A ruling by Germany's highest court that the EU's reforming Lisbon Treaty is compatible with German basic law has been received in Germany and Europe as an encouraging step forward. The court rejected complaints from Germany's far-left party and a maverick conservative member of parliament that the treaty would transfer too much power to Brussels. It said the reforms were fundamentally in line with the country's constitution, but it set conditions. That led Christian Democrat Chancellor Angela Merkel to hail the ruling as a "good day for the Lisbon Treaty." "The important message of the day is that the Lisbon Treaty has cleared another significant hurdle. I am very pleased about that," Merkel told reporters in Berlin after the judgement.
The court rejected complaints from Germany's far-left party and a maverick conservative member of parliament that the treaty would transfer too much power to Brussels. It said the reforms were fundamentally in line with the country's constitution, but it set conditions.
That led Christian Democrat Chancellor Angela Merkel to hail the ruling as a "good day for the Lisbon Treaty."
"The important message of the day is that the Lisbon Treaty has cleared another significant hurdle. I am very pleased about that," Merkel told reporters in Berlin after the judgement.
Germany's highest court has ruled that the Lisbon Treaty is not fundamentally incompatible with the country's constitution. However, it has called a halt to the ratification process until the German parliament changes a domestic law to strengthen the role of the country's legislative bodies in implementing European Union laws. With the process of ratifying the Lisbon Treaty hitting one speed bump after another, many would have expected that at least Germany would have given the treaty safe passage. However, an attempt by some German legislators to block its ratification has led to delays even in the European Union's biggest country.
Germany's highest court has ruled that the Lisbon Treaty is not fundamentally incompatible with the country's constitution. However, it has called a halt to the ratification process until the German parliament changes a domestic law to strengthen the role of the country's legislative bodies in implementing European Union laws.
With the process of ratifying the Lisbon Treaty hitting one speed bump after another, many would have expected that at least Germany would have given the treaty safe passage. However, an attempt by some German legislators to block its ratification has led to delays even in the European Union's biggest country.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Germany's highest court on Tuesday ruled that the EU's new treaty is compatible with German law, so long as the role of the national parliament in EU decision-making is strengthened. "The German constitution says yes to the Lisbon treaty, but on a national level the parliament has to have a stronger say in EU matters", vice-president of the German constitutional court, Andreas Vosskuhle, said on Tuesday after reading the verdict. The German constitutional court says Lisbon treaty can be fully ratified only if national parliament is strengthened The court in Karlsruhe also said that the treaty and the German constitution would not allow the creation of an "EU federal state" - one of the concerns of the MPs who filed a complaint. But the 147 page-long ruling suspends the ratification process of the treaty until the new provisions requested by the court come into force.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Germany's highest court on Tuesday ruled that the EU's new treaty is compatible with German law, so long as the role of the national parliament in EU decision-making is strengthened.
"The German constitution says yes to the Lisbon treaty, but on a national level the parliament has to have a stronger say in EU matters", vice-president of the German constitutional court, Andreas Vosskuhle, said on Tuesday after reading the verdict.
The German constitutional court says Lisbon treaty can be fully ratified only if national parliament is strengthened
The court in Karlsruhe also said that the treaty and the German constitution would not allow the creation of an "EU federal state" - one of the concerns of the MPs who filed a complaint.
But the 147 page-long ruling suspends the ratification process of the treaty until the new provisions requested by the court come into force.
Sweden will take over the European Union's rotating presidency on Wednesday, after six difficult months of Czech leadership. Sweden's top priorities are climate change and restoring confidence in financial markets. Much of Brussels will breathe a sigh of relief when Sweden is officially handed the European Union presidency on Wednesday. The end of the Czech presidency marks the end of six months of unhelpful sideline drama, as EU leaders struggled to stave off the worst effects of the economic crisis and dealt with issues such as climate change and the troubled Lisbon Treaty. Sweden is taking over the job that most EU member states have voted to scrap. Under the Lisbon Treaty, the six month rotating presidency would be replaced by one president for a two-and-a-half year term. But the treaty still has a number of stumbling blocks, and in the meantime, Sweden has a busy schedule.
Much of Brussels will breathe a sigh of relief when Sweden is officially handed the European Union presidency on Wednesday. The end of the Czech presidency marks the end of six months of unhelpful sideline drama, as EU leaders struggled to stave off the worst effects of the economic crisis and dealt with issues such as climate change and the troubled Lisbon Treaty.
Sweden is taking over the job that most EU member states have voted to scrap. Under the Lisbon Treaty, the six month rotating presidency would be replaced by one president for a two-and-a-half year term. But the treaty still has a number of stumbling blocks, and in the meantime, Sweden has a busy schedule.
Stockholm aimed to lead the way in making post-Kyoto a priority during its presidency at the head of the Union. But the economic crisis has put paid to such ambitious plans and expectations have been considerebly lowered, writes Anita Kratz. Just a few months before he was elected Swedish prime minister in 2006, Fredrik Reinfeldt showed a flagrant disregard for the global warming debate. Then, only a few weeks later, after moving into Rosenbad [seat of Swedish government in Stockholm], he suddenly became a fervent champion of the climate cause. In the interim he had grasped that he had an ace in the hole to play at the Copenhagen climate summit this December, where a new treaty is to be negotiated to supersede the Kyoto Protocol. Nobody talks about climate anymore Fredrik Reinfeldt is ready. He did not even wait for Sweden to take over the European helm from the Czech Republic on 1 July to meet with world leaders like Chinese president Hu Jintao, US presidents George Bush and Barack Obama, and Brazil's Lula. But now the situation has changed - utterly. "Nobody's talking about the climate any more," he observes. The financial crisis has usurped its place centre-stage in debates, thereby conferring on his finance minister, Anders Borg, a pivotal role. As to climate, well, we are simply going to have scale back our expectations for the time being. The European Union is divided, and pockets of resistance have cropped up in the south and east of Europe.
Stockholm aimed to lead the way in making post-Kyoto a priority during its presidency at the head of the Union. But the economic crisis has put paid to such ambitious plans and expectations have been considerebly lowered, writes Anita Kratz.
Just a few months before he was elected Swedish prime minister in 2006, Fredrik Reinfeldt showed a flagrant disregard for the global warming debate. Then, only a few weeks later, after moving into Rosenbad [seat of Swedish government in Stockholm], he suddenly became a fervent champion of the climate cause. In the interim he had grasped that he had an ace in the hole to play at the Copenhagen climate summit this December, where a new treaty is to be negotiated to supersede the Kyoto Protocol.
Nobody talks about climate anymore
Fredrik Reinfeldt is ready. He did not even wait for Sweden to take over the European helm from the Czech Republic on 1 July to meet with world leaders like Chinese president Hu Jintao, US presidents George Bush and Barack Obama, and Brazil's Lula.
But now the situation has changed - utterly. "Nobody's talking about the climate any more," he observes. The financial crisis has usurped its place centre-stage in debates, thereby conferring on his finance minister, Anders Borg, a pivotal role. As to climate, well, we are simply going to have scale back our expectations for the time being. The European Union is divided, and pockets of resistance have cropped up in the south and east of Europe.
this kind of betrayal is so hurtful, because politicians are instrumentalising climate change to piggyback career advancement, but are only to happy to drop it like a used tissue once they actually could do something about it.
whine, mutter...
ship of fools ~Government budget deficits are not nearly as dangerous as the deficits we have created in vital and complex natural systems.~ Naomi Klein.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Former Belgian prime minister, Guy Verhoftstadt, has been unanimously elected as the new leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), the third largest political party within the European parliament. Mr Verhoftstadt, recently elected as an MEP in European elections earlier this month, will take over from Graham Watson, the UK MEP who has been party leader for the last seven years and is now hoping to become president of the European Parliament. Former Belgian prime minister, Guy Verhoftstadt, was elected as the new liberal leader on Tuesday The party won 84 seats in the European elections, with the MEPs expected to vote on Tuesday (30 June) between Mr Verhoftstadt and UK MEP Diana Wallis. However Ms Wallis - an MEP since 1999 - dropped out at the last minute following internal party negotiations. In recent months Mr Verhoftstadt has been a vocal critic of the European commission over its handling of the economic downturn.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Former Belgian prime minister, Guy Verhoftstadt, has been unanimously elected as the new leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), the third largest political party within the European parliament.
Mr Verhoftstadt, recently elected as an MEP in European elections earlier this month, will take over from Graham Watson, the UK MEP who has been party leader for the last seven years and is now hoping to become president of the European Parliament.
Former Belgian prime minister, Guy Verhoftstadt, was elected as the new liberal leader on Tuesday
The party won 84 seats in the European elections, with the MEPs expected to vote on Tuesday (30 June) between Mr Verhoftstadt and UK MEP Diana Wallis.
However Ms Wallis - an MEP since 1999 - dropped out at the last minute following internal party negotiations.
In recent months Mr Verhoftstadt has been a vocal critic of the European commission over its handling of the economic downturn.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The European Commission on Tuesday (30 June) called on member states to boost their non-smoking legislation in order to move towards a "smoke free" EU by 2012. The commission is suggesting the bloc's 27 member states agree smoking in "enclosed public places, workplaces and public transport" be banned by 2012, while children's exposure to tobacco should be specifically tackled and "efforts to give up tobacco use and pictorial warnings on tobacco packages" should be encouraged. Greeks, Bulgarians and Latvians smoke the most in the EU According to commission estimates, 25 percent of cancer deaths and 15 percent of total deaths in the EU can be attributed to smoking. Last year alone, 6,000 people died in the EU just from "workplace exposure to tobacco smoke," including 2,500 non-smokers, it says.
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The European Commission on Tuesday (30 June) called on member states to boost their non-smoking legislation in order to move towards a "smoke free" EU by 2012.
The commission is suggesting the bloc's 27 member states agree smoking in "enclosed public places, workplaces and public transport" be banned by 2012, while children's exposure to tobacco should be specifically tackled and "efforts to give up tobacco use and pictorial warnings on tobacco packages" should be encouraged.
Greeks, Bulgarians and Latvians smoke the most in the EU
According to commission estimates, 25 percent of cancer deaths and 15 percent of total deaths in the EU can be attributed to smoking.
Last year alone, 6,000 people died in the EU just from "workplace exposure to tobacco smoke," including 2,500 non-smokers, it says.
Right now, bans will go nowhere as there is no local support, no belief that banning smoking is a good idea. Without that local support, it's just some remote diktat which will be very extravagantly ignored. keep to the Fen Causeway
Albania's two main parties were neck and neck as results from Sunday's vote were still being counted on Monday (29 June), while international observers said there were flaws in the way the elections were carried out and the European Union called on Tirana to do better in the future. The elections were seen as a key democracy test for the country, which two months earlier submitted its EU membership application and aims to be full-fledged member of the bloc in the not-so-distant future. Tirana: Albania joined Nato in April this year and submitted its EU membership application shortly thereafter The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which had some 400 people observing the elections among the 3,000 monitors on the ground, said there had been "tangible progress" compared to the past. All previous elections since the fall of the Communist regime in Albania in 1991 had been disputed and marred by violence, including those of 2005. "The country has matured, it has made progress, and many of the fears we had only some months ago have not materialised. I'm certainly happy about the progress we saw," said Wolfgang Grossruck, vice-president of the OSCE parliamentary assembly and special co-ordinator of the OSCE short-term observer mission.
Albania's two main parties were neck and neck as results from Sunday's vote were still being counted on Monday (29 June), while international observers said there were flaws in the way the elections were carried out and the European Union called on Tirana to do better in the future.
The elections were seen as a key democracy test for the country, which two months earlier submitted its EU membership application and aims to be full-fledged member of the bloc in the not-so-distant future.
Tirana: Albania joined Nato in April this year and submitted its EU membership application shortly thereafter
The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which had some 400 people observing the elections among the 3,000 monitors on the ground, said there had been "tangible progress" compared to the past. All previous elections since the fall of the Communist regime in Albania in 1991 had been disputed and marred by violence, including those of 2005.
"The country has matured, it has made progress, and many of the fears we had only some months ago have not materialised. I'm certainly happy about the progress we saw," said Wolfgang Grossruck, vice-president of the OSCE parliamentary assembly and special co-ordinator of the OSCE short-term observer mission.
France's main political parties joined forces yesterday in an attempt to stop Jean Marie Le Pen's far-right National Front conquering its first town for more than a decade after it swept the field in a first-round vote in the Pas-de-Calais area. President Sarkozy's centre-right UMP and the Socialist Opposition called for unity against the Front in Hénin-Beaumont, a depressed town of 25,000 in the region where Marine Le Pen, the leader's daughter, has her base. Ms Le Pen, 40, her party's No 2, savoured the prospect of a victory that would give the party a respite in its decline since her father, 81, contested the run-off against Jacques Chirac in the 2002 presidential election. "The voters know that we are the only ones who can clean up the mess here," said Ms Le Pen after her party took 40 per cent of the first round -- twice that of the left-wing candidate who came second. The Front, which has traditionally been strong in the old mining north, benefited from the disgrace of the town's long-serving Socialist mayor, who is in jail awaiting trial on charges of embezzling millions of euros.
France's main political parties joined forces yesterday in an attempt to stop Jean Marie Le Pen's far-right National Front conquering its first town for more than a decade after it swept the field in a first-round vote in the Pas-de-Calais area.
President Sarkozy's centre-right UMP and the Socialist Opposition called for unity against the Front in Hénin-Beaumont, a depressed town of 25,000 in the region where Marine Le Pen, the leader's daughter, has her base. Ms Le Pen, 40, her party's No 2, savoured the prospect of a victory that would give the party a respite in its decline since her father, 81, contested the run-off against Jacques Chirac in the 2002 presidential election.
"The voters know that we are the only ones who can clean up the mess here," said Ms Le Pen after her party took 40 per cent of the first round -- twice that of the left-wing candidate who came second.
The Front, which has traditionally been strong in the old mining north, benefited from the disgrace of the town's long-serving Socialist mayor, who is in jail awaiting trial on charges of embezzling millions of euros.
Lack of Russian capital - cash, bank loans, and unsecured money from the international share markets - has begun forcing a change in the thinking of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his resource boss, Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin, not to mention Russia's heavily indebted energy and mineral companies. Over the past month, Putin and Sechin have made a public show of support for investments by Total of France, and the Anglo-Dutch Shell group in Arctic and Pacific Ocean oil and gasfields, which were put off-limits to foreign companies little more than a year ago, following the enactment in April 2008 of the strategic resource exclusion law. That prohibits foreign acquisition of more than 50% of a Russian company with reserves above the statutory threshold - 70 million tonnes (490 million barrels) of oil; 50 billion cubic meters of gas; 50 tonnes (1.6 million ounces) of gold; and 500,000 tonnes of copper. In the past month also, a leading Russian coalminer, several goldminers, and a rising iron-ore developer have all gone public to advertise their desire to find Chinese investors to supply the cash for their new projects. This is a complete reversal of the Russia-first policy for Russian energy and mineral investment which Putin introduced in 2003, with the arrest and conviction of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, after he attempted to sell control of the Yukos oil company to US interests. Whether the Kremlin intends to go back to the Yeltsin-era idea of giving foreign companies special incentives, tax holidays, and investment protection, it is too early to say.
Over the past month, Putin and Sechin have made a public show of support for investments by Total of France, and the Anglo-Dutch Shell group in Arctic and Pacific Ocean oil and gasfields, which were put off-limits to foreign companies little more than a year ago, following the enactment in April 2008 of the strategic resource exclusion law.
That prohibits foreign acquisition of more than 50% of a Russian company with reserves above the statutory threshold - 70 million tonnes (490 million barrels) of oil; 50 billion cubic meters of gas; 50 tonnes (1.6 million ounces) of gold; and 500,000 tonnes of copper. In the past month also, a leading Russian coalminer, several goldminers, and a rising iron-ore developer have all gone public to advertise their desire to find Chinese investors to supply the cash for their new projects.
This is a complete reversal of the Russia-first policy for Russian energy and mineral investment which Putin introduced in 2003, with the arrest and conviction of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, after he attempted to sell control of the Yukos oil company to US interests. Whether the Kremlin intends to go back to the Yeltsin-era idea of giving foreign companies special incentives, tax holidays, and investment protection, it is too early to say.
A hat tip to Karon for passing it on.
John Helmer in Moscow The Russian and Azeri governments have taken the air out of a scheme to provide Europe with an alternative source of gas supply to Gazprom, which signed an agreement on Monday with the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR). When it comes to putting the gas into high-priority political schemes for Europe's energy needs, the Kremlin proves once again that it is prepared to put money where its mouth is, while the European Union raises hot air in think-tanks and editorial columns. The new deal, signed in Baku during a visit by President Dmitry Medvedev, provides for Gazprom to begin purchasing gas from Azerbaijan from the start of next year. The initial volumes are very small -- just 500 million cubic metres per annum. But they give Gazprom the option to increase them, as Azeri production from the Shah Deniz field, in the Caspian, ramps up. "All things being equal among potential buyers, priority will be given to Gazprom," Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said at the signing ceremony. "Other buyers would have to offer conditions that are more financially attractive." [...] In the feasibility and bankability stage of the Nabucco pipeline, western investors and governments have now to worry that they cannot afford a bidding contest with the Kremlin over the price of Shah Deniz gas. And if Nabucco is deflated before it starts, the political dividend earned by the Kremlin can be translated into more flexible pricing later on, when South Stream starts delivering. As Medvedev explained in Baku, the agreement has been devised "absolutely not on political motives but on mutual benefits." Nabucco, Miller implied, has been a political "fetish".
The Russian and Azeri governments have taken the air out of a scheme to provide Europe with an alternative source of gas supply to Gazprom, which signed an agreement on Monday with the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR). When it comes to putting the gas into high-priority political schemes for Europe's energy needs, the Kremlin proves once again that it is prepared to put money where its mouth is, while the European Union raises hot air in think-tanks and editorial columns.
The new deal, signed in Baku during a visit by President Dmitry Medvedev, provides for Gazprom to begin purchasing gas from Azerbaijan from the start of next year. The initial volumes are very small -- just 500 million cubic metres per annum. But they give Gazprom the option to increase them, as Azeri production from the Shah Deniz field, in the Caspian, ramps up. "All things being equal among potential buyers, priority will be given to Gazprom," Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said at the signing ceremony. "Other buyers would have to offer conditions that are more financially attractive."
[...]
In the feasibility and bankability stage of the Nabucco pipeline, western investors and governments have now to worry that they cannot afford a bidding contest with the Kremlin over the price of Shah Deniz gas. And if Nabucco is deflated before it starts, the political dividend earned by the Kremlin can be translated into more flexible pricing later on, when South Stream starts delivering. As Medvedev explained in Baku, the agreement has been devised "absolutely not on political motives but on mutual benefits." Nabucco, Miller implied, has been a political "fetish".
Russia is buying Azerbaijani gas because it has a pipeline to actually take the gas. The alternatives don't (there is a pipeline going to Turkey, but its capacity is already fully used by BP's Shah Deniz production in Azerbaijan) In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
30.06.2009 17:53 MINSK, 30 June (BelTA) - President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has signed a decree on pardoning Emanuel Zeltser, the press service of the head of state told BelTA after Alexander Lukashenko's meeting with a delegation of the US Congress. During the meeting members of the US delegation addressed the President of Belarus with a request to use powers of the head of state to free US citizen Emanuel Zeltser, who had been serving his sentence in Belarus for committing a criminal offence. Alexander Lukashenko emphasised that the US citizen had violated Belarusian laws. "He was arrested in our country and sentenced in accordance with Belarusian laws. Even US Charge d'Affaires a.i. in Belarus Jonathan Moore does not deny it. I have never thought that this man could become an issue in relations between our countries. Yes, according to Belarusian laws, according to the Constitution I can grant a pardon to Emanuel Zeltser. You have asked this of me, right? If it is very important for America and our relations and contributes to normalising our relations, I will sign the pardon today," said the head of state.
MINSK, 30 June (BelTA) - President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has signed a decree on pardoning Emanuel Zeltser, the press service of the head of state told BelTA after Alexander Lukashenko's meeting with a delegation of the US Congress.
During the meeting members of the US delegation addressed the President of Belarus with a request to use powers of the head of state to free US citizen Emanuel Zeltser, who had been serving his sentence in Belarus for committing a criminal offence.
Alexander Lukashenko emphasised that the US citizen had violated Belarusian laws. "He was arrested in our country and sentenced in accordance with Belarusian laws. Even US Charge d'Affaires a.i. in Belarus Jonathan Moore does not deny it. I have never thought that this man could become an issue in relations between our countries. Yes, according to Belarusian laws, according to the Constitution I can grant a pardon to Emanuel Zeltser. You have asked this of me, right? If it is very important for America and our relations and contributes to normalising our relations, I will sign the pardon today," said the head of state.
Lukashenko makes it clear that this has nothing to do with the recent amnesty passed by the Belarusian parliament. It is an ad hoc pardon in coincidence with the arrival of the U.S. congressional delegation.
30.06.2009 18:30 MINSK, 30 June (BelTA) - US congressmen pointed out the progress in Belarus-US dialogue while on a visit to Belarus, BelTA has learnt. "We have held an open and cordial discussion with the President of Belarus," said Senator Benjamin Cardin, Chairman of the US Commission for Security and Cooperation in Europe. He underlined that all members of the delegation believe that the pardon granted by the President of Belarus to US citizen Emanuel Zeltser is a very positive step. Meanwhile, the congressmen pointed out incomplete compliance of the Belarusian political system with OSCE principles and standards. Congressman Christopher Smith said that the US Congress' Belarus Democracy Act will remain a fundamental document which principles should be taken into account by Belarusian authorities. "It is necessary to concentrate efforts not only on developing the dialogue with the West but also on carrying out systematic reforms in compliance with OSCE standards," he added.
MINSK, 30 June (BelTA) - US congressmen pointed out the progress in Belarus-US dialogue while on a visit to Belarus, BelTA has learnt.
"We have held an open and cordial discussion with the President of Belarus," said Senator Benjamin Cardin, Chairman of the US Commission for Security and Cooperation in Europe. He underlined that all members of the delegation believe that the pardon granted by the President of Belarus to US citizen Emanuel Zeltser is a very positive step.
Meanwhile, the congressmen pointed out incomplete compliance of the Belarusian political system with OSCE principles and standards. Congressman Christopher Smith said that the US Congress' Belarus Democracy Act will remain a fundamental document which principles should be taken into account by Belarusian authorities. "It is necessary to concentrate efforts not only on developing the dialogue with the West but also on carrying out systematic reforms in compliance with OSCE standards," he added.
The Belarusian government has announced a presidential pardon for Emmanuel Zeltser, a Russian-born U.S. lawyer imprisoned for nearly a year on espionage charges. [...] Speaking at the State Department, spokesman Ian Kelly said, "We understand that President Lukashenka has signed a presidential decree pardoning Mr. Zeltser. As you know, the [State] Department and also our embassy in Minsk have always advocated for Mr. Zeltser's release on humanitarian grounds, and we welcome this news, and are glad that his release appears imminent."
Speaking at the State Department, spokesman Ian Kelly said, "We understand that President Lukashenka has signed a presidential decree pardoning Mr. Zeltser. As you know, the [State] Department and also our embassy in Minsk have always advocated for Mr. Zeltser's release on humanitarian grounds, and we welcome this news, and are glad that his release appears imminent."
Zeltser, who is a naturalized U.S. citizen, is a lawyer who is said to have a vast knowledge of organized crime, particularly the practice of money laundering. One of his clients was the late Badri Patarkatsishvili, a wealthy Georgian who opposes Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.
For background on Mr. Zeltser's familiarity with organized crime and money laundering, check out David Habakkuk's recent diary here A falling out of thieves? and Bob Drogin's recent LA Times article From a Belarus prison, U.S. lawyer's last battle.
He was given a three-year prison sentence on industrial espionage charges that his associates say were politically motivated.
From the Save Emanuel Zeltser site, "...Mr. Zeltser was convicted, in a closed secret trial, for attempted commercial espionage and for knowingly using false official documents."
There's a difference between commercial and industrial espionage. As for "false official documents" we're sure Mr. Zeltser will be happy to turn over the real documents in the NY Southern District Court.
Ordering Zeltser's release wasn't the first concession that Lukashenka has offered the United States. He's also ordered the release of people that the United States says are political prisoners. On Tuesday, Lukashenka told the congressional delegation that his government is "ready to return to a discussion on a complete restoration of a mutual diplomatic presence on condition that economic sanctions against our country be lifted in full." In Washington, Kelly, the State Department spokesman, said Lukashenka will have to do more than release Zeltser to see a normalization of relations with the United States. "This was a major obstacle in our bilateral relations," he said. "We still have other concerns, of course, with some of the actions of the Belarusian government. So we're very happy that this one obstacle has been removed, and we'll review our policies as necessary."
On Tuesday, Lukashenka told the congressional delegation that his government is "ready to return to a discussion on a complete restoration of a mutual diplomatic presence on condition that economic sanctions against our country be lifted in full."
In Washington, Kelly, the State Department spokesman, said Lukashenka will have to do more than release Zeltser to see a normalization of relations with the United States.
"This was a major obstacle in our bilateral relations," he said. "We still have other concerns, of course, with some of the actions of the Belarusian government. So we're very happy that this one obstacle has been removed, and we'll review our policies as necessary."
Finnish online candidate guides played an unprecedented role in last month's European Parliamentary elections, according to a survey carried out for YLE. Younger voters in particular have begun to rely on automated internet machines to help choose a candidate in line with their own political views. These engines search databases of participating candidate's responses to a wide range of political and personal questions. They then suggest to the user which politicians offer the closest match with their own opinions.
Younger voters in particular have begun to rely on automated internet machines to help choose a candidate in line with their own political views. These engines search databases of participating candidate's responses to a wide range of political and personal questions. They then suggest to the user which politicians offer the closest match with their own opinions.
I've discussed this before on ET. I don't know whether the same services are available in other countries. Basically the best one (Yle) works by collating a detailed questionnaire that voters complete with the answers of candidates to these same questions. You can't be me, I'm taken
