Reflectii

Part I:“Linking People to Reforms”

Buying Freedom on the Free Market

Obscured by the mythology of pursuing economic and political autonomy, Ukraine plays the latest role in a long, unfolding process of western corporate, political and military interests establishing the “territorial integrity” not of independent Eastern European states, but of “NATO’s border” under the monolithic control of the United States. Ukraine has long served as a Western frontier—its political and economic ambitions co-opted by Washington’s pundits and financiers—and what the NATO Association of Canada has described as “the only country standing between Russia and the EU”.

The Austrian Green Party told BIRN why MPs backed a proposed ban on an annual commemoration in Austria of Croatian Nazi-allied troops and civilians killed in World War II which has become a get-together for nationalists.

In 2016 and 2017, US management consultancy giant McKinsey was at the heart of efforts in Europe to accelerate the processing of asylum applications on over-crowded Greek islands and salvage a controversial deal with Turkey, raising concerns over the outsourcing of public policy on refugees.

Corruption, populism, nationalism and disinformation have eroded faith in liberal democracy in Central and Eastern Europe, according to a new Globsec report – which says many people would trade in some of their freedoms for greater security and traditional values.

Following the election of the new government in Kosovo, the US special presidential envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Richard Grenell, has taken a proactive and assertive approach to the talks, increasing the likelihood of a final deal in which the US plays a significant role.

As Ethan Melzer’s Army unit prepared to deploy in April, the young private recognized that he could be killed while overseas and expressed an apparent willingness to die.

Almost 120 terrorist plots were uncovered across Europe last year, resulting in more than 1,000 arrests.

“The only long-term solution to the fascist menace is to undermine its pillars of strength in society grounded not only in white supremacy but also in ableism, heteronormativity, patriarchy, nationalism, transphobia, class rule, and many others.” — Mark Bray, “Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook,” 2017.

The cross-party leadership of the Transatlantic Friends of Israel asked EU High Representative Josep Borrell urgently for reassurances that EU funds not be used to benefit terrorists and for a thorough review of funding standards for NGOs to ensure that they are not employing terrorists or inciting violence.

The European Union must finally decide how to treat Islamic Hezbollah. And stop pretending that the “Party of God” is divided into “politicians” and “soldiers”. The former can act legally, the latter cannot – because they are terrorists who “specialize” in bombings, including suicide ones. It is time to recognize that Hezbollah is one organization. A terrorist organization – writes Sebastian Rejak*.