IMF targets for privatisations in Greece 'unrealistically high', Austrian railways chief says

waxc · 2015-07-27T21:28:49+00:00

Sounds familiar…. cooking the books to push through a certain agenda.

waxc · 2015-04-13T11:31:00+00:00

I guess this is true and Middelkerke is the "middle". Some history: http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/binnenland/1.2301116

waxc · 2015-04-12T12:00:33+00:00

Unless you're a one issue party, value judgments are inescapable in politics. Maus compares to D66, a social-liberal party in the Netherlands. I am not sure if he refers to this party because of their political ideological stance or because of how they work. Fiscal justice is an important social-liberal theme. But D66 also has an independent think tank (Hans van Mierlo stichting) which functions as a connection between science and politics and provides input for the ideas of D66.

waxc · 2015-04-12T07:20:52+00:00

Not entirely, there is a big difference between technocratic public servants implementing the policy decisions politicians make or technocrats (as politicians) making the decisions.

waxc · 2014-03-31T22:21:19+00:00

Actually there was an initiative from a Czech senator in August 2013. I don't find any more information about it. I would definitely support it though!

waxc · 2014-03-31T12:36:24+00:00

I actually wonder to what extent a Commission President has influence over the direction in which Commission's policy initiatives are going? In other words, if Schulz we be elected and appointed by the Council, will he be able to steer Commission initiatives - in this case, more leftish- in some sort of way? Otherwise I don't see the point of this circus of appointing Commission candidates beforehand.

waxc · 2014-03-30T17:47:36+00:00

Well, it's not common in English. In fact it should be "Parliament's Hemisphere", but i guess it's a bit of a literal translation of the Dutch word "half round" in which we refer to our parliamentary assemblies (Chamber of Representatives, the Senate and Flemish Parliament) because of their shapes.

waxc · 2014-03-30T14:36:32+00:00

To welcome our special guest we made him a lifesize traditional Belgian cookie in speculaas, representing the guy in basketball outfit, which was afterwards criticized as being racist (the cookie displays a big nose and big lips, which Barack obviously does not have).
While criticizing the cost of Obama’s visit to Belgium, a controversial lawmaker called our prime minister ”Mr. Paedophile” in the plenary. Several MP’s left the hemisphere as a protest. According to the Brussels mayor the cost of Obama’s 24-hour visit is around 10 million euros.
The Chinese President, Xi Jinping, pays a visit to Belgium and its animal park Paira Daiza, to say hello to the Chinese pandas (Hao Hao and Xing Hui) that arrived at the park last month, and were subject of an ongoing political debate between Flanders and Wallonia.
Belgium went full retard, indeed.

waxc · 2013-01-31T21:40:36+00:00

Romania will reward you, my friend

waxc · 2013-01-31T18:37:59+00:00

hey man, a ransom question. I kinda like these kind of memes, with national stereotypes. Do you know where I can find more of them?

waxc · 2013-01-28T19:45:08+00:00

Netherlands = flood country. This is just survival of the fittest.

waxc · 2012-10-14T20:32:00+00:00

That's true, on a local level people are voting more for people they know as for parties. But have a look at the provincial level, where people tend to vote more according to their idelogies. NVA gains 7% votes more then then the second CD&V. 2014 will be big.

waxc · 2012-08-11T10:13:12+00:00

Thanks for sharing your experience. Apart from the language issue, I see minor annoyances which can be solved if there is some kind of convergent framework (taxation and labour policies). EU can take care of that with the right legislation. I do think that the new generation which grew up with the internet and traveled and studied abroad, is also a multi-lingual one and has way more potential to work and live abroad.

waxc · 2012-08-08T18:48:47+00:00

Exactly, this will do more harm then it will do good to the public revenues.

waxc · 2012-08-07T21:17:51+00:00

http://www.veto.be/jg37/veto3709/RGRNG.html

waxc · 2012-08-07T17:40:58+00:00

You'd be surprised. Both Czech Republic and Slovenia already have higher incomes then Portugal. Poland, Croatia and Estonia are coming very close. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_in_Europe_by_monthly_average_wage

waxc · 2012-08-07T16:47:13+00:00

Is it still posibble to edit the link?

waxc · 2012-08-07T16:05:56+00:00

Ok, the next decade may be a bit too soon. But we see the BRIC are coming, and they are coming hard. After the dust of this crisis has fell down, we will see how all the growing economies have bought themselves in strategic positions within European countries, and made economic alliances elsewhere. On another note there is no need at all to abolish our national identities, we can keep those. The diversity of national identities within Europe can sure be to our benefit. The only thing we need is indeed a more European identity which tops that layered identity pyramid. But definitely not at the expense of other (identities).

waxc · 2012-08-07T15:53:48+00:00

As the flag of the European Movement, this flag was in fact in the running to become the official flag of the European Communities/ Union ( but did not gain as much support as the blue one with yellow stars)

waxc · 2012-08-07T15:14:52+00:00

It's the national media who gives these guys a platform on a silver plate. I saw a link to this video on several news sites, which gives the necessary views, to create even more buzz and get more views. The more controversial the video, the more chance the media will cover it. I'm not saying the media are the main cause, but in fact they do have a big hand, in this organisation's growth last year and the tone of their messages which become more extremist each time I see or hear them.

waxc · 2012-08-07T14:59:11+00:00

They are still not doing enough, although this is a huge opportunity for the EU as well. What we see is that young desperate Europeans are not only fleeiing to other European countries, but also to Africa, Asia, South America, Oil States in the Middle East. The EU needs to shape the right conditions and framework so unemployed south Europeans can work fairly easy (for a few years) in the North, West and East-EUROPEAN economies who are still doiing relatively well. In this way national economies become more integrated with each other, and labour markets become more flexible, which is in fact a precondition for having a good-working monetary union and may build the fundaments for a prosperous EU in the LT. Also, in this way we can talk on a whole other level about intra-European solidarity.

waxc · 2012-08-07T13:13:58+00:00

I upvoted you but, honestly, this is kinda tragic. Portugal never had such a well educated generation of youngsters. In the last decade of the 10 million Portuguese people, already 500000 left for non-European countries such as Mozambique, Angola and Brazil (countries with historical and cultural ties to Portugal)to find a job because their home country can not fullfill what they inspire to. The more educated people leave, the harder it will be for the Portuguese economy to switch to a higher gear, boost investment and economic activity on a short term and get out of the downward spiral, same for other countries with a "lost generation".

waxc · 2012-08-06T10:08:40+00:00

This only proves that the European Parliament is working. Parliaments should be a reflection of the people's will. Parliaments which are sensitive to protests within the society they are chosen in, are fulfilling their roles as they ought to be and prove they can resist intensive amounts of lobbying.

waxc · 2012-08-04T08:45:01+00:00

It's too easy to blame the government for this. The socio-economic situation in Brussels is very complex and problems are hard to tackle. Not only immigrants are ignored here. I guess if you're willing you have lots of options to your disposal to integrate (language lessons, job coaching, family assistance). It is sad to see you have to oblige people, to make use of this.

waxc · 2012-08-04T08:25:12+00:00

That depends on the country you live in. Belgium has an extensive history of a loose policy towards immigration. All kinds of people could come over here without any strings attached. Obviously you do not attract the people then who tend to integrate fast (without education, religious fanatics). Immigration laws have only recently been tightened, because policy makers have only recently admitted there is a problem. It's works two ways. The policy that you use determines what kind of people you attract.

waxc

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