Suchergebnisse

Interview with Edgars Rinkevics, Latvian foreign minister since 2011. When will be the turn of Latvia to chair the Council of the European Union, the first half of 2015, Edgars Rinkevics will end up on the front of the stage. Foreign Minister since October 2011, graduated from 41 year-old political science is distinguished by a deep knowledge of defense and security issues. Secretary of State for Defence from 1997 to 2008, he participated in the negotiations on the accession of his country to NATO, which occurred the same year as his entry into the EU (2004). Adapted from the source document.

Of all the awards handed out each year by innumerable bodies around the world, the most prestigious is undoubtedly the Nobel Peace Prize. The ultimate accolade for its recipients, the prize - established over a century ago - is coveted, revered and at times vehemently criticized. Over the decades, certain decisions have led to intense criticism. Just some of the decisions which have, rightly or wrongly, been sharply contested include the prizes awarded to Americans Theodore Roosevelt (1906), George Marshall (1953), Henry Kissinger (1973) and Barack Obama (2009). The selection of Carl von Ossietzky of Germany in 1935 and Lech Walesa of Poland in 1983 drew negative reactions from Hitler's Reich and the Soviet 'big brother', respectively, and then there was the famous Rabin-Peres-Arafat trio in 1994 and the European Union in 2012, not to mention the recurrent oversight of Mahatma Gandhi. These and other controversies have raised the question, almost since the prize's inception, of whether the Oslo selection committee, in its wisdom and supposed neutrality, is nothing more than an instrument of Norwegian diplomacy. A question which remains open today. Adapted from the source document.

While all European countries were hit by the financial meltdown in 2008-09, Latvia suffered more than most. Double-digit growth led to double-digit recession, plunging the small Baltic country into economic turmoil. And yet, just three years later, Latvia is once again on the growth path, so solidly in fact that it is often cited as a model for counterparts in the European Union, seeking new ideas and sustainable solutions. The architect of this impressive recovery is one Valdis Dombrovskis, a center-right politician who was named Prime Minister of Latvia in 2009, when he was just 37. He applied a drastic cure, in line with recommendations from the IMF and the EU. Riga opted for deflation, resulting in a sharp drop not only in prices, but also in salaries. In this exclusive interview, Mr. Dombrovskis explains in detail how he turned his imperiled country into what is often presented as a textbook case by leaders of international financial institutions. Adapted from the source document.

Northern Europe is doing well, despite the crisis. Sweden has logged particularly brilliant results in terms of growth and balancing its budget. The recovery in Finland and Denmark is slower, but forecasts are still optimistic. Norway continues to rely on its vast oil resources to overcome its difficulties. Under these conditions, wouldn't the Nordic countries be well advised to join forces in order to make themselves heard internationally and to protect their common interests? The question is being addressed by the Nordic Council-the main forum for regional cooperation. In November 2010, its publication of a book, calling for the formation of a Nordic Federal State, started the debate. Supporters and opponents of this "realistic utopia" are girding their loins for battle. In the final analysis, however, this beautiful idea may well be smashed by the rise of a nationalistic and xenophobic current in all of these countries, which tends to favor circling the wagons instead of defending common values. Adapted from the source document.

Of all the prime ministers who have left their mark on the political life of the Baltic states since their return to independence two decades ago, Estonia's Andrus Ansip stands out as the only one to have secured a degree of stability. Prime minister since 2005, Mr. Ansip succeeded in gaining eurozone membership for Estonia on January 1, 2011, in return for a level of budgetary rigor that could serve as a model for many other European states... Symbolic implications aside, Andrus Ansip is banking on the euro to make Estonia a more attractive option for foreign investors, to boost trade with the rest of the continent and to stabilize the currency. However, membership in the EU also carries a political dimension: Estonians are eager to be part of Europe mainly to escape the domination of their imposing neighbor to the east, Russia, under whose yoke they have been for half a century. The cyber attacks that hit Estonia in 2007 served as a timely reminder of this threat. Adapted from the source document.

Scandinavian countries have a reputation for being reasonable and consensual. But that doesn't exempt them from the tensions and frustrations that can give rise to extremist groups, to the right of the traditional right-wing parties. In Norway and Denmark (the country where in 2006 the famous caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed were published), populist parties peddling anti-Islam rhetoric are now respectively the second and third-largest political groups nationally. In Sweden, a xenophobic party which is a direct outgrowth of the Nazi movement has a strong chance of winning seats in the next legislative election due on September 19. And in Finland, traditionally less open to foreigners, immigration has become one of the major political issues, in a debate fueled by a party that plays on mistrust of Muslims. All these developments reflect a sometimes troubled past in this region. Adapted from the source document.

Quatre ans après son entrée dans l'Union européenne et l'Otan, la Lettonie traverse une des périodes les plus décisives depuis son retour à l'indépendance. La tentation existe parmi les partis politiques au pouvoir et leurs mentors de perpétuer des mauvaises habitudes héritées de la période soviétique et des premières années de transition. Ces pratiques, peu compatibles avec les valeurs démocratiques dont se réclame la république balte, sont toutefois combattues par la principale agence de lutte contre la corruption, le KNAB, et le Parquet général. Ainsi, fait impensable il y a encore quelques années, l'un des oligarques lettons, Aivars Lembergs, a-t-il été arrêté et attend-il son procès. Mis en place par le pays sous la pression extérieure pour pouvoir entrer dans les structures euroatlantistes, le KNAB fait néanmoins l'objet de tentatives de déstabilisation. Ce bras de fer, qui relègue temporairement la problématique de l'intégration de la minorité russophone au deuxième plan, contribua à la démission du Premier ministre, Aigars Kalvitis, en décembre 2007. Ce dernier a été remplacé par Ivars Godmanis, qui dirige une coalition identique à celle de son prédécesseur. La crédibilité des partis au pouvoir est mise à mal par leur incapacité à résoudre les problèmes économiques. Elle favorise aussi l'émergence de nouvelles forces politiques qui leur disputeront le même électorat de droite ou de centre droit, letton de souche.