Inside Europe: Inside Europe: The inside take on European affairs 21.11.09

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DATE : Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:05:00 GMT
Entered in Database : 2009-11-20 00:00:00
length : 26521259
Link to the Show / Show Notes

The EU takes stock of the world's hotspots - Greece moves to diffuse tensions with its immigrant community - Switzerland debates ban on minarets - Giving glass a new shine in Venice - And 20 years after the fall of communism, we look at the legacy of the 1989 revolutions. This week: Romania.
Two new faces at the top of the European Union

The European Union has chosen its first president and foreign policy chief. And its choices are controversial.

The prime minister of Belgium, Herman Van Rompuy, will take over as President of the European Council and Britain's EU Commissioner, Cathy Ashton, will become the bloc's foreign policy supremo. The two posts are designed to give the EU more clout on the international stage. Jackie Davis is Senior Advisor to the European Policy Centre in Brussels. Helen Seeney asked her what the appointments indicate about the horsetrading that went on behind the scenes at the EU.

European Union foreign and defense ministers have backed a plan to train up to 2000 Somali troops, as part of wider efforts to tackle piracy in the region.

EU foreign policy chief, Javier Solana had earlier said the training mission could be operational as early as next month, but details still need to be fleshed out. The EU tackled other hotspots this week, including Afghanistan, and also tried to rebuild relations with Russia.


Report: Nina-Maria Potts

Swiss voters go the polls on November 29, to decide on a controversial proposal to ban the construction of minarets.

Switzerland is the first European country to hold a nationwide vote on its relations with Islam. There are an estimated 400,000 Muslims in Switzerland, and they say permitting minarets would be a sign of acceptance. Supporters of the ban, however, claim minarets are not a religious symbol, but a sign of the islamisation of Switzerland.


Report: Imogen Foulkes

Greece's new socialist government has promised to grant citizenship to a quarter of a million migrant children. Human rights campaigners have long complained that the failure to grant passports to children born in Greece was discriminatory.

The policy change is the latest initiative from a government that is determined to erase Greece’s bad international reputation for its treatment of immigrants. Even soccer stars like Djibril Cisse have joined the effort to ease tensions.


Report: Malcolm Brabant

The Venice Biennale wraps up this weekend – it's been running since June and has attracted thousands of visitors.

One of the highlights has been an unusual exhibition called "GlassStress". Glass is an everyday material but the aim of the exhibit is to elevate glass from an artisan's craft to a fine art.

Report: Susan Stone

No country experienced more violence in 1989 than Romania. The revolution was sparked in mid-December when ethnic tensions boiled over in Timisoara, near the border to Hungary.

It was prompted by the impending deportation of Lászlo Tokés, a dissident Protestant pastor of Hungarian descent. Increasing numbers of people took to the streets to defend Tokés – and security forces brutally tried to contain the protests. It was the beginning of the end for Romania's longtime leader Nicolae Ceausescu.


Report: Sabina Casagrande

Romania's communist regime was one of the most brutal in eastern Europe. Nicolae Ceaucescu introduced draconian economic and social policies.

The dictator brutally suppressed any opposition in the country and was responsible for the widespread destruction of its cultural heritage. Our reporter Zack Baddorf lives in Barlad, in the east of the country and he's been talking to local people there about life under communism.


Report: Zack Baddorf

For years Romania has been dogged by its poor image abroad. But one man who sings the country's praises is Jim Rosapepe, former US ambassador to Bucharest.

Romania joined NATO in 2004 and the European Union in 2007. So today it's firmly anchored in the western world. It is also slowly emerging as a tourist destination. Jim Rosapepe was US ambassador to Bucharest from 1998 to 2001. And he and his wife, journalist Sheilah Kast, have just published a book about their experiences there. It's called "Dracula is Dead" and it presents Romania in a completely different light.


Helen Seeney spoke to Jim Rosapepe about his impressions of Romania.

There's little doubt that Romania has made great strides over the past 20 years in introducing democratic reforms, stabilizing the economy and modernizing the country's infrastructure. But in rural Romania, that progress has come at a price.

Englishman William Blacker began travelling to Romania after the revolution in 1989 and was captivated by traditional village life. He ended up living there for around eight years and has written a book about his experiences called "Along the Enchanted Way." In this postcard, William Blacker describes how one aspect of Romania's heritage is now under threat.


Report: William Blacker

Romania's capital Bucharest has undergone incredible changes over the past 20 years. Inside Europe has been out on the streets of Bucharest to find out how the city's taxi drivers view the changes.

Bucharest boasts an eclectic mix of architecture and historic buildings spanning the centuries. And there's a lively and diverse cultural scene. But while living standards are higher than they were under communism, life remains tough for many of the locals.


Report: Tom Wilson

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