We may not like Britain, but you will love Romania

We have seen these stories about the possible campaign which should discourage people from Romania and Bulgaria from coming to the UK. And also a mocking anti-campaign from Romanian paper Gandul. What does it tell us about the UK perception of Romania and Bulgaria and vice versa?

Will Vaclav Klaus just retire? Unlikely

Would you say that soon to be ex-President Vaclav Klaus may play a significant role on the Czech political scene in the future (perhaps with some help of Milos Zeman) and what kind of role?

The Netherlands will have a King

Queen Beatrix is to stand down on April 30.  I have been thinking about it for some time, the Queen said.  I am not standing down because the role is too heavy for me, but in the conviction that responsibility for our country should now lie with a new generation.

How does and how much Milos Zeman reflect the Czech nation?

Read few comments. Former PM Zeman beat current FM Karel Schwarzenberg in the run-off presidential election.

Women in combat? Yes!

The Pentagon to declare lifting a ban on women serving in combat. How revolutionary is this act and what added value it may give to military? And BTW, is it a right decision in your opinion?

PM Cameron’s speech: What it means for the EU and the UK

Read few comments. Will this speech open the Pandora’s box as perhaps we will witness  some willingness to announce the referendum on the EU also in other member states?

Germany and France are so different. And that’s why it is working

But the EU also need decisiveness. Zbigniew Brzezinski just recently said that Europe needs today much more evocative forward-looking leadership of the kind it had some decades ago and which today is lacking. We hear this argument about leadership pretty often, but what it means in your opinion? What kind of leadership does Europe need? It is hard to deny that we need some leadership but the situation it pretty different then e.g. 50 years ago, in the time of Élysée Treaty.

Xenophobia?: Don’t vote for Schwarzenberg. He is a foreigner!

President Klaus insinuates Czechs should not vote for “foreign” Schwarzenberg in the second round of presidential elections.

Cameron and the EU: What is British PM doing?

British PM David Cameron cancels long-awaited EU speech amid amid Algerian hostage crisis. But read few comments by Darren Lilleker, Head of Research, Centre for Public, Communication Research, The Media School, Bournemouth University on what might be Cameron’s approach towards Europe.

China, Don’t Be Stupid

This article was originally published in Education About Asia, Winter 2012 Edition.