Stockholm

European elections-when?

Waldemar — Wed, 06 May 2009 09:36:00 +0200

European elections : when ?

My day in EU regulations

Waldemar — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:15:00 +0200

I've got Europe in my home. In my cupboard, in my mobile phone, in my fridge, in my bed... well just about everywhere in my life.

I am talking about directives orginiating from the EU, and they can amount to suprising numbers in the day of an ordinary citizen. So I am collecting facts about regulations met by an ordinary citizen in an ordinary day. More to follow here on Café Babel Stockholm, but you can help me out. Give me some of your more interesting and curious rules and regulations in the comments and they will be illustrated in the upcoming article.

Italian Millenium

Waldemar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:27:00 +0200

In the Italian Café Babel I write about the first part of Stieg Larsson's triology Millenium al cinema, ma senza “suspense svedese”. Not my favourite film, but I was not a fan to begin with. What do you think?

Update now you can read Cinema: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo lacks Swedish suspense in English

Jamie Oliveoil cooks EU CAP agriculture fudge

Waldemar — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:20:00 +0200

Nasty YouTube video clip about the Common Agricultural Policy CAP with chef Jamie Oliveoil.

Jamie Oliveoil recipe for EU Agriculture Fudge

The British Tax Payers' Alliance are making fun of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver (that will be the responsible chef for the G20 meeting in London). But the question brought up the Jamie Oliveoil video clip about the fudge on agriculture policy are serious and worth considering. How did we end up in the EU agriculture fudge and how can we get out of it?

How do you dismantle a system that like the CAP has outlived its initial objectives? The EU's farm subsidies are now handed out to rich and large farms. The CAP thus now also works against smaller farms in less affluent areas.

It's not future oriented to go for the CAP, a policy... that is connected with the Second World War - Former Swedish Prime Minister Göran Persson

Should we stop at 27?

Waldemar — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:49:00 +0100

Problems test the friendship, and in these adverse time financial crisis, many find it difficult to think about further enlargement. Fredrik Segerfeldt from Sweden argues in the article that there is No reason to stop at 27. Segerfeldt has written a report for the European Enterprise Institute about it. The best case to continue is not the economy but political and social in order to open up Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey for democracy and free markets.

Building the next Europe on top of the crisis

Waldemar — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:51:00 +0100

The single institution that works as a drivning force for European integration today is the European Court of Justice. That is irony for you. So, what should the European parliamentary election in June be about? How about really investing in a political union? Or should the European Union become more driven by experts and less political?

We are at a crossroad, as it is hardly an option to just move on at the same pace as before. A number of member countries are really in dire straits in the economic crisis. Who guarantee that they will receive the needed assistance?

It would be difficult to use the Union as it stands, as the present treaty explicitly prohibits this. A member state cannot forward its budgetary problems to other members. The organisation that could do that would be the IMF- the International Monetary Fund.

Recently, Joschka Fischer, the former German foreign minister discussed that the European Central Bank ECB should start issuing EU bonds. Those bonds would create a debt for the EU, in order to get funds for relief. Fischer is proposing a huge step towards establishing a supernational government. If a political body can raise a debt, it is also close to being able to institute taxes to service its debts.

Besides the problems for governments bonds at the moment, one of the few potential buyers would be the Russian Federation. Russia has its fair share of problems of its' own, but the forceful expansion of Russian interests could mean that they would buy those EU bonds. Would this be a good development, particularly for the new member states?

So what is the solution? Leaving the euro and currency union? Not that probable. Will there be national bankruptcies? That would break the union in pieces.

There is a more difficult solution. More difficult because it requires reform of the European Union. The bureaucratic organisation of today, where the member countries confirm what the national authorities already have agreed upon is at a dead end. The only ones that could be charged with that authority would be the members of the European Parliament. This would mean that they would have to treat the upcoming election with a much more controversial stance, giving the understanding to the voters that European decision also require a heated debate.

In the end the ones that should increase their attendence at the elections are the politicians, especially at period in time when the nature of the European Union could be significantly changed.

The rise of Swedish Piracy in Europe

Waldemar — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 12:08:00 +0100

Interestingly, there could be an issue that vitalises the elections to the European Parliament no one ever though of; the issue of Internet policy and intellectual property. In EU Debate of Café Babel, I write about the Swedish Pirate Party and the question of Internet piracy. In Intellectual property, Sweden and the battle of The Pirate Bay of March 5th, you can read more about how this issue is reaching the top level of European policy with the creation of national pirate parties.

Recessions are not the problem

Waldemar — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 09:04:00 +0100

Wille Fahler at the Ministryoftruth gives an interesting take on the economic crisis in On Money & Recessions - Recessions are not the problem. The difficult question is if this could mean that the many large programmes enacted by governments all over Europe are in fact bad investments? What do you think?

La Movida and the Swedish reforms

Waldemar — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 08:11:00 +0100

It is very interesting to read about the La Bola de Cristal TV-programme on post-Franco dictatorship Spanish TV. As a representative of La Movida, it seemed to tackle difficult topics with a particular punk rock style.

Of course, it was the aftermath of dictatorship that opened the door to pent up creativity. But there was a similar spirit of the times in Sweden in the 80's too. Perhaps less distinct, and certainly without the striking moniker, there was a large shift in Swedish culture. Government controlled TV and radio were gradually opened up for competition

Det bästa och värsta ur Diskutabelt. Del 5 - 24

One of most controversial programmes were Robert Aschberg's "Diskutabelt" that opened for a frank and sometimes bellicose interview style, previously unseen. The flourishing of TV and radio also gave energy and space to people working in the music industry with a wave of Swedish bands starting to spread their music all over the world. The deregulation of the telecom industry opened up for establishing a Swedish IT industry. The art scene opened up for postmodernism introducing artists like som Dan Wolgers, Annika von Hausswollf and Ernst Billgren.

Carnival- the cardigans

The parallells between La Movida and the spirit of the late 80's in Sweden may be said to be experimentation but also new space won from a stifling cultural climate. Seen in retrospect it may not have been a huge shift, but there certainly are some parts that are not possible to replicate on commercial TV today.

Intressant

Will Sweden’s presidency be successful?

Waldemar — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 14:42:00 +0100

Last time Sweden had the presidency was under Prime Minister Göran Persson in 2001, will the new government of Fredrik Reinfeldt be better at the helm?

Göran Persson’s government was not really interested in the European Union. Certainly, it saw the benefits of the inner market and parts of the legal harmonisation, but it did succeed in the EU’s big bang enlargement in 2004, of building the Lisbon Agenda, and consolidating the Kyoto treatment for climate change.

No small feats, but Sweden received the help from the Romano Prodi-commission, a benign European Parliament, and the massive support of the United Kingdom and Tony Blair. PM Reinfeldt’s government will see a new commission take form in November, perhaps a Barroso 2.

For the European Parliament election. Sweden’s political parties seem to field candidates focusing on being critical to the EU. Being critical to the EU is good thing, but without an agenda to begin with it will create problems. Possibly Swedes will elect EU-sceptical parties

There will be difficulties to find to partners in pushing an agenda. France has previously showed its disapproval for the Czech and Swedish presidencies. Germany will have an election in September, with a Bundeskanslerin Merkel that is weaker than before. The presidency will be shorter and when Sweden takes over the presidency in July it will be in the middle of the vacations, with the European holidays starting in August. The Swedish presidency will be short of time.

With a more active Russia, some would even say expansionist after the war with Georgia, it could become a problem that Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt is not that welcome in Moscow after speaking up against the Kremlin’s policies.

Sweden’s agenda will probably not be a great surprise, building on the priorities of the Lisbon Agenda, of the post- Kyoto agreement in Copenhagen. Enlargement sees a great deal of fatigue in Europe, so seeing Croatia as member in 2009 or 2010 will not be possible.

Keep up for further updates and analysis on the Swedish presidency!

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Riots in Sweden: Malmö is burning

Waldemar — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 00:15:00 +0100

Rosengården, a district of the Swedish city of Malmö, is well known for its social problems (and the former home of Zlatan Ibrahimovic)

Protests spilled over into violence on Wednesday after the owner of a building in Rosengard housing an Islamic cultural centre and a mosque chose to use the space for other purposes. Centre workers moved out peacefully and handed over the keys, but a group of youths decided to camp in the basement. Police officers were told to remove them, sparking protests and violent clashes all over Rosengården. The situation got worse when rioters seem to have received help for various autonomous left wing groups.

Rosengård brinner 2008

So far there have been five arrests, and the riots seem to calm down this evening.

Sweden has seen this types of riots before in city sections dominated by immigrants. It is a dangerous cocktail of extreme political opinions, in combination with alienation and a society that is closed in many respects that Sweden needs to solve.

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Swedish insults

Waldemar — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:39:00 +0100

In Sweden, insults are mainly about hell and the devil. "Go to hell", "may the devil take you" are rather rude insults.

The Swedish culture uses very little body language, even the obscene gestures are imported. This one can be seen in Sweden. Other similar gestures have been imported

Sticking out your tongue is less obscene, more of a teasing insult.

Why is this? Swedish insults rather cool as insults, don't they? Especially if your compairing with Southern European cultures. A possible explanation is that Swedish culture is a consensus culture, formed in a very homogenous population. Swedish culture tries to minimize conflicts, especially in intrapersonal relations.

For better or worse. Sweden has not been in a war since 1815, but some conflicts should come up in the open to get solved, and they don't because "someone might feel sad".

The real Swedish insults are sneaky and anonymous, in order to hide the insulter's identity back into the group. Written notes or graffitti in public places are such insults. An example could be a well seen written sign at a workplace saying; "Carl's mom doesn't work here" (meaning that that person is not doing his chores at the workplace, see Den som inte tar bort luddet ska dö! by David Batra).

Waldemar Ingdahl

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EU in dispute with Finland over liberalization campaign

Waldemar — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:42:00 +0100

Commissioner Androulla Vassilou from Cyprus has given a very strict reply to Finland's Minister of European and Migration Affairs Astrid Thors (read more in Helsingin Sanomat's English edition). The discussion regarding the controversy between the European Commission and Finland was deepened when Helsingin Sanomat reported that Astrid Thors had also bought ten boxes of snus for friends and acquaintances when stopping in Sweden on her way back to Finland from Brussels, where she had been in an official capacity. Importation for personal use of snus is not forbidden, but it was seen as a provocation in order to re-introduce snus to Finland.

Thors pointed out in the Helsingin Sanomat interview that the ban on snus “violates against the sense of justice of many people”. Matti Rautalahti, the chief medical officer of the Cancer Society of Finland, states in the Helsingin Sanomat that smokeless tobacco is not a safer substitute for cigarettes rather it can result in an addiction to nicotine even worse than that caused by cigarettes.

The trip to Sweden to buy smokeless tobacco is one made by thousands of Finnish people, and thus it is hard to see minister Thors' acquisitions as a particular provocation to the ban, neither can the action be seen as part of an official Swedish policy. My opinions on snus? Dangerous and addictive but it could certainly work in a harm reduction strategy.

Nobel Prize celebrations and scandals

Waldemar — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:35:00 +0100

The glamour is still present at the Nobel Prize celebrations in Stockholm, in fact it may have overtaken the science and culture.

Unfortunately, prize winner Nambu could not attend to receive his prize in person from the king of Sweden. Now, the prize is paid in Swedish krona which means that with the failing currency the prize money has become much lower as they change it back into dollars, euro and yen. Ten million krona are not what they used to be...

Otherwise, most commentators note that the party in the Stockholm city hall was well done with "love" as the theme for the celebrations. Swedish television showed archive pictures of the dresses of queen Silvia the last years.

The importance of the Nobel prize for literature has increased as the focal point for the celebrations. Winning authors may not have been exceptional, but with diminshing depth of the reporting about the science prizes (as they are unfortunately considered too complicated) literature has become more important in giving the yearly celebrations a meaning.

Swedish radio Johan Bergendorff reported, together with Linda AP Larsson and Sören Granath on some perceived irregularities about the Nobel prizes.

First the sponsorship of Honeywell, and their involvement in the production of components to atom bombs. Prize donator Alfred Nobel made much of his fortune on selling dynamite and cannons, and seems strange that one of Honeywell's business activities should taint the entire prize.

Second there were reports that the three Nobel prize committees for the science prizes had received free flying tickets, hotels and dinners by the Japanese and Chinese governments in order for the committees to explain on site how they award a prize.

There was also criticism for the sponsor AstraZeneca having a board member involved in the medical committee deciding the winners. AstraZeneca stands to gain much money on the prized vaccines- but rightly so, as this research has been important. There is a difficult line of competences being drawn in many prizes, and the winning prizes can also be involved in applications ready for the markets.

Bitter evening for the Italian physicist Nicola Cabibbo that was not allowed to share the prize, with Kobayashi and Maskawa. The CKM-matrix is an acronym for Cabibbo, Kobayashi and Maskawa. A telling remark on how much more difficult it is to isolate a single genius inventing something new in today's science.

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Wiretapping Sweden

Waldemar — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 19:20:00 +0100

In January 2009 Swedish authorities will start wiretapping all Internet traffic (and telephone connections) in and out of Sweden. This means that they will not only listen in to all Swedish citizens communication but also sometimes the rest of the world since Internet traffic travels without borders. Urban Lifestyle decided to make a web documentary.

Wiretapping Sweden (Part 1 of 3)

Wiretapping Sweden (Part 2 of 3)

Wiretapping Sweden (Part 3 of 3)

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Interest dips in science and technology

Waldemar — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:27:00 +0100

The European Commission released the report Young People and Science (here in pdf). The report is dire reading for Sweden as it ranked lowest of all EU-members when 25 000 youths between 15-25 years were asked about their opinions on science and technology. For being a country reliant on innovation just 20 per cent recorded interest in ICT developments, in first-ranking Latvia it was 63 per cent.

The study reports that many Swedish youths think that inventions in informational technologies, medical sciences, space exploration and environmental sciences are important for the future and their lives. It seems that they do not see any role for themselves in those developments. To a certain degree it is a factor of science becoming more complex, you cannot describe how a technological gadget works by writing on the back of a napkin anymore, as technology more features a "black box" approach. The freedom to tinker and play is very important. But in order to explain the low figures for the interest is also how science is communicated by teachers and journalists. That change of opinion is more important than acquiring new computers in the schools. Then science reporting needs to get more open, more social and more active in choosing the subjects and not leaving over lead stories to general reporters. That is something for EUSJA to address, and for politicians to build a platform on.

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Sweden speaks up in Europe

Waldemar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:38:00 +0100

The German and Swedish finance ministers, Peer Steinbrueck and Anders Borg, openly criticized the European Commission, accusing it of posing too many problems on the case of the national aid plans to the banks. From a Swedish point of view, it is interesting that minister Borg is criticising the commission so openly, in his opinion on how to restore confidence in the credit system. Increasingly the center-right government has very active and very critical of policies in Europe. Another example is when Trade minister Ewa Björling criticises the ban on Swedish exports of the smokeless tobacco known as snus.

Despite of opinion in those particular issues, it can be regarded as positive that Sweden increasingly uses its voice as a member. That is quite a change.

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Congratulations, Cafebabel.com

Waldemar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:59:00 +0100

Congratulations on winning the Golden Star award last week from Stockholm!

Read more here about the prize, the award ceremony in Brussels and see some pictures.

Sweden beyond yes and no

Waldemar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:20:00 +0100

Tomorrow November 20th the Swedish parliament will most probably decide for the Lisbon Treaty. The major parties in the centre-right government are for, together with the Social Democratic opposition. Only the left party and the green party (the greens demand a refendum) will say no.

Cecilia Malmström, minister of EU affairs, is right in pointing out that the EU-negative side of saying "no" the European Union (even with supporting an exit from the EU) and not acknowleding that the previous Nice-accord needed an amendment.

Claes Arvidsson at daily newspaper Svenska Dagbladet points to the fact that the Lisbon Treaty replacing the constitution defeated in Ireland, is not the short, easily understandable and clearly defined treaty between member states and the union it should have been.

Unfortunately, the Swedish debate about is still moving around the two key issue of when Sweden entered: "yes" or "no" to the EU. This does not only have the problematic effect in implementing new EU decisions, but it also hampers the political discussion of what the supporters of the European idea should be doing. If you always have to close ranks, in order to defend the EU in a very general manner, you have troubles defining what a liberal, conservative or social democratic answer to European policy issues is. When visions are forced to take a back seat, voters are not give clear alternatives.

Centre-right blogger and political commentator Dick Erixon points the importance of accountability in the European political process

"No to the EU" is not a viable political alternative any long, there are too many important political issues that need be solved in Europe, and even if some parts of the European process may be problematic they are best solved through good political work inside the Union.

But neither is "yes to the EU" a viable political option. Supporting the European Union means contributing constructive criticism and alternative views.

As the Lisbon Treaty will be supported by the Swedish riksdag tomorrow it well due time to discard both "yes" and "no".

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The football of the ice: bandy

Waldemar — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 08:55:00 +0100

On November 12th, Waldemar Ingdahl writes about a very special sport; bandy- the football of the ice.

Played in more than twenty-one countries, bandy is a tale of globalisation, cultures opening up to change and making their distinct mark on the phenomenon before passing it on to the likes of Italy and Hungary. But it is also a typical reflection of Swedish culture.

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