EU OFFERS NO MONEY TO EASTERN EUROPE FOR STRUGGLING FINANCIAL CRISIS; THE ORGANIZATION ITSELF IS IN WANT
Karine Ter-Sahakyan
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.03.2009 GMT+04:00
Most likely, from now on Eastern European states will have to count
only on themselves. It’s difficult, unpleasant but not fatal.
The latest special EU summit in Brussels revealed serious disagreements
between "old" and "new" Europe. As a matter of principle, disagreements
have existed at all times, but the world economic crisis, as it always
happens in such cases, only intensified the growing dissatisfaction of
the Eastern bloc. Indeed, first it was disappointed with US President
Barack Obama, who agreed on the anti-missile defense systems with
President Medvedev, and now – German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At the EU summit on Sunday Angela Merkel and other
EU leaders flatly rejected a new Euro190 billion bailout plan for
Eastern Europe. Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, who chaired
Sunday’s talks, backed the Chancellor, declaring there is no necessity
to agree to one single aid plan for all the Eastern European and
Baltic states. In Merkel’s words, additional aid should be given to
struggling nations only on a case-by-case basis. "A one-size-fits-all
bailout is unwise. The situation is substantially different in every
Central and Eastern European state," she insisted.
On the eve of the summit a number of Eastern European states under
the direction of Hungary and Poland and with support from Austria
demanded that ‘richer’ members of the EU should lend them Euro190
billion as economic aid to back up the banking system and the rate
of currency exchange, thus stimulating the economy. However, ‘rich’
states are growing poor before our eyes and they can’t choose but care
for their own future and not for that of Eastern European countries
that have not yet broken off the habit of seeking support everywhere –
first in Moscow, now in Brussels and Washington.
But far more serious shock awaits the program "Eastern
Partnership". The EU states have expressed their dissatisfaction about
the intention of European Commission to allocate Euro600 million for
the realization of the initiative "Eastern Partnership". At the meeting
between the foreign ministers of the EU states in Brussels the issue
of the budget for the initiative was discussed. It was noted that the
European Union allots too much to Eastern partners, while the scope of
assistance rendered to southern partners is rather scanty. As German FM
Frank-Walter Steinmeier noticed, Official Berlin is against increasing
funds for this initiative. However, after the meeting between the
German and Polish Foreign Ministers, FM of Poland Radoslaw Sikorski
declared Germany was going to render financial assistance to the
project. In his turn, French FM Bernard Kouchner suggested the funds
should be cut down to Euro250 million, thus annually allotting Euro15
million to each member of the initiative. The project of funds to be
allocated to "Eastern Partnership" will be finally ratified at the
next EU summit due on March 19-20, theews.pl reports.
Of course, the program "Eastern Partnership" will in no case be fully
rejected; after all politics is primary and funds for it can always be
found. Let us not forget that even at the time of the deepest crisis
the USA always ‘got’ money for supporting the ‘necessary’ countries
and partners. So, on the whole, member-states of the project have
nothing to worry about. Certainly, there will be little money and it
should be spent strictly consistent with the project items.
As for the Eastern European states, most likely, from now on they
will have to count only on themselves. It’s difficult, unpleasant
but not fatal. Let us not forget that the current crisis, along with
objective causes, arose thanks to excessive infusions into the economy
of the same Eastern European and post-Soviet states.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
