Posts Tagged ‘The European Parliament’

March27

US Recovery Plan the 'Road to Hell'

By: Tim Neale

US President Barack Obama’s stimulus plan has been condemned as “the road to hell” by the Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek. The Czech Republic currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union.

The US plans to spend nearly US$2 trillion to stimulate the US economy and has been critical of some EU countries for not planning similar big spending stimulus packages. Germany has been particularly reticent to splurge out.

Prime Minister Topolanek was reporting back to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on last week’s EU summit. He said EU leaders had been disturbed by calls from the US Treasury secretary Tim Geithner for EU stimulus spending similar to the US’s.

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March8

Hillary Charms the EU

By: Tim Neale

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in Brussels this week and has hit the EU with a charm offensive. Both the EU and the US had expressed hopes of rebuilding trans-Atlantic relationship that had become strained under the previous administration.

Secretary Clinton can feel the visit a success. She started Friday with a town hall style question and answer with young Europeans at the European Parliament. This was streamed live across the EU on Europe by Satellite.

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February4

Libertas EU Funding Confusion

By: Tim Neale

New Pan-European Political Party runs into trouble

The European Union Parliament may review its decision to grant funding to the anti-Lisbon Treaty party Libertas. The move comes after Estonian MP Igor Gräzin, sent an affidavit to the EU Parliament on Feb. 3 disavowing his support

In the email Gräzin says, “I have never signed any papers asking for a recognition of Libertas as a political party in the EU and all corresponding claims are utterly untrue.”

Libertas started as a campaign pressure group opposed to the Lisbon Treaty in the Irish referendum on the subject. Last year, founder Declan Ganley announced that it would transform itself into a pan-European political party to contest the EU Parliamentary elections.

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January22

Iran Looks to Benefit from EU Energy Insecurity

By: Tim Neale

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mehdi Safari told the European Parliament that Iran was looking for closer energy ties with the EU.

In Brussels on Jan-20 to meet EU lawmakers and officials, AP reports Safari as saying, “We are ready to contribute, we are ready for a dialogue.”

Safari was promoting Iran as both a transit country and a possible supplier of gas to the EU. Iran has the world’s second largest gas reserves. These are currently undeveloped and are likely to remain so as long as Iran faces sanctions imposed in response to its enrichment of nuclear material.

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