Member state of the European Union

This is the latest news from Brussels, which appeared in the Western media two days ago and only further fueled suspicions that the European path is on a long stick, Vecernje Novosti reminds.

By Panagiotis Ioakimidis*

The "Strategic Partnership" agreement signed by Greece and France is an important and positive development.

Yet, the distinct mutual assistance clause that it includes is wrong-headed (and indeed written in poor Greek with a term such as "armed violence" instead of "armed aggression").

Washington hopes EU countries "understand" that the Western Balkans should be part of Europe "full stop" and is worried about the weak message coming from European capitals, the newly appointed department of state official responsible for the region said on Monday (13 September).

The main culprits for this migraine, which has no cure, are Poland and Hungary, but the problem is much deeper, writes Sputnik.

In their 2018 book, Power in Interpersonal Conflict, Joyce Hocker and William Wilmont argue that "power depends on controlling currencies that other people need".

"I did not talk to Mr. Kurti, certainly not directly, we were at dinner together, we did not exchange a single sentence, we participated in a joint conversation, the atmosphere was correct, there were no provocations," said Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic.
She stated that various non-papers were mentioned during the dinner, but no details were given.

In 2020, average hourly labour costs across the economy (excluding agriculture and public administration) are estimated at EUR 28.5 for the European Union and EUR 32.3 within the Euro area. This represents an increase compared to EUR 27.7 for the EU and EUR 31.4 for the Euro area in 2019.

The French and Enlargement

French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, 2021. Photo: EPA-EFE/FRANCOIS MORI / POOL MAXPPP OUT

In the 2019 Eurobarometer, only a third of French respondents - 32 per cent - approved of enlargement, while 58 per cent were against. This was comparable to opinion in Germany or Austria, where 57 per cent were also opposed - but despite that, the governments of these countries strongly favour EU membership for the Western Balkans.

The principle, according to which the reforms pave the way to EU membership is no longer in force for the countries of the Western Balkans, writes the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper in an extensive analysis cited by Deutsche Welle and BTA.