nicu popescu

‘post-mortem’ hibernal incoerent… sunt de aproape 5 ani in think-tankuri europene, timp in care am trecut prin3 dintre cele mai influente centre de cercetare care lucreaza pe UE: eu iss, ceps si ecfr. am avut mai multi prieteni care au lucrat in think-tankuri.  in mod normal dupa 5-6-7 ani majoritatea au plecat sa lucreze pentru alte organizatii: ue, ministere de externe ale statelor membre ue, osce, efta… unii merg in universitati. think-tankingul este un tip de activitate in care multi sau isi incep cariera (si lucreaza pana pe la 33-35 de ani), sau si-o incheie (dupa 55-60). mai rar intalnesti si unii care isi iau o pauza de 1-2-3 ani de la jobul principal pentru a scrie ceva in vreun centru de cercetare. sunt foarte putini think-tankeri care au petrecut intreaga viata profesionala in acest domeniu. este usor sa-ti imaginezi oameni care petrec 20 de ani in universitati, dar nu in think-tankuri.

sa lucrezi pentru centrele de cercetare este interesant si dinamic. centrele de cercetaresunt situate undeva intre lumea academica/universitara si instititutiile publice si organizatiile internationale. esti mult mai conectat la viata reala, si lucrul este mult mai dinamic decat mediul universitar. spre deosebire de teoriticienii din universitati, esti mult mai conectat la procesul de luare a deciziilor. oficialii deseori vor sa testeze sau sa discute idei. (more…)

sunt la snow meeting in lituania. -10. lacul trakai. 30 de participanti, inclusiv 7 ministri de externe din UE + Iurie Leanca. dezbaterea pe Moldova are loc maine. se discuta politica UE si NATO fata de Rusia, extinderea, balcanii de vest etc. Lituania este un stat mic care incearca sa inteleaga si sa influenteze contextul strategic in care se afla. Poti fi de acord sau nu cu pozitia lituaniei fata de rusia sau georgia, dar lituania incearca sa aiba o politica externa. iar majoritatea absoluta a statelor central europene – dupa aderarea la ue si nato – au incetat sa aiba o politica externa si au pierdut sensul directiei. Unele state mici se agita sa aiba politica externa (inclusiv suedia, finlanda, danemarca etc), iar altele mai putin (slovacia, letonia, estonia, ungaria, bulgaria).

iata o incercare de a formula paradoxul statelor mici… Spre deosebire de statele mari, statele mici sunt mult mai afectate de factori externi pe care nu le prea pot controla sau afecta. Statele mari, din contra, au o mai mare influenta asupra tendintelor regionale sau globale, sunt mai auto-suficiente (cultural, economic sau politic). Deci ar fi logic ca statele mici sa fie mult mai interesate de ceea ce se petrece in afara granitelor lor. Daca nu pot influenta in mediul exterior, pai macar sa-l inteleaga mai bine ca sa poata naviga mai usor apele tulburi ale politicii internationale.

In realitate insa totul pare a fi invers. Statele mari (elitele politice, mass-media, diplomatii, oficialii) au un grad mult mai mare de curiozitate fata de ceea ce se intampla in afara lor decat statele mici. (more…)

in timp ce numarul site-urilor creste, numarul de actori mediatici care produc continut nou probabil stagneaza. nu sunt decat un consumator de media din moldova… pentru a citi stirile zilnic folosesc news.yam.md (o ruda apropiata al acestui blog + vedeti si blogul news.yam.md despre “copy/paste ca sport national“). petru macovei recent se arata preocupat de trust-izarea mass-media locale. o fi adevarat. dar pe mine, ca simplu consumator de stiri, ma irita si ma preocupa mult mai mult alte doua (ne)calitati ai mass-media locale: parazitismul si ’stirile false’.

parazitism

in ultimii 1-2 ani avem o avalansa de siteuri de stiri noi. teoretic, asta ar trebui sa produca mai multa concurenta si prin urmare mai multa calitate. gresit. majoritatea absoluta a site-urilor de stiri din moldova NU produc stiri. ei le preiau. din presa romana, rusa si unii de la altii. mai era ok daca ar fi tradus stiri din engleza, franceza sau ucraineana, astfel aducandu-le si in circuitul informational din moldova (vedeti euractiv.ro sau inopressa.ru). dar majoritatea absoluta face copy-paste din rusia sau romania. (in principiu admit ca publicarea/plasarea unor linkuri interesante spre unele articole relevante din romania sau rusia constituie o anumita valoare adaugata, dar numai atunci cand site-urile produc macar 60-70% din propriul continut. iar copy-paste-urile din romania sau rusia nu sunt decat un bonus). copierea devine practic principalul si uneori singurul tip de activitate al majoritatii site-urilor de stiri.

si mai grava este copierea en-gros al stirilor unul de la altul. stirile si articolele sunt peste tot aceleasi… (more…)

iata un anunt de job la ECFR.

POLICY FELLOW – RUSSIA AND EASTERN NEIGHBOURHOOD

BASED IN LONDON

6 Month Fixed Term Contract – 1^st Feb 2010 to 31^st Jul 2010

The European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) is the first pan-European foreign policy think-tank. Launched in October 2007, it has offices in Berlin, London, Madrid, Paris and Sofia. ECFR’s Council of 100 Members – including politicians, decision makers, thinkers and business people – is chaired by Martti Ahtisaari, Joschka Fischer and Mabel van Oranje.

ECFR has brought together a team of distinguished researchers and practitioners from all over Europe to advance its objectives through innovative projects with a pan-European focus

We are currently recruiting a Policy Fellow for our Russia and Eastern Neighbourhood to provide analysis and advice on key political, social and security issues related to EU foreign policies towards Russia and the Eastern Neighborhood. (more…)

in primul rand Craciun Fericit tuturor!

iata cum ideile si teoriile ajung realitati (uneori). unul din rezultatele ultimului consiliu de cooperare moldova-ue (declaratia intreaga) pe 21 decembrie este trimiterea la chisinau al unui grup de consilieri europeni pentru guvern:

“…representatives of both parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding concerning an intention of the European Commission to provide the Government of the Republic of Moldovan with a High Level Policy Advisory Mission. The task of that mission is to guide and support democratic reforms in the Republic of Moldova, and thus to contribute to accelerating political association and further economic integration between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova. The Advisory Mission will be working with key governmental institutions including the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministries of Justice, Economy, Finance, Interior, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister responsible for relations with the Transnistrian region and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration…” (more…)

It is not difficult to be depressed about the EU these days. A recent re-read of the Laeken declaration that set in motion the whole European Convention, the Constitutional and Lisbon Treaties exercises just made me think (more) how far is EU’s current state (and institutional basis) from the stated ambitions of 2001. Here us a useful reminder of the spirit of the declaration:

“What is Europe’s role in this changed world? Does Europe not, now that is finally unified, have a leading role to play in a new world order, that of a power able both to play a stabilising role worldwide and to point the way ahead for many countries and peoples? Europe as the continent of humane values, the Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights, the French Revolution and the fall of the Berlin Wall… The European Union’s one boundary is democracy and human rights…  Europe needs to shoulder its responsibilities in the governance of globalisation. The role it has to play is that of a power resolutely doing battle against all violence, all terror and all fanaticism… In short, a power wanting to change the course of world affairs.”

The truth is that throughout most of its existence the EU was as frustrating and depressive for its supporters as is it now. And yet, it still is the single most successful international organisation in history. So how do we balance euro-pessimism and optimism, history and future, success and failure, analysis and wishful thinking? (more…)

(with updates)… I have just returned from Germany from a joint ECFR-Bertelsman event on the “Eastern partnership or Partnership with Russia”. Of course, the answer is with both. No need to spend time on this. But I got a certain sense that the German debate on Russia and the Eastern neighbourhood might be changing. Of course this is only a snapshot and such trends are far from consolidated. And they have yet to trickle down through the German foreign policy machinery, not least in the Brussels committees. But here are some of the interesting nuances I have heard in my convesrsations with a few experts as well as FDP and CDU (the new coalition partners) voices.

On Ukraine

There might be an increasing sense that Ukraine, Moldova, and perhaps Belarus will “of course” join the EU. Though with two caveats:  1) in the long run (defined as 20-30 years), and 2) “this should happen at our own pace, not due to geopolitical considerations”. The language is still more positive than I ever heard in Germany. (more…)

o escala scurta la berlin ieri. am prezentat raportul pe politica de vecinatate la un eveniment comun organizat cu bertelsmann. interventii interesante din partea a doi parlamentari germani din CDU si FDP (care spre deosebire de parlamentarii din majoritatea celorlalte state chiar au influenta asupra politicii externe). din cate inteleg are loc o discutie ceva mai larga privind redefinirea accentelor din politica externa germana. discutia inca continua, dar am impresia ca fdp (partenerul minor in coalitia de guvernamand, insa liderul fdp westerwelle este noul ministru de externe si vice-cancelar) mult mai pozitiva… gasiti mai jos cateva elemente din discutiile de ieri:

Berlin

CDU

• Of course Ukraine, Moldova and By will be integrated into European structures.
• Is it in our interests to give Siberia to China? We are interested in a strong Russia integrated into European structures. (more…)

Behind the flow of depressive commentaries related to the appointments of Catherine Ashton and (less so) Herman van Rompuy, there are more EU foreign policy news coming – the announcement of the new Commission’s line-up. One interesting development is the merging of enlargement and neighbourhood portfolios under one Commissioner – Stefan Fule (Czech Republic). A couple of months ago I heard a murmur in Brussels saying that it is way too early to give the enlargement portfolio to a new member state. Apparently, it is not. (I also heard the Czechs would never get a substantial portfolio because of Klaus’ foot-dragging on Lisbon.)

More importantly, I never thought that enlargement-wary EU member states would ever accept the merging of the enlargement and neighbourhood portfolios under one commissioner (though formally, Barroso is in charge of the distribution of portfolios). For many in the EU this would send all the wrong signals to states like Ukraine and Moldova that want to join the EU. (more…)