ELDR Vice President Van der Laan and Commission Vice President Kallas and Finnish Europe Minister Thors

The Netherlands will have a snap general election on Wednesday June 9, following the collapse of Prime Minister Balkenende’s fourth government since 2002. Whereas changing governments on average every two years is generally not something I would applaud, the early demise of this Christian Democrat - Labour coalition (with protestant conservatives thrown in for the majority), is probably a blessing in disguise. This coalition has achieved very little in their three years in office. (more…)

Praxoula Kyriacou, Leader of the United Democrats (Cyprus)

The Germans celebrate these days the fall of the Berlin wall and the reunification of their country. The end of partition in Germany led to the end of the cold war in Europe and to the opening of a brighter future for the new generations of Europeans.

In Cyprus, the prospect of an agreement on reunification being achieved in the near future has given rise to grave concerns amongst certain quarters and has activated neutralizing plans.

It’s obvious that the new ambient atmosphere has been well planned and graciously funded on the basis of the well tried model of recent years. The aim is to discredit both the UN representatives as well as the interlocutors, in an attempt to intimidate them and damage their image among the public. (more…)

Belgian Finance Minister Didier Reynders

Coming back to the financial crisis, how did we get there? How could such sophisticated machinery fall apart so rapidly?

The jury is still out as to the importance of each specific ingredient. But it is clear by now that a combination of factors, both at the macro and micro levels, together led to a huge underestimation of risks and, ultimately, to a total loss of confidence in the financial system. The whole world was looking at the future through a rear mirror of low defaults and high growth. (more…)

Matti Vanhanen, Prime Minister of Finland

The president of European socialists (PES) Poul Nyrup Rasmussen participates in his Finnish sister party’s European election campaign by claiming that my Cabinet does not do enough to fight the recession and increasing unemployment. Rasmussen says that my government just copies ineffective policies from elsewhere and Mrs. Jutta Urpilainen and SDP represent Finland “at its unique best”. I suggest Mr. Rasmussen to get to know the Finnish political and economic reality before making these accusations.

It is true, that most of the European countries and the US are searching for a new way economy, because both socialism and pure capitalism have shown their weaknesses in an unpreceded way during past months. In my thinking the state plays a stronger role but the principles of the market economy are respected. A collective responsibility is coupled with market economy. (more…)