euro|topics - Dan Alexe

02/12/2008

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Alexe, Dan

5 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.

Romania Libera - Romania | 13/11/2008

Beware of Russia

On the eve of the EU-Russia summit in Nice, the daily Romania libera comments on the differences between the stances of the Western and Eastern European states regarding the planned partnership agreement: "It comes as ... no surprise that the EU is advocating the partnership agreement more strongly than Moscow. Europe is dependent on Russian gas, and some states like Slovakia are entirely dependent on it. ... The majority of the EU's western states have always adopted a timid stance towards Russia. ... [Following EU enlargement in 2004] the former communist countries of the East acted far more radically than the West had expected. Countries like the Baltic states and Poland are more familiar with Russia's political mentality. Their geographical proximity and past experience enable the states of the East to decode Moscow's signals more efficiently. ... In comparison with their position, the sad jokes of [Italian Prime Minister Silvio] Berlusconi, who for some time now has systematically proposed that Russia be integrated into the EU, show how inappropriate Europe's traditional pacifist stance is today."

Romania Libera - Romania | 30/10/2008

Is education declining Europe-wide?

The Brussels correspondent of the daily Romania libera Dan Alexe is worried about the future of education: "Many countries, France, Britain, Belgium etc. already know that the next generation will experience a shortage of teachers and trainers. My two children go to school in Belgium, and for years I have been watching the quality of education decline. I have seen that many teachers lack a comprehensive grasp of the subject they teach. Primary school teachers have problems with spelling, or they use only the Internet without ever entering a public library; these are people whose knowledge of the world is gleaned from television. Teachers are among the worst paid professional group, in both eastern and western Europe. ... Nowadays a teacher is a loser. A person who does not even have enough money to buy property."

Romania Libera - Romania | 17/07/2008

The Balkans' search for an identity

"For some time now virtually the entire Balkan world has been engaged in a search for an illustrious identity and noble forefathers that would enable them to shed the labels 'Balkan' or 'Slavs', the Romania Libera newspaper writes, pointing out that the Romanian communist dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu also sought the nation's Dacian roots. "These misconceptions are particularly rife in the countries that made up the former Yugoslavia. The Slovenians claim to be mainly a mixture of Italian and Austrian (and therefore say 'ja' instead of 'da') ... and even the Bulgarians insist they are not Slavs but the descendants of a race that probably originated in Asia. ... Meanwhile, thanks to their dogged persistence the Bosnians have managed to convince everyone that there is a Bosnian language. Only the Serbs no longer know who they are. So it is hardly surprising that tiny Macedonia believes it needs to show the world that its people are different, too. ... They have named their pitiful, burnt-out airport after Alexander the Great. And because they want Alexander back no matter what the cost, the Macedonians have forgotten that they can lay claim to a much more convincing title of honour: that of the missionary brothers Cyril and Methodius, who created the Slavic alphabet and came from the region now known as Macedonia. The only problem is that the two saints were Slavs."

Romania Libera - Romania | 03/07/2008

Eastern European solidarity an example for the West

The poverty experienced by Eastern European countries and the solidarity it engenders could serve as an example to the West in the current economic crisis, writes commentator Dan Alexe. "The growing economic crisis shows how important social solidarity is, and how comforting it is to know you can knock on your neighbour's door anytime you like for a bit of pepper or a cup of oil. The economic crisis ... is seriously damaging people's morale in Western Europe. The recession is changing their mentality. ... Social status is fragile, and conventions are superficial. Poverty can make a virtue of necessity, and soon there will be politicians who brag about how they shop at [the discount supermarket] Aldi, the way some now ride to work on bikes instead of being driven by a chauffeur."

Romania Libera - Romania | 12/06/2008

"Positive" corruption in Eastern Europe

The Romanian daily writes about corruption in Eastern Europe: "Practically all the post-communist states have experienced an incest-like relationship between their leaders, the economic wing of the secret service and the executive bodies dealing with privatisation. The secret services have been involved in the privatisation process almost everywhere, if not officially then as part of a mafia with 'clean shirts'. In Russia the energy structures are controlled by people our head of state Traian Basescu refers to as the 'clever boys'. ... The Russian oligarch Anatoly Chubais delivered a public speech openly praising corruption, ... and describing it as useful. The sons of those who are now making themselves obscenely rich, Chubais contends, will be excellent citizens, receive a university education and, in sum, constitute the class of prosperous technocrats and intellectuals we need: the middle class."

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