The default of Greece is the default of Europe

Once again all Europe is focused on Greek crisis.

After the failure of the negotiations between Greece and Eu , Athens have decided to ask directly the population about the new agreement proposed by Europe.

Is this a good decision?

Definitely yes.

First, a referendum is the most democratic instrument possible. Population must be involved in such a decision that, in a way or in the other, will deeply touch their lives.

Second, the choice made by the Greek government has put pressure on the European Institutions. If Greeks will vote against the agreement, the crisis that can born in Europe is unpredictable. 

The small Greece represents the paradox of an Europe that has completely forgot its values. 

This situation is just the result of the contradictions of the European States. They don't want a strong Europe, as they don't want to lose power. So the rules of the game are not clear and strong enough. 

Greece got huge benefits to be part of Europe, but now it is smashed between the pressure of Germany and France and the fear of the population.

Many years of austerity didn't change anything. The situation got worse and worse. And today we are still here, looking at the Cradle of the democracy, that can collapse together with the ideal of a Federal European Union.

One thing is sure: the imminent default of Greece is the default of all Europe. 

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Immigration: the face of an Europe we don't want!

What it is happening in Italy and in Europe in these days is a shame.

3279 immigrants died in 2014 in the Mediterranean Sea, and this year there are already 1754 victims. The 18th of April one only incident in the Sicilian Channel caused more than 700 victims. 

And what is Europe doing?

Immigrants at the Milan Station (2015)

The Governments are talking about rules, law and national competencies. In the meantime, today in some train stations in Italy (like in Milan and Rome), there are hundreds of immigrants that want to reach their families in the north of Europe but Schengen has been temporary suspended and they actually live in the stations.

Egoism seems the predominant feeling in these days all around Europe, when the topic is the immigration, as well as the Greek crisis or the social policies for the people with less opportunities.

In a very interesting article published on the Italian newspaper La Stampa, it was reported that 170 thousand immigrants "destibilized" Europe last year, but Turkey had to face to an immigration from Syria and Iraq of more than 2 million of people and Lebanon - a country of 4 million of inhabitants - hosts 2 millions of refugees.

Europe is the biggest economy in the world. Even in this difficult period, we should not forget that solidarity is one of the most important value of our common roots.

Should we leave people sleeping and living under the bridges or in the stations? Is this the Europe we want? Is this the spirit we want to pass on the new generations?

I don't.

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Do we really need the TTIP?

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is a proposed free trade agreement between the European Union and the United States.

US and EU together represent 60% of global GDP, 33% of world trade in goods and 42% of world trade in services. The barriers between the two most important economies in the world are already law, but the purpuse of the TTIP is to consolidate the relations, improving the trade between the parts, facilitating the competition and creating new jobs.

This agreement is strongly criticized for the method of the negotiation and for the potential effects of it. In fact, the negotiation is held in a confidential way, that doesn't allow the public opinion to know the details of the agreement and it doesn't facilitate a public discussion.

Moreover, this agreement could bring damages to the consumers, to the workers and to the environment. From one side, there should be specific Institutions that could judge about the litigations between States and private companies outside the national jurisdiction. This could give more power to the biggest private corporations. From the other, Us didn't ratify many agreements related to labor rights and environment protections, and this could bring a sort of social dumping against Europe.

We can draft two kinds of considerations. First, more economic freedom can raise the level of competitions in the markets and this is reflected also in the prices: but which is the social cost of it? Second, the negotiations must be subjected to the public opinion, because the effect of TTIP will deeply touch our life.

The 10th of June the European Parliament had to express an opinion about TTIP in a special session in Strasbourg. Thanks to the pressure of a huge majority in the Parliament, the vote and the discussion has been postponed. We will see how much force the Parliament and the voice of the public opinion can have in the future discussion, also considering the pressure of G7 to reach an agreement.

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Ireland, Poland, Spain: a week-end that can change Europe

The last week end was exceptionally important for Europe, even if it wasn't perceived like that from everybody.

This is a period of elections and referendum all over Europe. And one week ago three important consultations took place in Ireland, Spain and Poland.

The referendum in Ireland was organized to modify the Constitution and to allow the same-sex marriage. In Spain there were important administrative elections. In Poland finally, the was the second run for the Presidential Elections.

Although the nature of the consultations were different, the results will be deeply change Europe.

Ireland will be the first Country in the world to allow the same-sex marriage in the Constitution. That could have a positive effect also in other Countries and, at the same time, the Church will have to accept that the something is changing in the society.

In Spain, Podemos broke the traditional bipartisan political system, winning in both Madrid and Barcelona. The Popular Party is still the first force, but this is an important signal for the political elections in November.

Poland surprised everybody with the election of the Eurosceptic Andrzej Duda as new President of the Republic. Even if Warsaw is considered the emerging economic power in Europe, also thanks to the Eu funds, a huge part of the Country has not yet touched by the wealth and is asking for a change.

It is interesting to notice that the immobility of the European establishment is going to be overtaken by the choice of the electorate, in a sense or in another. We don't live in a perfect world, but democracy can still amaze us.

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Can Mustafa Akıncı be a new beginning for Cyprus?

Few weeks ago the Presidential Elections were held in the Turkish part of Cyprus. The winner has been Mustafa Akinci (68), former Major of the Turkish Municipality of Nicosia and Member of the Parliament.

Mustafa Akinci

Akinci is a "leftist moderate", as he described himself. During the electoral campaign, he promoted a fraternal but not submissive relation with Turkey (that contributes for one third of Northern Cyprus public balance) and a stronger collaboration with the Greek part of the Island.

Cyprus is currently divided in two parts by the "Green Line",  a demilitarized zone, patrolled by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), that was established in 1974 following the Turkish invasion of the Country.

Cyprus is part of European Union since 2004 (at least the Greek part). And the capital, Nicosia, is the last city diveded by a wall in Europe. It is hard to believe that the Akinci election will bring to the reunification of the island. But let's be optimistic: it can be a new beginning for the Country, based on good relations between North and South.

We will see how Greece and Turkey will influence those relations.

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Who is Magdalena Ogórek?

The 10th of May the Presidential Elections will take place in Poland. The favorite candidate is the current President, Bronisław Komorowski, member of the liberal Party Platforma Obywatelska, the same of Mr. Donald Tusk. The major competitor will be Andrzej Duda, official candidate of Prawo i Sprawiedliwość, party leaded by the former Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski.

There are other candidates, with low possibility to pass the first round of the elections. Among them, media concentrated their attention to the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Madgalena Ogórek.

Magdalena Ogorek

Who is she?

Magdalena Ogórek (36) is an historian with a Phd got at the University of Opole. She worked at the University of Warsaw and in the highest political offices. She has also collaborated with the National Polish Bank and she has been anchorwoman in a financial show. She has also had a career as actress, participating in some Polish movies and Tv-series, around 10 years ago. She was candidate and lost the Parliament Elections in 2011.

Miss Ogórek received many critics regarding her candidature by the Polish Media. She was attacked for her low political experience. Media also made jokes about her surname, that in Polish means cucumber. 

The campaign against her is covered by a trace of misogyny. Even if she doesn't have a strong political background, from some experts she could become a real new element in the polish political landscape. But she looks beautiful, she has also a past in Tv. And that seems enough to attack her above normal.

This case represents just an example of how empty can be the words used during the International Women's Day, when the general climate remains the same as always. 

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Laurent Stefanini is definitely a case of discrimination

Laurent Stefanini is a high - level French officer. Practicing Catholic, he has been the First Counselor of the French Embassy at the Vatican from 2001 till 2005, when he has been nominated Counselor for the Religious Affairs at the Foreign Office and then Head of the Protocol at the Elysee.

Few months ago, Stefanini got the prestigious position of Ambassador at the Vatican. But he is still waiting for the accreditation in order to start officially his office.

The problem? Stefanini is homosexual.

Even if Stefanini got the "approval" of the Cardinal of Paris, few days ago the Pope met him in a private audience in which, it seems, Bergoglio declared the impossibility to give him the accreditation.

A State has the right to give or not the accreditation to an ambassador without any motivation, according to the diplomatic right.

The problem is that the Vatican rules are very rigid and overall anachronistic. France and the Catholic Church have seen contrast in the last year, especially for the law approved in 2013 that allows the same-sex marriage.  Anyway, homosexuality touches the private sphere of a person, but we are talking about a public role and a person who has already covered a preeminent position in the same Embassy for many years.

Nevertheless, this case seems a drop in the ocean. It is estimated that around the 20% of the World Population is attracted to their own gender. At the same time, in 78 countries homosexuality is illegal.

Discrimination and intolerance must be condemn without exceptions. Repeating it seems never enough. 

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