven access to digital technology also risks increasing the digital divide, particularly in terms of access to knowledge on digital skills.

Therefore it is important to implement projects, such as the ones you are proposing. They will help remote regions in providing increased possibilities for education, including Life-Long Learning. I believe that this will be the prevailing trend in the years to come.

Structural Funds, for which I am responsible for as Commissioner for Regional Policy, allocated to ICT an amount of approximately EUR 15 billion or 4.4% of the total budget during the 2007–20113 period.

For the 2014-2020 period, European Structural and Investment Funds can make a decisive contribution by investments to fill in the gaps and develop ICT content. This will contribute towards more open learning environments to deliver education of higher quality and efficacy – including for Life-Long Learning - to the benefit of all regions and in particular the more remote ones.

COUNCIL OF EUROPE Andrey Novakov

Guarantee for Human rights and rule of law

For many people, the discussion of human rights and the rule of law in 2014 may not be relevant, especially in Europe. Recent events in Ukraine indicate that unfortunately, this topic is not forgotten and it’s far from over. And therefor, the role of the largest and oldest European institution that cares for human rights, rule of law and humanity – Council of Europe is so important.

Perhaps one of the most significant achievements of the Council of Europe is the European Court of Human Rights. His existence is one of the main prerequisites for the respect of fundamental rights of all human beings. Based in Luxembourg, this Court ensures compliance with EU law and rules on the interpretation and application of the treaties establishing the European Union.

I want to give a few examples. First of all we should say that Europe is home for people from different religions and cultures, with different political believes and interests. And the example contains some unacceptable statistics. Facts, that affects us all in the world we living. One out of three women are beaten, sexual harassment or abused in some other way throughout the world. Look around you.

One in three women. Every year 8 million small arms and 16 billion units of ammunition are produced. More than 2 new bullets that every human on the planet. Enough to kill us all twice over. 20 000 people were sentenced to death worldwide only for last few years.

Hanging, death in the electric chair, lethal injection, shooting and even stoning are still governmental sanctions and we claim to be civilized. Torcher is common practice in many places and refugees are suffering unnecessary. Governments sacrifice their people, sacrifice their health and even live because of vague interests. And this is not a movie script.

This story is real. This is the world in which we live in and this is the life of our fellow human beings. But we don’t have to except.

Therefore supranational political organizations such as the Council of Europe are fundamental to the creation of sustainable and equitable favorable living conditions. Because the Council stand up for humanity and human rights where justice and freedom is denied. Human rights are our by birth. They cannot be given or taken away by any individual, organization or court. They are inalienable and belong to all of

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us. Let me remind you that Council of Europe was one of the first organization to “Urges firm action against Ukraine Police impunity”.

Nils Muiznieks, the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, express the Council position according to which those responsible for the use of excessive force against antigovernment protesters in Ukraine should be brought to justice. Even he visited Ukraine on February 5-10, when his team interviewed dozens of people who were injured or detained during the protests, and also met health professionals who had treated people for injuries. In a statement on February 10, commissioner said: “It is not necessary to crack people’s skulls and knock out several of their teeth in order to apprehend them. At the same time, it is not necessary to aim rubber bullets at persons’ heads in order to bring a crowd under control or counter violence by protesters.”

And of course the results were immediate.

A little later it was announced that Ukraine plans to use the help of the Council of Europe

experts and also the help of the “Venice Commission” while preparing changes due to be introduced into the country’s Basic Law. And I should say that it is necessary to do that in order to work out a high-quality document.

It is necessary that these recommendations should be balanced and based on the objective assessment of world events. Today we already know that a presidential election will be held no later than December 2014 and an investigation into acts of violence will be monitored by the Council of Europe. This is a direct result of the efforts of the experts of the Council and their recent actions shows that we are gathered by our shared humanity and determination to protect human rights.

For us, European democrat students, human rights has been always curtail part of portfolio and European wide campaigns. That is why the Council of Europe is so important and meaningful not only on our continent but almost worldwide. Because this organization is an example of how institutions in the future should work – care for people’s lives.

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BUREAU

EDS Bureau 2013/14 EDS has elected a new bureau for this working year during its Summer University which was held in Berlin Germany.

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Eva Majewski (28) is Chairwoman of EDS. She oversees and manages the work of the Bureau and represents EDS externally towards the EPP, all Brussels-based institutions and other third parties.

She is responsible for the strategic agenda setting, policy development, and liasing with member organizations.

Ingrid Hopp (25) is EDS Secretary General. She runs the EDS Office in Brussels, and take care of all day-to-day work. She is also dealing with the EDS communication daily, through the EDS website and Social Media channels. SecGen Hopp also represents EDS externally, both in Brussels and in Europe.

Ivan Burazin (24) ViceChairmen lives in Split, Croatia where he studies National Security at the Faculty of Forensic Sciences, and he holds a bachelor’s degree in administrative law. In the bureau he holds responsible for the entrepreneurship project together with ViceChair Chatzigeorgiou.

Teele Holmberg (31) lives in Tallinn, Estonia. Teele has graduated at the University of Tallinn with an BA in recreation and is graduating as MA at University of Tartu in Social Sciences and European Studies. She is in charge of social media and also in charge for events, a responsibility she shares together with Vice-Chair Masna.

Florian Weinberger (26) lives in Vienna, Austria where he studies the graduate programme agricultural economies. Within the bureau he is responsible for educational policies and he helps Chairman Majewski with the representation of EDS towards the EPP and its working groups.

Anna Masna (31) was born in Ternopil (Ukraine). She studied at the Institute of Economics and Entrepreneurship. She is in charge of the Ad-hoc working group on Eastern Partnership

Andrey Novakov (25) was born in Pazardjik, Bulgaria.

He studied at South-West University in Blagoevgrad where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Public administration. He is a constant contributor to BullsEye and he signs responsible for policy input.

Vit Vosecek (20) was born in Hradec Kralove, but now he is studying in Prague at the University of economics. He is responsible for BullsEye magazine and for membership questions.

Georgios Chatzigeorgiou (23) was born in Larnaca, Cyprus. He studied Law at Lancaster University in the UK is currently accomplishing his Barristers’ course. Within the Bureau he holds responsible for fundraising together with Vice-Chair Burazin and he is in charge of any statutory questions.