Jean-Claude Juncker, far right, at a press conference after the EU summit with Turkey
After a 12-hour meeting between the EU and Turkey, a tired-looking Jean Claude Juncker took to the stage after 1am on Tuesday morning and boldly declared that a plan to send back migrants from Greek islands to Turkey was legal.
The European Commission president swiftly tried to bog the even more tired-looking press corps down in legalese. With impressively few glances at his notes, Mr Juncker regurgitated:
Article 33 and 38 of the asylum procedure directive clearly open the way for a solution of this kind. Because article 33, paragraph 2, letter C indicates that a country can refuse to consider a claim if a non-EU country is considered as a safe third country.
But is this true?
Read moreBudapestet imádják a turisták rengeteg érdekes látnivalója miatt. Mit érdemes megnézni ha valaki ideutazik?
Andrássy út és a Hősök tere
2002-ben vált a világörökség részévé, 2310 méter hosszúságú, a Városligetet köti össze a Belvárossal. A Hősök terén találhatóak Budapest legjelentősebb épületei és szobrai, köztük a Millenniumi Emlékmű szobor, Gábriel arkangyal szobra, Árpád fejedelem szobra , Munka és Jólét szobra valamint itt tekinthető meg a Szépművészeti Múzeum is.
Budavári Palota
A 14. században épült azóta kisebb-nagyobb felújításokon ment keresztül mire elérte mai pompáját. Az idáig lévő összes művészeti elem megtalálható rajta. A Szent György téren tekinthető meg.
Citadella
A Habsburg királyi ház építette akkori funkciója szerint erődítménynek 1854-ben a Gellért-hegyen. Itt található még Szent Gellért püspök szobra, a Szent Gellért templom és a Szabadságszobor is.
Parlament
A Duna partján épült 1904-ben neogótikus stílusban. Jelenleg az Országgyűlések állandó helyszíne, 691 helyiségből áll. Magyarország legszebb épülete.
Szent István Bazilika
1891-1905 között épült az ország legnagyobb temploma 91 méteres kupolájával. Ez az épület klasszicista stílusban épült, itt őrzik Szent István király mumifikálódott jobb karját.
Lánchíd
1849-1851 között építették William Tierney Clark és Adam Clark remek mérnök tervei alapján. Sajnos mivel a világháborút nem élte túl így a 100. évfordulón újra kellett építsék. A hídról csodálatos kilátás nyílik a Budai Várra és a Dunára.
Ha esetleg valaki úgy dönt, hogy a fővárosban szeretne kikapcsolódni akkor ajánlatos ezekre a helyekre mindenféleképpen eljutni.
Old definitions of power and security are no longer valid in a globalised and connected world. Previously neglected actors contribute to international political processes and wield the power to disrupt agreements imposed from the top. Rather than merely consulting these individuals and groups, 21st century diplomacy must embrace the collective wisdom to establish more stable and peaceful international relations.
Power has long been based on the number of available guns, missiles, aircraft carriers and the strength of armies. Security policy was decided behind closed doors by serious-looking men in suits or uniforms using acronyms and intricate lingo. Now with cheap, instantaneous communication even in remote regions and live reporting on events via news websites and blogs, this is no longer the case.
“Gone are the days of top-down arrangements”
In today’s multipolar power structure and globalised world economy, security is as much about renewed tensions between NATO and Russia or the ongoing fighting in Syria as it is about cyber warfare, climate change, pandemics and migration. Access to natural resources, not least water, will shape the conflicts of the 21st century. Global warming is already giving rise to tensions in the Arctic, while natural disasters of increasing intensity are escalating pressure on local, regional and national first-responders as well as on NGOs. Climate change is exacerbating existing threats, and requires decisive changes in how political leaders tackle the subject and how governments and organisations manage risk. Military and civilian infrastructure (power grids) are vulnerable to cyber attacks.
The goal of security policy must be to create resilient societies, able to withstand disaster, foreign propaganda or radicalisation, while the disastrous effect of pandemics on international security, societies, political systems and economies has yet to be fully comprehended. Demographics and migration must be looked at on a global scale, avoiding the inconsistent and poorly coordinated reactions that have characterised most European nations’ response to the refugee crisis.
Security will require not only whole-of-government but whole-of-society approaches. Our 21st century security will be inclusive, or there will be no security at all. Gone are the days of top-down arrangements; local, regional and national authorities must work closely with international organisations, NGOs and civil society organisations. The 2015 Nobel Peace Prize anchored the recognition of non-governmental actors in peace processes. The empowerment of citizens through social media initially had a positive impact in enabling the Arab spring uprisings, but the fallout turned out to be messy and dangerous.
“Citizens must be listened to, inspired and empowered to develop and be part of creative solutions”
I will not join the chorus of those prophets of doom heralding a dark age of chaos. The radical changes in who contributes to the global security discussion, who decides and who is held accountable are achievements of recent years. More women are now at the table as well as on the frontlines. The aspirations of youth are being heard, as are their ideas for a more stable world. The rise of regional actors including Iran and an increasingly assertive China may seem threatening but will keep established world leaders on their toes and force a rethink of the global security architecture.
Our 21st century security requires a new type of leadership with vision, courage and tenacity. Citizens must be listened to, inspired and empowered to develop and be part of creative solutions that can bridge divides durably. As the European Union leads consultations on a new Global Strategy, NATO is gearing up to its next summit in Warsaw and the debate on reforming the UN Security Council rages on, it is time for a global conversation on security.
IMAGE CREDIT: CC / FLICKR – Herman Van Rompuy
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Merkel, right, with CSU chief Horst Seehofer, her most high-profile critic on migration policy
Did Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, engineer her surprise summit deal with Ankara to bolster her chances of winning three key regional elections this weekend? That was the question some of the more cynical European diplomats were asking themselves yesterday as they licked their wounds from what one called a “brutal” 12 hours of summit negotiations, where Ms Merkel essentially rammed through a bilateral deal she reached with her Turkish counterpart, Ahmet Davutoglu, on the gathering’s eve.
If Ms Merkel had hoped the unexpected agreement – which would have Turkey take back potentially thousands of refugees washing up on Europe’s shores in return for €6bn in aid and a visa-free travel scheme – would be hailed at home and win her political points before the Sunday vote, then she appeared headed for disappointment. Horst Seehofer, head of Ms Merkel’s Bavarian CSU sister party and her most prominent migration critic, was cool to the plan and other nominal allies were even more critical. Marcel Huber, a prominent CSU leader and secretary of the Bavarian regional government, said the visa liberalisation scheme would face “massive resistance” and was “not a matter for consideration”. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung notes the criticism even came from within Ms Merkel’s own Christian Democratic Union.
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