Fouere says Broadcasting Council undergoes political pressure

The Broadcasting Council of Macedonia faces political pressures, EU Ambassador Erwan Fouere said on Wednesday.

The Council undergoes problems of political nature, however, it pledges to maintain independence and cope with such tendencies arising from the lack of institutional dialogue, Ambassador Fouere said during his visit to the Broadcasting Council.

Broadcasting Council quotes Ambassador Fouere as saying that during the upcoming meeting of the Stabilization and Association Committee in Brussels, he would personally pledge for preservation and strengthening of the independence of the Broadcasting Council as a regulatory broadcasting authority

EUROPE DAY 2007
Date Time Place Event Participants Partner organisation
26 April
Thursday 12:00 – 13:00 Holiday Inn
Skopje
Press Conference on the Europe Day
celebration activities Ambassador Erwan Fouéré European Movement, JEF, EBA,
Youth for Youth
29 April
Sunday 11:00 – 11:30 Sport Hall
”Rasadnik” Opening of the Karate Tournament Patrick Paquet, First Secretary (EU Mission),
Children Karate Associations Karate Association
1 May
Tuesday 10:00 – 11:00 Berovo Lecture: "The History of EU" Ambassador Erwan Fouéré,
JEF members + other NGOs
Young European Federalists
(JEF)
2 May
Wednesday 12:00 – 14:00 Veles
Panel Discussion: "European standards for
protection of environment: challenges or
end to the agony of Veles"
Ambassador Erwan Fouéré,
SEA representative, local authorities, NGOs,
general public
European Movement
10:00 – 11:00 Skopje
Official Opening of XIII European
Students' Symposium on Environment
EuroEnviro 2007
Ambassador Erwan Fouéré,
local authorities, students, young people Youth for Youth
11:00 – 13:00 Strumica Panel Discussion:
"Visa Facilitation and European integration"
UK Ambassador Robert Chatterton Dickson,
SEA representative, local authorities, NGOs,
general public
European Movement
13:00 – 15:00 Strumica
Workshops: visa regime, European
standards & values, what can young people
do for the European integration process
JEF members + other NGOs JEF
3 May
Thursday
16:00 – 18:00 Kavadarci
Panel Discussion:
"Macedonia in the Common Agricultural
Policy"
Joan Pearce, First Counsellor (EU Mission),
SEA representative, local authorities, students,
young people, NGO representatives,
general public
European Movement
10:00 – 11:00 Skopje Visit to Canyon Matka
as part of EuroEnviro 2007
Ambassador Erwan Fouéré,
JEF members + other NGOs Youth for Youth
11:00 – 13:00 Prilep Panel Discussion:
"Euro regions and small businesses"
Patrick Paquet, First Secretary (EU Mission),
SEA representative, local authorities, local
authorities, NGOs, general public
European Movement
13:00 – 15:00 Prilep
Workshops: visa regime, European
standards & values, what can young people
do for the European integration process
JEF members + other NGOs JEF
4 May
Friday
15:00 – 17:00 Bitola Panel Discussion: “Euro regions and
Cross-border Cooperation"
Ambassador Erwan Fouéré, Dutch Ambassador
Frederique M. de Man, SEA representative,
local authorities, NGOs, general public
European Movement
Date Time Place Event Participants Partner organisation
5 May
Saturday 12:00 – 15:00 Bitola
Multi-media European Happening
(primary and secondary students present all
25 EU MS, cultural programme)
Ambassador Erwan Fouéré,
general public European Movement
6 May Sunday 10:00 – 14:00 Vodno European Flag Day (placing of EU and
Macedonian flag on Vodno)
Ambassador Erwan Fouéré,
Mountain climbing associations, general public European Movement
11:00 – 13:00 Gostivar Panel Discussion: "Educational reform on
the road to the EU"
Austrian Ambassador Philipp Hoyos,
SEA representative, local authorities,
students, NGO representatives, general public
European Movement
12:00 – 13:00
SEE University
Tetovo
Macedonian Universities Gathering:
Competition in oratorical skills on: "The 50th
Anniversary of the Treaty of Rome"
Joan Pearce, Counsellor (EU Mission),
students from several universities
in the country
European Movement
13:00 – 15:00 Gostivar
Workshops: visa regime, European
standards & values, what can young people
do for the European integration process
JEF members + other NGOs JEF
7 May
Monday
20:00 Army Hall
Skopje
Concert of the Bulgarian
Military Orchestra Bulgarian Embassy + Ministry of
Defence
09:30 – 13:30 Parliament
Building
International conference: "Together
towards Europe: going backwards or
forward"
MPs,
Konrad Adenauer Foundation
European Movement
Parliament
8 May
Tuesday
19:00 – 21:00 Mala Stanica
Solemn Academy
Awarding the "European Contribution for
2006" & the best speech at the SEEU event
on oratorical skills
Ambassador Erwan Fouéré,
government representatives, international
community, NGOs
European Movement
10:00 – 11:00 Holiday Inn
Skopje
Opening of the European Day of
the Entrepreneur
Ambassador Erwan Fouéré,
business community, Government
representatives, international community
European Business Association
12:00 – 13:00 Primary School
"Ljuben Lape"
Awarding Ceremony for best
artistic work
Ambassador Erwan Fouéré
students
Primary School "Ljuben Lape"
Municipality of Aerodrom Skopje
18:00 – 20:00 City of Skopje
Museum Europe Day Reception
9 May
Wednesday
21:00 Ramstore Mall
Skopje
Opening of Photo Exhibition: "Eco-
Tourism discovering the hidden natural
treasure" part of EuroEnviro 2007
Ambassador Erwan Fouéré,
young people,
general public
Youth for Youth
13 May
Sunday 11:00 – 15:00 Skopje Running Races Ambassador Erwan Fouéré,
general public
Sport Union, City of Skopje
Agency for Youth & Sports
19 May
Saturday 17:00 – 18:00 Swimming
pool "Karpos"
Swimming Contest
"Aquatic EuroSwim 2007"
Ambassador Erwan Fouéré,
young swimmers, sport associations
Swimming Club
"Aquatic", Skopje

2007 Europe Day celebration

On 9 May 1950 in Paris, the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman read to the international press a declaration calling France, Germany and other European countries to pool together their coal and steel production as "the first concrete foundation of a European federation". The declaration, issued against the background of the threat of a Third World War engulfing the whole of Europe, is considered to be the first move towards the creation of what is now known as the European Union. Mr Schuman proposed the creation of a supranational European Institution, the High Authority, to look after the management of the coal and steel industry, the very sector which was, at that time, the basis of all military power. The countries which he called upon had almost destroyed each other in a dreadful conflict which had left after it a sense of material and moral desolation. During the Milan Summit in 1985, the EU leaders decided to celebrate 9 May as "Europe Day".

LE PALAIS DE L’ELYSÉE, TGV AND THE MACEDONIAN WAGON

On May 6th 2007, the French will elect their new Président de la République replacing the Monsieur Jacques Chirac ruling the country for 12 years and paving the way for new and fresh flow of ideas in French and EU foreign affairs. The primary reason for the EU’s and candidate countries high tempered interest in French election is that its outcome will determine the future of the Union itself. Macedonia, as a candidate country sees its own interest in the French presidential election through the lenses of the enlargement process and the process of institutional reform without which it seems that the enlargement can not continue. Many EU representatives including the enlargement commissioner Mr. Olli Rehn repeat the guaranties given that all Western Balkan countries have a future in the EU. Even so, these statements were given with prudence: that the speed of enlargement must take in account the EU’s “absorption capacity”, later renamed into “integration capacity”1. Following elections in the Europe’s three largest economies— with Angela Merkel as German Chancellor, Gordon Brown as the most probable Britain’s next prime minister and the new French President—the long waited process of reforms in the Union can begin commence. It is expected that after the elections France will take its position as a leader and promoter of the European integration process (a foreign policy concept that its political elites have invented) on the arms of the revised text of the rejected EU constitution. This article briefly sketches the two presidential candidate’s political agendas from a standpoint of an EU candidate country. Which of the two candidates programs concerning EU is more suitable and appropriate for Macedonia?

The two candidates that will face each other in the second-round of the presidential run­off are the centre-right candidate Monsieur Nicolas Sarkozy, from the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), and Madame Ségolène Royal from the Socialist Party.

In the first-round of the election, Mr. Sarkozy garnered 31% of the vote, while Ms. Royal, bidding to be France's first female leader, took nearly 26%2. Although different in their views and ideas about the future of the EU, the enlargement process and the so-needed political reforms, both of the candidates remain pro-European oriented. They agree on one thing only, that resubmitting the existing EU constitutional text to the French electorate is not an option. However, the big challenge that lies ahead concerning the institutional reforms of the Union itself is how to push them forward following the French and Dutch rejection of the Constitution two years ago, while keeping in mind the voters concerns and belief about the document. The process of reforms was renewed under the German EU presidency, targeting at a new treaty in time for the 2009 election of the European Parliament. In this sense, the centre-right candidate, Mr. Sarkozy has proposed very reserved proposal, submitting new slim line constitutional treaty or traité simplifié which could be passed in the Assemblée nationale as a standard treaty revision, or put in a different way, simplified European treaty without a need of being submitted to a referendum. In effect he is revisiting some of the old Constitutional policies, such as creating a new position of EU Foreign Affairs Minister, increasing the budget for European Defense3 and implementing new rules in relation to majority voting as a voting procedure4. On the contrary, the centre-left candidate, Ms. Royal has proposed submitting some kind of new alternative, very imprecise new EU treaty with ‘social protocol’ for approval to national referenda5. With it, she wants to combat unemployment and relocation, and establish a minimum wage in each member state6, a high-risk tactic that may throw the EU yet again into a long period of uncertainty.
Which candidate is better for Macedonia? Sarko or Ségo? Which of the two candidates suits better Macedonia’s EU integration interests? To further the process of enlargement, the new EU treaty has to be reached by 2009. Without it, there should be no more expansion, as Mr. Rehn repeated couple of times this year. In this sense, Mr. Sarkozy proposal about traité simplifié is more appropriate for candidate countries like Macedonia. With this kind of procedure, the odds for reaching EU consensus on the new Treaty are significantly higher. It will considerably decrease the possibility of another failure and stagnation of the Union as the one two years ago. The EU oriented foreign policy of the son and grandson of immigrants (his father was Hungarian, his maternal grandfather a Jew from Salonika) is a better option for Macedonia.

Endnotes:
1 Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn assessment on the term ‘integration capacity’ is based on three components: Institutional, EU policy impact and EU budget
2 French contenders set for run-off, BBC News Europe, April 23, 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6582479.stm
3 Tous les programmes des candidats à la présidentielle 2007, Le Monde, March 16, 2007 http://www.lemonde.fr/web/articleinteractif/0,41­0@2-823448,49-822922@45-3054,0.html
4 Europe : le programme des candidats, Le Monde, March 13, 2007
http://www.lemonde.fr/web/articleinteractif/0,41­0@2-823448,49-895888@45-3371,0.html
5 Europe : le programme des candidats, Le Monde, March 13, 2007
http://www.lemonde.fr/web/articleinteractif/0,41­0@2-823448,49-895888,0.html
6 Tous les programmes des candidats à la présidentielle 2007, Le Monde, March 16, 2007 http://www.lemonde.fr/web/articleinteractif/0,41­0@2-823448,49-822922@45-3053,0.html