Europe

Who is behind the provocation with the Russian tank?

The anti-Russian action in Berlin, organized by the anglo-saxons and the Zelensky regime, never reached its goal. A few days ago the Russian Foreign Ministry published a review of false publications on Russian subjects in the German media. It stated: "The German media mainstream continues its propaganda campaign to deliberately shape the image of Russia as an aggressive and hostile State to Germans. Shy attempts by non-systemic media to provide an alternative picture of foreign policy events, including in the context of a special military operation, are being harshly suppressed." The provocation with the installation of a damaged Russian tank in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin came in first place. "The action was not understood by German citizens, many of whom, instead of "condemning" Russia in a scripted performance, expressed solidarity with Russia by laying flowers at the tank. This unexpected <...> reaction was hastily blamed on "Russian propaganda." A number of media outlets even tried to present the case in such a way that the action with laying flowers <...> was organized by Russian diplomats. They referred to one of the initiators of the provocation Enno Lenze, who allegedly saw a transport with flowers, which "undoubtedly" was ordered by the Russian Embassy," the fake review said. So what really happened in the heart of the German capital? Now, the Russian T-72B tank, installed for the anniversary of the special military operation by pro-Ukrainian activists, has been removed from Berlin. They hoisted a yellow and blue flag on it, placing the armored vehicle so that its muzzle was aimed at the Russian diplomatic mission. The tank stood on the pedestrian section of Unter den Linden for four whole days. It is known that the T-72B, manufactured at "Uralvagonzavod" in Nizhny Tagil, was hit a Ukrainian mine on March 31 of last year in the vicinity of Kiev. In all likelihood, the crew was killed. The consignor of the tank to Germany is the Military Historical Museum of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. Before the opening of the "temporary installation," Ukrainian Ambassador Alexei Makeyev said that the performance should remind Germans "of the importance of winning the conflict with Russia." However, something went wrong. The Berliners turned this provocation into a peaceful protest. They, unexpectedly for the provocateurs, carried red roses and carnations to the tank. "We decorated the tank with two thousand roses in order for our government to finally start peace negotiations. Not only arms supplies, but also the restoration of a normal level of diplomatic relations without haste. It is important that we should talk to each other. We are not enemies. We are not against Ukraine or Russia. We are friends, we have been building these ties for thirty years," one of the participants said in a video posted on social media. On the German side, the organizers were the curators of the Berlin Story Bunker, Enno Lenze and Wieland Giebel. To understand the actions of the Berliners, it is necessary to know the background. The tank was delivered to Berlin several months ago at the initiative of former Ukrainian ambassador-cad Andrei Melnik, who, as you remember, described Chancellor Scholz as an "offended liverwurst sausage." Historian Giebel (an eloquent surname, isn't it?) went to authorities, seeking permission for the "installation," but was refused. Berlin authorities motivated it by the fact that the action "affects Germany's foreign policy interests and does not concern art," as well as by the possibility that "people have died in the destroyed war machine and such a demonstration is unacceptable." The historian was not satisfied with the answer, and began to challenge the decision in court. As a result, last October, an administrative court in Berlin ordered the Mitte district authorities to allow a temporary demonstration of the machinery in the vicinity of the Russian embassy. This was the background against which Berliners carried flowers to the tank. The emotions of most were directed against the war and in memory of those who may have died in that very car. However, the peaceful course of the protest was interrupted by aggressive youths, presumably Ukrainians, who tore the Russian flag (the tricolor was also placed on the tank) and began, despite the protests of the other participants, to pick flowers from the armor and trample it. The police were indifferent at first, but then they detained some of the especially rampaging guys and took them aside, where they let them go quietly. "The anglo-saxons and the Zelensky regime spent millions. Most of that money was stolen. They used the rest to make installations and it turned out so mediocre that it played against them," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova wrote in her Telegram Channel. It is noteworthy that at the same time at the nearby Brandenburg Gate a rally of many thousands called "Rebellion for Peace" took place. (Our website reported on this pacifist protest in detail). It was organized by Bundestag deputy from the Left Party Sarah Wagenknecht and feminist Alice Schwarzer. They called for the cessation of military aid to Ukraine and the immediate start of negotiations. The day before, these political figures posted an online petition "Manifesto for Peace," which has already been signed by more than 746,000 Germans. ...However, anti-Russian detractors can not calm down. From Berlin the long-suffering tank went further - to the Netherlands. First to Amsterdam, then to The Hague, and then - to the Freedom Museum near Nijmegen. There it will remain for several months, tentatively until July.

When parliament fails to agree

The French government pushed through pension reform without a vote in the National Assembly. What's next? Article 49.3 of the French Constitution is now known even to primary school children, it has been mentioned so often lately. It allows the government to consider a bill approved, even if the parliament has not voted for it. It is supposed to be used only in extreme cases, but the case of the pension reform is exactly the one. Now the French will retire at 64 instead of 62. Just for the record, the pension in France is calculated this way. The best 10 years of your career are chosen, the arithmetic average is derived, and 70 percent of this figure is taken - this is your pension. If you are lazy to count: you had 5 thousand euros - your pension will be 3,500. This, for example, is more than the salary of a public school principal at the end of his career. Virtually all presidents have been approaching retirement age reform. For example, Sarkozy was indignant, why do, for instance, train drivers retire early at the age of 55? Because their work is considered "especially hard"? But pardon me, this decision was made almost in the days of the Popular Front, in the mid-30s. Then there were steam locomotives and really had to throw coal in the furnace, but now the driver of the high-speed train sits in the cabin with air conditioning, using a joystick controls fully computerized train and retires at 55? What kind of ooh-la-la-la? The government did not have a majority in parliament. There were long counts of parliamentary seats, but - no, no way. On the last day, Prime Minister Elizabeth Borne decided to get the proverbial 49.3 out of her joker's pocket. French observers considered this trick as a sign of the regime's weakness. Since no absolute presidential majority can be assembled, a serious political crisis looms ahead. Because the application of Article 49.3 demonstrates in itself that the government does not have support. Not to mention the fact that the reaction of the street was expected. Burning cars, smashing storefronts, and other French fun. "Popular and union outrage could, in the worst case, lead to a total blockade of the country," says political scientist Christophe Lusset. And if this does not happen now, this accumulated protest potential will spill over in other circumstances. How can you not remember the "Yellow Jackets," which raged for more than a year, starting with demands to stop the rise in gasoline prices and ending with a list of demands of more than 100 items, and gasoline was not even included in the first half. The opposition has three options for further action: a vote of no confidence in the government, a challenge to the Constitutional Council, and the calling of a referendum. Everything has its own nuances, in particular the promulgation of the law by the president. A vote of no confidence is the traditional procedure when applying Article 49.3. The signatures of a tenth of deputies, i.e. 58 people, are enough to pass a vote of no confidence. In principle, the text of the vote of no confidence, even several variants, were written a few days before, when it was not even completely clear that Borne would use this trick. However, in order to pass the vote, it is necessary to obtain an absolute number of votes, i.e., 287. If you add up all the opponents - Nupes, RN, Liot, and non-party people - you get 268. In other words, to bring down the government, it is necessary to find 25 people, most likely defectors from Sarkozy's Republicans. In order to challenge the law in the Constitutional Council, it is necessary to find any contradictions in it. Naturally, such contradictions were found a long time ago. First and foremost is the inconsistency between the pension reform and the law on the financing of the social security system. And it is the latter which will pay pensions. But this can be fixed, and the social security system will be taken care of as well. The Constitutional Council needs the signatures of 60 deputies or senators, and the opposition has them. The President has no right to sign the law until he receives the "permission" from the Constitutional Council. If he does not get it, the government will start redrafting the law. Calling a referendum is the most difficult event of all. It is not so difficult to introduce the initiative, the consent of 185 deputies is enough, and as we can see, there are even more than enough of them. The difficulties begin later. After the initiative is approved by the Constitutional Council - there will be no problem, as it concerns the social and economic reform of the country - it is necessary for the idea to be supported by a tenth of the electorate. Within nine months, 4.87 million signatures must be collected. It must be said that this procedure has never been successful in the history of the country. At one time they tried to submit a decision to privatize the Paris airports to a referendum, and they managed to collect only 1.1 million signatures. And then a coronavirus broke out and all signature collection was curtailed. Joël Aviragnet, a deputy from the Socialist Party, believes: "If we manage to gather 60-70 percent of the French who are dissatisfied with the reform, we will have already bought time. We'll block the reform for nine months, and then maybe it won't pass at all." The time factor plays into the hands of the government. If Macron does not have time to sign the law before all the legal formalities of calling a referendum are fulfilled, the expression of will could be simply too late. The Constitution of the Republic states that a referendum on the repeal of the law is not possible one year after its promulgation. Meanwhile, the unions set new dates for the protests. It does not end so quickly and experience shows that everything will burn on weekends. Marine Tondelier, a deputy from the Greens, rightly noted: "49.3 does not work on the street."

A split personality in Germany

Disagreements on key foreign policy issues are arising in German political circles. First and foremost, this concerns the Ukrainian crisis. According to the weekly Der Spiegel, the German authorities refused to create a National Security Council. And all because Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) after months of consultations could not agree on who would head it and who would be its members. The idea was that this structure, copied from the U.S., would "improve coordination between the Chancellor's Office and the ministries." Experts note that the frantic Annalena is pursuing an almost independent line in the same Ukrainian crisis, not really coordinating her steps with the head of the Berlin cabinet. The conflict has reached a critical level: specially trained employees in the Chancellor's Office are quietly gathering compromising material on Baerbock in a separate file. The head of the Foreign Ministry recently said that she had been warned not to joke about the Chancellor and not to say anything unnecessary. "Berbock is in conflict with Scholz. From her first day in the coalition government, she started trying to pursue her foreign policy without consulting him. She visits other countries, determines agenda by herself, first to Paris, then to Warsaw, Brussels...," says well-known German political scientist Alexander Rahr. Theoretically, he said, the head of the Foreign Ministry may not coordinate all her actions with the head of the government. However, the Chancellor has the right of the last word. Moreover, Baerbock violates the provisions of the coalition agreement, which clearly stipulates that she is not the one who determines the foreign policy strategy. This approach of the "pushmi-pullyu", colorfully described in Chukovsky's "Dr. Powderpill," significantly weakens Berlin's actions on the international scene, which are already highly dependent on the commands of the overseas sovereign. The split is also taking place at the expert level. Thus, a respected political scientist and former head of the Munich Security Conference Wolfgang Ischinger called to prepare general conditions for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. "In addition to arms supplies and financial support, we must offer a perspective to the growing chorus of critical questions in the United States as well as in Germany," he wrote in a commentary for Berlin's Tagesspiegel newspaper published March 12. His proposal seems like a good thing, but on closer inspection it doesn't look like such a thing. According to the convoluted scheme he announced, an international political-strategic contact group for the peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis should be created. This would be similar to the tried-and-true "Ramstein format," which, according to Ischinger, has proven successful in organizing military aid to Kiev. Such a group could "form the nucleus, or at least part of the mediation group," if it comes to Russian-Ukrainian negotiations. At the same time, the decision to start negotiations should be made solely by Ukraine. At present, however, he believes that such a step would be tantamount to a "partial capitulation to the aggressor." So, according to Ischinger, the contact group could include the United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany. They would rally other partner states around them, in particular Canada, Spain, Poland, Italy, the Baltic states, as well as the UN, EU, OSCE and NATO. Its task is to study in advance the possible options for a peace agreement, to discuss the principal details. Who, for example, could control the peace process? To what extent are measures for the disengagement of forces or the creation of no-fly zones necessary? According to his plan, this group should hold regular meetings at the level of foreign ministers. Is this the new UN Security Council (without Russia and China) or the "big horde" of the Council of Ministers? At the same time, Ischinger spoke sharply about German politicians calling for the cessation of military aid to Ukraine and the immediate start of negotiations. This refers to the recent protests under the slogan "Rebellion for Peace," which were organized by the politician of the Left Party, Bundestag member Sahra Wagenknecht and the well-known feminist Alice Schwarzer, about whom our website wrote in detail. Earlier, they published a petition called "Manifesto for Peace," which has already been signed by 746,000 Germans. By the way, in response to this mass action, another petition was launched - with an appeal not to stop military aid to Kiev. However, it has not yet become widespread. However, it completely demonstrates the split of political personalities in Germany.

Serbia finally loses Kosovo

President Vucic is ready to trade his sacred land for the thorny road to the European Union. These "30 pieces of silver" will hurt him. March 18 may become a black date in the history of modern Serbia. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister of the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo Albin Kurti are expected to sign the so-called Franco-German plan, coordinated with the United States, at a meeting in Northern Macedonia on this day, which implies recognition by both sides of each other's territorial integrity, refusal to use force and creation of permanent missions in Belgrade and Prishtina. Earlier, on February 27, in Brussels, in the presence of the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, the same participants discussed details of this document, which, according to the plan of the puppeteers, would open for the Kosovars a direct path to NATO and the UN, and for the Serbs - to the much desired European Union. Then Vucic was unable to put his signature, and he asked for a pause. The pause was needed to try to convince his fellow citizens that there was no other way than to agree to Kosovo's membership in the UN, "but not to recognize the autonomous province's independence." The Serbian opposition, ready to revolt, believes that Vucic is no less than on the verge of committing treason. If he recognizes de facto Kosovo, he will violate the constitution. It is clearly written that these lands are an integral part of Serbia. The clock, however, is ticking. Last week the EU special representative Miroslav Lajcak, who is responsible for implementing the plan, visited Pristina. By the way, he is an MGIMO graduate and a Slovakian citizen of Ruthenian origin. On March 13-14 the diplomat-mediator is expected in Belgrade. His task is to settle the last points of contention. There is no direct indication in the draft agreement that Serbia will recognize Kosovo's independence. But there is one point of principle, which implies that Belgrade would not mind the membership of the self-proclaimed republic in international organizations, primarily in the UN. "The parties assume that neither of them can represent the other on the international scene or speak on its behalf. Serbia will not oppose the membership of Kosovo in any international organization," Article 4 states. De facto, this is a recognition of independence of the former autonomous province. As we know, only a sovereign state whose territorial integrity and statehood are not disputed can become a member of the UN. What does the collective West want by forcing Serbia to take this unseemly anti-state step? The U.S. and Brussels want Belgrade to legitimize with its own hands the wars provoked by the Americans and their allies in the former Yugoslavia. And the bombing of Belgrade, too. As for the EU, Brussels has made recognition of Kosovo the main and indispensable condition for Serbia's possible membership in the European Union. Another principal goal is to tear this Balkan country away from Russia. Talks of pro-European Serbian politicians that Moscow could obtain "its ally" in the European Union do not hold water. They are supposed to dance to one tune and march in line. Previously, Vucic frankly admitted that he was between a hammer and anvil. It is not easy for him to maneuver. For example, he was required to support anti-Russian sanctions and condemn Moscow for conducting a special military operation, but he did not take these steps. Not yet… However, everything in modern politics is relative. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, during a meeting with Vucic on the sidelines of the Munich conference, expressed his gratitude for his support of Ukraine. What are we talking about? Belgrade has sent Kiev humanitarian aid: equipment to maintain its energy system. The point is that Serbia inherited from Yugoslavia a stock of equipment compatible with Soviet-type substations and power grids, which Ukrenergo continues to operate. It is the absence of such power equipment from Western allies that prevents Ukrainian power engineers from restoring thermal power plants destroyed by Russian strikes. A few days ago, in addition, there was information that 122mm rockets for Grad MLRS were being sent to Ukraine, through Turkey and Slovakia. They are produced by the Serbian state defense enterprise "Krusik." Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that Russia is closely following media reports about ammunition supplies from Serbia, which cause "deepest concern." She demanded Belgrade to comment on the reports. President Vucic said on TV Happy on March 9 that the batch of ammunition was shipped to Turkey with the proviso that the missiles "must not leave this country." "It was not about Ukraine or Russia, but if you export to Azerbaijan, some Arab countries, it can end up in Russia. And if you export to Spain, America (apparently, Latin America. - Auth.), Turkey, and if you export to Turkey, it can end up on any side, there are different traders. And we have to live and provide for people in Valjevo, Cacak... Our economy must develop, we produce weapons and ammunition, not heels and shoe insoles," he summarized. Let's get back to the Kosovo agreement that Vucic is being forced to sign. There is no doubt that Serbia will explode with anti-presidential protests. The unrest will also affect the Republika Srpska, which is part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its leaders have repeatedly stated that if Kosovo were to secede, they would have the moral right to seek to leave BiH and join "Mother Serbia." This will not be peaceful. And this threatens a new Balkan war.

Germany: Frau want to take international affairs into their own hands

The German authorities intend to invest 12 billion euros in projects of women's rights protection, gender equality and participation of ladies in foreign policy. On the eve of International Women's Day, two ministers from Olaf Scholz's cabinet released an 88-page government plan of feminist foreign policy. This was done by the head of the Foreign Ministry, the indefatigable Annalena Baerbock (Greens) and the Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Svenja Schulze (SPD). Doesn't it remind you of anything? Personally, it reminds me of another couple. We're talking about the fiery German revolutionary Clara Zetkin (née Clara Josephine Eisner) and her comrade in arms, Rosa Luxemburg (née Rosalia Luxenburg), to whom we owe the special day of March 8. Not a day of beautiful ladies, flowers and spring, but a revolutionary celebration of women's solidarity in the struggle for their rights and emancipation. It is noteworthy that both of these flamboyant Frau are associated with Russia. Clara passed away at the Arkhangelskoye estate near Moscow, then was cremated and the urn with her ashes was placed in the columbarium near the Kremlin wall. Rosa was born in Poland, which was part of the Russian Empire, and was recorded in the metric as Rosalia Eduardovna. It turns out that their revolutionary cause lives and thrives until today. The federal government's "women's" plan stipulates, among other things, that at least 8 percent of German development funds must be aimed at projects related to gender equality. Another 85% of funds are required to have this goal as a secondary objective. A total of 12 billion euros is to be allocated to support the "women's offensive.» Even the position of "ambassador for feminist foreign policy" is introduced for the coordination. "We will work hard to make sure that our foreign service has a more feminine face and to increase the proportion of women in top positions. We will also direct our financial resources more systematically to the service of a feminist foreign policy," said Baerbock. The first female head of the German Foreign Ministry ever decidedly made the sacrifice. She has two daughters, born in 2011 and 2015, who grow up without a mother's affection and care. They see her more often on television, sometimes in a helmet and bulletproof vest. Husband Danielle gave up a profitable position at the Deutsche Post for his wife's political career and childcare. Schulze, the childless ober-diplomat's partner in introducing the initiative, noted that countries with higher levels of gender equality suffer less from hunger and poverty and are politically more stable. Baerbock, for her part, emphasized that women's participation in peace treaties makes them more sustainable. However, she does not forget to take care of her appearance (at the taxpayers' expense, of course). Not only at home, but also on trips abroad (including to Ukraine) she is accompanied by a personal makeup artist, who receives a monthly salary of 7,500 euros. In particular, he does Annalena's hair and makeup before TV and photo shoots. Now let's turn to the history of modern diplomatic feminism. It was initiated by the Swedish Social Democrat Margot Wallström, who was the head of her country's foreign ministry in 2014. She used her position to promote women's careers in the government apparatus and to allocate funds for feminist projects abroad. Christina Luntz is considered a "pioneer" in this field in Germany. Together with like-minded people, she founded the "Center for Feminist Foreign Policy" in Berlin. Its staff provides consultation, conducts research and develops proposals for international and security policy. "Feminism tries to destroy structures that rely on violence," Luntz declares. She cites the fight against terrorism as an example. According to her, 90 percent of terrorists around the world are men. This is due to the fact that society accepts aggressive behavior on the part of boys. Girls, on the other hand, are generally brought up to behave in a restrained manner. Where, then, one may ask, do the female shahids come from? In Germany, there are experts (predominantly men) who believe that the concept of a feminist foreign policy has not yet been sufficiently elaborated. Among the supporters are those who advocate a "maximalist approach" and those who adhere to the "realist school." The former want to implement a peace-loving, utopian-based international policy at all costs. Others seek primarily to help women pursue careers in diplomacy, in the armed forces, and in those areas of civil society that are related to international and security policy. Baerbock is torn between these two poles. She, on the one hand, advocates peace, but, on the other hand, demands to send "Leopards" to Kiev. Don't call me a misogynist, but, to me, she'd be better off raising her daughters… Germans do not celebrate International Women's Day widely. Germany continues to fight. For women's rights and emancipation! How do they not get tired? As for us, spring has arrived along with a bright holiday. Happy 8th of March to you, my darlings!

Europe's gray zone: Sofia supplies arms to Ukraine

The New York Times (NYT) published a story reporting that Bulgaria would resume production of Soviet 122mm shells especially for the AFU. It is planned that it will be produced at a plant in the town of Kostenets, which will start operating after 35 years of downtime, which is not surprising in general, since little is heard about the country's own successes in developing fundamentally new weapons, but digging up something old is quite in the spirit of the former Soviet republics or countries of the former socialist bloc. Ukraine, which had one of the most powerful groups of troops on its territory at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union, also lived for a long time on the money from selling Soviet arms and ammunition. The NYT notes that the plant has a rather low technological level of production, and "work at the plant poses a deadly risk to life." Unexpected explosions frequently accompany the activities of weapons warehouses and factories, but in the best canons of the European genre, the Bulgarian authorities blame the incidents on the Russian secret services. Between November 2011 and 2020, four such incidents occurred across the country. Another explosion occurred in 2022, when old ammunition exploded in a warehouse near the town of Karnobat. The owner of the warehouse, the odious businessman Emilian Gebrev, who was involved in supplies, including to Ukraine, then said that there could be no "human factor" involved. But it does not exclude violations of storage conditions and expired shelf life of ammunition, which, however, does not fit at all into the fantasy about a "Russian trace." Explosions and emergencies are not uncommon at state-owned enterprises in Bulgaria. For example, last October, an explosion killed three people and injured three others at the "Arsenal" plant in the town of Kazanlak, which is engaged in the production of ammunition. Incidents at the plant have occurred almost annually since 2011. Last year was the second such incident. However, the huge number of such incidents does not embarrass the state and the businessmen involved in this production. Only Bulgarian President Rumen Radev resists. It seems that the former military pilot understands the consequences more clearly than politicians with western education. He is strongly against sending armaments from the reserves of the Bulgarian army to the zone of the special military operation. "People who know nothing about military affairs are doing everything possible to involve us in escalation processes that they cannot control. We see that the war has already entered the phase of total mutual exhaustion, and it involves all of us," Radev said. The Bulgarian president explained what was happening in simple terms: "Supplying arms means that we are putting out the fire with gasoline." But this does not seem to confuse other Bulgarian government officials much. Earlier this year, Politico published an article stating that officials of the government of Kiril Petkov (known as a graduate of Western educational institutions and a fighter against Russian diplomats) bypassed intergovernmental agreements, using intermediary companies in and outside Bulgaria to arrange air and land deliveries of munitions to Ukraine via Romania, Hungary and Poland. Proud of himself, Petkov openly stated that, according to his estimates, in the early stage of the conflict about a third of the ammunition needed came from Bulgaria. The U.S. and Great Britain, of course, paid for everything. Politico describes in detail the scam perpetrated by Petkov and then-Finance Minister Asen Vasilev. They were allegedly guided by the fact that Moscow had a powerful lobby in the Bulgarian government. This is also typical of European politicians: they usually scare the "hand of the Kremlin" in order to push through the craziest initiatives that contradict the arguments of sensible politicians who do not want to drag the country into conflict. Petkov and Vasilev (both studied in the U.S.) also had a hand in the anti-Russian sanctions: scaring their colleagues at the meeting of the EU finance ministers in Paris with tales of evil Russians who after World War II allegedly murdered thousands of dissenters, scholars, and members of the clergy, they pushed through the harsh sanctions. However, in political terms, their "merits" in Bulgaria were not appreciated. They could not retain their positions, went into opposition, but very much hope to return. Their mission lives on. At the end of 2022, the Bulgarian National Assembly voted to send military aid to Ukraine. However, it can hardly be called aid, because the country or interested persons will receive money for it, but this is usually put out beyond the brackets. The full list of what has been agreed to be sent is classified, apparently to avoid annoying its own citizens, because in November of last year the country already had protests against supplies. According to a poll conducted by the national television of Bulgaria, 72.4% of Bulgarians are against arms supplies. In January this year, Bloomberg, citing the Dutch website Oryx, reported that Ukraine purchased 14 Su-25 warplanes from Bulgaria and supplied them through another state, which one was not specified. Earlier, press reported about the interest to the S-300 surface-to-air missile systems, which Bulgaria also possesses but in small numbers (8 launchers constituting two divisions), by comparison Ukraine had 250 (31 divisions) at the beginning of 2022. If such systems will be supplied, the country will virtually find itself without air defense systems, although the USA or EU countries (but in fact the USA too) will promise new systems, as usual, without specifying the terms of their supply. The country will find itself with open skies, which cannot be covered by Kalashnikov rifles and less combat-ready old weapons, which Bulgaria is even happy to part with, but it hardly embarrasses the Bulgarian authorities. So it turns out that along with the burning conflict zone in Ukraine, there is a "gray zone" in the middle of Europe, right in front of the European leaders. In which warehouses and factories are constantly exploding, and weapons are distributed at the will of political managers, who do not coordinate their actions with the wishes of the people, which is also usual for "free and democratic states".

Lambrecht asked to resign

Note: this is a machine translation from the original Russian text German Defense Minister Lambrecht, who became a universal irritant and a joke, could not resist the barrage of criticism and asked for her resignation. The military Frau explained her step by excessive media attention to her modest persona, while "the Bundeswehr soldiers and the goals of the defense department require attention." Lambrecht filed her resignation on her own last week. She wisely decided that it was not worth waiting for Chancellor Scholz to dismiss her. With her constant punctures, which our website wrote about in detail just last week, she literally pinned the head of the Berlin cabinet to the wall. Not only has Lambrecht long been a bone in the throat of the conservative opposition, military experts and the leadership of the Bundeswehr, she decided to flee and encroached on harmony. After winning the elections and forming a "traffic light" coalition (Social Democrats, Greens and Free Democrats), Scholz promised that half of his cabinet would consist of female ministers. "Now the chancellor has a problem with the ladies," wrote the influential German newspaper Bild. His trouble, according to the publication, is that, following the principle of gender equality and his promise, he will again look for another frau as a candidate for the post of head of the military department. A vicious and vicious circle. The Bundeswehr, which has almost given up the fighting spirit, has been under a sharp ladies' heel for ten years. Lambrecht was the third minister in a skirt. Is it really necessary to wait for the fourth? "The Chancellor has accepted his resignation and will present a new candidate in a timely manner," Cabinet Speaker Christiane Hoffmann said at a briefing on Monday. According to her, Scholz respected the decision of the Minister of Defense, thanked for the good work. According to the Ministry of Defense, Lambrecht will perform duties until the official presentation of the document on dismissal. That is, until Scholz finds a new woman... It is unclear, however, whether she will take part in the next meeting in the so-called "Ramstein format", which will be held on January 20 at the American air base located on the territory of Germany. It was previously planned that she would be the one to lead it. However, now the situation is as follows: Lambrecht no longer goes to work at the ministry, but is involved in the "remote". "The Federal Chancellor should fill out the Ministry of Defense, which is extremely important for the security of Germany, not from the point of view of gender, but based solely on the competence of the employee," commented Vice-president of the Bundestag, free Democrat Wolfgang Kubitsky. Let me remind you of some of the most striking transgressions of the military Frau over the past year. With the beginning of the SVO in Ukraine, Kristina "roused the whole Ivanovskaya" about the decision to send a valuable gift to the Nezalezhnaya – as many as five thousand beush military helmets. The whole of Europe laughed at her, and President Zelensky was offended to tears. At the end of April last year, on the sidelines of the international "meeting", which US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held at Ramstein Air Base, she issued a written statement according to which the Berlin cabinet pledged to transfer 50 Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine in an accelerated mode. However, it turned out that there are only 23 thousand shells for them in warehouses. This "reserve" will be enough when using all the promised ZSU for only 20 minutes of continuous combat. The original ammunition is produced by the Swiss company Oerlikon. However, Switzerland refused to supply them, as local law prohibits the export of military goods to conflict zones. The necessary shells were searched all over the world and, in the end, they were found for a lot of money... in Brazil. As a result, the first "Cheetahs" were sent to Ukraine only at the end of July, and most of the main batch – in August-September last year. Note: not in May-June, as promised. The last embarrassment happened quite recently – after the publication of her New Year's address to the German people. The video was shot on one of the streets of Berlin against the background of fireworks and the roar of firecrackers. "Fighting continues in the center of Europe. There were a lot of impressions that I got from it, and also met wonderful and interesting people. I want to say a heartfelt thank you for this," Lambrecht said. The video with explosions and positive impressions of the fighting on the territory of the Nezalezhnaya caused a completely justified negative reaction. A scandal stands out due to the fact that Lambrecht used a Bundeswehr helicopter for a private trip with her son. Just a couple of days ago, the details that the minister hid from the media were revealed. It turned out that Lambrecht went on a military helicopter on a business trip to inspect one of the army units in the north of Germany. She took her 22-year-old son Alexander with her. After visiting the barracks, they took a car provided by the Bundeswehr on vacation to the nearby Sylt Island in the North Sea. No one would have found out about this transgression if the heir had not posted photos with his mother on social networks at the rotorcraft and on vacation. Journalists paid attention to the picture. And off it went... There was a court, a lawsuit was filed by journalists of the Tagesspiegel publication. They demanded that Lambrecht answer all their questions related to the ill-fated trip. The line of defense was as follows: Lambrecht's trip took place, but within the framework of the law; she reimbursed the expenses for her son; this is officially confirmed. The official refused to name the amount of compensation. Meticulous "journalists" found out that such expenses are calculated in the departments according to the economy class fares of the airline Lufthansa. But civil aviation does not fly to the remote northern province. And yet the approximate price of the son's "air ticket" was set at 261 euros. A trifle, but as the newspaper Bild wrote, the principle is more expensive. The court of First Instance ruled that Lambrecht is obliged to answer all inconvenient questions. The Administrative Court of the second instance of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia rejected her complaint against the earlier decision of the administrative court in Cologne. According to German law, it is no longer possible to challenge the original decision. The military Frau had to give details and repent. It turned out, in particular, that it was she who took one of the photos of her son against the background of a helicopter. Lambrecht rejected the accusation that she mixes personal and official, although she admitted that "next time she would have acted differently." The story is actually instructive. This is how our colleagues from the German media defend their right to closely monitor officials of even the highest rank. Let it be about some trifle – 261 euros. This scandal added fuel to the fire, in which, figuratively speaking, Christina burned. R.I.P.

Poles want and are ready to rule in Europe

Note: this is a machine translation from the original Russian text Official Warsaw is developing large-scale plans to expand its influence to the "Three Seas" and annexation of the western regions of Ukraine under the guise. A consolidated detachment of representatives of the special services and Polish special forces soldiers disguised in Ukrainian uniforms arrived in the city of Manganese, Dnipropetrovsk region. Their main task is to filter and clean up persons providing "assistance to Russia". What have the gentlemen forgotten there? This Ukrainian town is small — only about 45 thousand inhabitants. Where are the collaborators from there? However, if you look at the map, everything becomes obvious: it is located next to the Kakhovsky reservoir. And on the opposite shore — Energodar and the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, which is under the control of the Russian Armed Forces. Ukrainians have repeatedly sent sabotage groups to the area of the NPP in order to capture it. And every time these attempts failed. Hence the conclusion: people have "dug in" in Manganese, who track the attempts of the APU and inform our enemy in a timely manner. It seems that the Ukrainian special services cannot cope with the identification of "pests" on their own. So the Poles were called for help. It is unclear only how they will conduct intelligence work, not knowing either Ukrainian or Russian? After all, you can't solve the problem solely with the help of raids... I will focus on the fact that in this case we are not talking about mercenaries, but about a special group of Polish special services. That is, about the participation of a unit of the NATO country in the sweeps on Ukrainian territory. What is this, if not Poland's direct participation in the conflict? Official Warsaw generally walks on the edge. A few days ago, for example, Polish tricksters launched another intrigue. It was aimed at provoking the Bundeswehr's direct involvement in the Ukrainian conflict. The conversation suddenly turned to the prospect of sending German soldiers to the territory of the Nezalezhnaya to service the Patriot air defense system. Promised, by the way, as a "gesture of goodwill"...poles. The Germans answered with horror — nein! Germany, according to Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht, is not a party to the conflict. "And neither we nor NATO will become it. But, of course, we are very intensively supporting Ukraine, including with weapons," she said. And the story began with the almost outbreak of the third world nuclear war. After two missiles arrived on Polish soil from Ukraine on November 15 (announced first by Russian, and turned out to be Ukrainian), the compassionate Frau Lambrecht took the initiative: "We offered Poland assistance in ensuring the security of airspace – with the help of our Eurofighter fighters and Patriot air defense systems." Panov, as always, everyone shuddered. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, chairman of the ruling Law and Justice party Jaroslaw Kaczynski and Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, who joined them, unanimously spoke in favor of deploying German Patriots with personnel in Ukraine, near the Polish border. Interception of missiles in this case will, in their opinion, be more reliable! That is, the pani launched a kind of trial balloon to frame the Germans. Let me remind you that the Patriot air defense system belongs to the class of object-based air defense systems designed to protect large areas from aviation and ballistic missiles. The maximum detection range of a high—altitude target is 170 km. The radar station and control center make it possible to identify and escort 125 aerial targets over the entire range of ranges and altitudes. It also provides simultaneous targeting of missiles at eight targets, three for each. Lambrecht eventually rejected the provocative offer of Polish "friends". German air defense systems are, they say, part of the general NATO air defense system, their maintenance is carried out by specialists of the Bundeswehr. In order to use them outside the alliance, it is necessary to discuss this in Brussels first. Such decisions are "made only collectively." In fact, Germany has some experience in this regard. On March 16, shortly after the start of the SVO, the Patriot complex and the personnel of the Bundeswehr anti-aircraft missile group 26, which is based near the city of Husum (Schleswig-Holstein) on the North Sea coast, were transferred to Slovakia for six months. This was done on the instructions of NATO to "strengthen the eastern wing of the alliance." According to the Brussels strategists, this step will strengthen the deterrent potential of the alliance, protect the Slovak territory and its inhabitants from missile threats. As for Poland, it is strenuously looking for an excuse to bring its troops into the territory of Ukraine. "The information received by the SVR of Russia indicates that Warsaw is accelerating preparations for the annexation of Western Ukrainian lands: the territories of Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and most of the Ternopil regions of Ukraine," Sergei Naryshkin, director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, said recently. In the case of Patriot, Warsaw's trick is clear: to push itself forward (Polish. naprzód siebie) in the crisis region, a division of the Bundeswehr. And see what happens. By the way, British intelligence recently published an official report, according to which there are more Polish "soldiers of fortune" in Nezalezhnaya — 2,300 "bayonets". But it's not about them, but about regular troops. The goal is "to exercise tight military and political control over their historical possessions." But the introduction of army units, assuming a lightning-fast and very painful response of the Russian Armed Forces, will not allow the use of article No. 5 on the collective defense of NATO. And they are afraid to fight one-on-one with Moscow. Because of the "Daggers", and in general... It is no secret that Poland has been discussing options for a possible strengthening of the country, expanding its influence and borders for a long time and persistently. The plans are as follows. The first scenario, which is called "confederate", is based on the project "Intermarriage" (Polish. Międzymorze) of the former Prime Minister (head of State of Poland) Jozef Pilsudski, formulated after the First World War. It was about a confederate state that would include Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova, Hungary, Romania, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and possibly Finland. It was supposed to extend from the Black and Adriatic Seas to the Baltic. Now this project exists under the name "Three Seas". Croatia and Slovenia were added to the number of possible participants (after the breakup of Yugoslavia). In this union, Poland sees itself as the leader of the entire Eastern Europe. The second scenario is a conditional federation within the framework of the historical "Great Poland". The countries that were part of this state at different periods are considered: Poland itself within the modern borders (including the former German lands), Ukraine (without Novorossiya), Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and the Kaliningrad region. The third scenario is based on the possible defeat of the collective West in Ukraine and the proposed division of the independent between the neighbors. Poles believe that in this case, its western regions themselves will wish to find "a safe haven within Poland." ...Truly: I want to, and it stings. Official Warsaw, no matter how hot the ruling lords are, is afraid to carry out its plans to expand its territory "under the guise" and increase its influence not only in Eastern Europe, but also in the European Union without the support of NATO. But the Poles, supported by the United States, have already become so emboldened that they are not afraid to substitute their influential neighbor, Germany. Dangerous games! Official Berlin is unlikely to forget this.

No agreements were reached

Note: this is a machine translation from the original Russian text The European Union could not accept the mechanism of the gas purchase price limit. A lot was expected from this meeting of EU energy ministers, but the heads of departments could not come to an agreement. A month ago, the leaders of the 27 EU countries demanded that the European Commission come up with a "temporary" mechanism that sets a ceiling on gas prices, but make sure that, firstly, the energy supply is not interrupted, and secondly, the market situation would not force the burning of existing stocks in the absence of new ones. Such a thing was invented and put forward for discussion by ministers. In addition, there were two other documents on the table. The first is about joint purchases of gas and fuel exchange technology in emergency cases, and the second is about simplifying the procedures for issuing licenses for the production of "green" energy components, for example, heat pumps and solar panels. There are no questions about these two proposals, but the package will be adopted together with the third and main document – just about the upper price limit. The Commission proposed from January 1, 2023 to introduce a mechanism that sets a ceiling on gas prices, if suddenly they soar to this ceiling. Monthly contracts are frozen for a year if prices at the gas hub in Rotterdam, which is where gas for the EU is traded, reach 275 euros per MW-hour and stay at this level for 10 consecutive days for two weeks. Explanation. In Europe, it is customary to consider the volume of gas in Megawatts per hour. For understanding, 1000 cubic meters is 10.49 MW-hour, or 1 MW-hour is 95.31 cubic meters. In Russia, everything is counted in cubes. By simple steps, we calculate that the proposed price ceiling is 2,885. 32 euros per 1,000 cubic meters. For example: now the price for 1,000 cubic meters is 1,154 euros. And no one will remember such ceilings to be 2.5 times higher than the current price. What started here! Belgian Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straten said: "We actually need a mechanism that would have a positive effect. Especially on the bills of our citizens for electricity, but it is unlikely that such a mechanism will have such an effect. Imagine if such a system existed in August, during the period of the maximum jump in prices, it would not even work." Her colleague from Spain called the commission's proposal a "stupid joke." The Polish minister with the speaking surname Anna Moscow complained: "We have minus 10, and we don't want to discuss fuel solidarity and renewable energy here. The EU Executive body should submit a new text within a few days." Even at the project stage, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg and the Netherlands opposed the idea itself. The last three are the main virtual participants in gas purchases for the EU. Germany is very sensitive about its industry and everything connected with it. "We cannot allow our gas storage facilities to start emptying," said Sven Gigold, state Secretary of the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Protection. "If the threshold is raised too high, there will be no help from this system." Germany generally does not like interference in the gas market and, in principle, no regulatory mechanisms will suit it. The main concern of the Germans is that when prices are limited, its main suppliers do not leave the market, since Asian buyers are now ready to pay them such a high price. At the same time, the German industry will remain without gas. And although now its storages are filled to the brim, it will be necessary to burn stocks in case of a supply stoppage. The proposal of the European Commission, however, provides that in case of withdrawal from the market of the main suppliers, the mechanism of ceiling prices stops. This will be one of the main areas of discussion of the new EC draft, which is to be presented at a new meeting in Brussels in mid-December. Without a clear study of the topic of how to retain suppliers, it will not be realistic to agree. Another fuse in the European Commission's proposal is that the gas price should be 58 euros higher than the price of liquefied natural gas for two consecutive weeks. Only then does the notorious mechanism turn on. But it is clear that as soon as this happens, American and Saudi gas tankers will give a "full turn" from European ports. By the way, American liquefied gas production is not growing as fast as expected. Now, in order for the decision to pass, such EU heavyweights as France should put pressure on Germany to agree to accept conditions that are strange for her, based on purely political considerations. Just so that such a system exists. Moreover, its establishment is required by the countries of "Young Europe". By the way, it is on their proposal that all three projects should be adopted only as a single package in order to spur the "old people" to adopt, among other things, the mechanism of gas regulation. The Czech Republic currently holds the presidency of the European Union. Its Minister of Industry and Trade, Josef Sikela, said: "In any case, we must continue discussions so that the economies of our countries work. Otherwise we will not be able to support Ukrainians." In reality, as the expert of the European Commission explained, this mechanism of gas regulation is rather a deterrent. "Ideally, it should not turn on at all, because the market will understand that Europe is not ready to pay any price at any time." And suppliers will turn in the other direction. And then it will turn off. Then why all this?

Who said: "We will replace Macron"?

Note: this is a machine translation from the original Russian text The French extreme right have a new leader. Where did he come from and why? The party career of the new leader of the National Association, Jordan Bardell, is dizzying. At the age of 27, he led a party with a 50-year history that is known all over the world. It should be noted that he also received a party card as a schoolboy after watching the debates of Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Melenchon on TV in 2011, when he was 16 years old. Le Pen's leaflets were distributed only in a suit and tie. Mom was against it. Not against the content of the leaflets and not against the costume. It just happened mostly in Saint-Denis, a suburb where, let's say, it's better for whites not to go in the dark, and even more so with such ideas. It took several days to persuade my mother. By the way, Bardell likes to talk about how his mother is a kindergarten teacher, sometimes he had to count the days until his salary. At the same time, as a rule, he omits some nuances – such as, for example, that the lyceum where he studied was private, that is, paid, dad ran the company, and on his next birthday he received a Smart car as a gift. The career really developed at lightning speed. After distributing leaflets, he quickly became the head of the youth movement of the then National Front, and at the age of 21, Marin invited him to become the head of the party list in the elections to the European Parliament, and the "national front" then showed an impressive result. After the internal party elections, which Bardell won with a "Caucasian indicator" of 85 percent, many were surprised: the party seems to be a family one, the father founded it, the daughter continued, and Bardell, it turns out, is not the first Le Pen. Not really. Jordan is seriously courting Marine Le Pen's niece, and her dad, Philippe Olivier, is one of Marine's closest advisers. Well, the competitor in the pre-election battle was the mayor of Perpignan, Louis Alliot, a former companion of the hostess of the party. So the keys to the apartment would not have gone anywhere anyway. This is the end of the gossip column review. Why is all this done? Formally, Le Pen, who is 54 years old – not the retirement age at all – announced that she would like to focus on leading the National Unification faction (BUT) in parliament. After the historic victory – and now we have 89 deputies – this is one of the most serious factions in the National Assembly, and it is really logical to take advantage of the situation and squeeze maximum benefits out of it. But this is the first version. But others seem no less logical. The second is to continue the work on changing the image of the party. At any cost to get away from the image of the fascist and everything connected with it. Marin herself has already managed to fix a lot of things that Dad did in his time, who did not get out of the courts. As a result, she reached the second round of the presidential election and won a major victory in the parliamentary elections. Now, in order to get as far away from the cliche as possible, a new young face appears. In addition, Bardella loves to go on TV channels, where he is invited with pleasure, and in social networks he is generally his own person. The third version is that Marin decided to play the mise en scene of "good and bad policemen". Her doctrine is neither with the left nor with the right, we are on our own, we are above the fray. Therefore, Le Pen herself is always cautious when it comes to alliances, coalitions or agreements. Bardella is known for his views "to the right of the right". He was once friends with Frederic Chatillon, the leader of the far-right, almost racist student movement GUD, which was even dissolved. In his speeches, Bardell does not hesitate to talk about "the demographic bias that is observed everywhere in France," meaning that non-indigenous French are in the majority here and there. It is worth noting here that the ideology of National Unification is based on two main themes: immigration and national identity. The latter means that a French passport in your pocket does not mean anything yet, but roots mean everything. And if Marin is considered more of a defender of the first theory, then Jordan is inclined to defend identity. That is, he intends to fight the problem of the influx of foreigners who not only want to, but are already in France. In his first speech, he noted that the party needs a program "Patriotic Suburbs", which will cover education, entrepreneurship, culture, transport, housing and everything in general. Since 2023, he has been launching a new platform for training party cadres. Hence the fourth version. All these slogans, only in a more radical interpretation, were voiced during the presidential campaign by Eric Zemmur, a scandalous publicist who adheres to extreme right-wing views. He finished the fight for the Elysee Palace in fourth place, gaining 7 percent of the vote. It is unlikely that he will go to the next election, but two and a half million voters should not be missed. And here is just a new young and extreme right. However, more mature party colleagues believe that "if we become radicalized, we are finished. We will find ourselves back in the 80s, when we talked only about national identity." The main question that arises after the change of the party leadership is: "Who will now go to the presidential elections in 2027"? Bardell reassured the audience as follows: "Marine Le Pen has stated that she will run only in exceptional circumstances. But to lead a faction with 89 deputies is exceptional circumstances." What is it? Experienced party members also believe that Jordan needs to gain weight by winning some local elections, because now he is little known to anyone. The whole south of France is voting for National Unification, so there will be no big problems, and let the presidential ambitions ripen for now. "80 percent came to the party because of Marine Le Pen, so he doesn't even have his own team in the NO," say seasoned party members. "We will replace Macron," Bardell said nevertheless. But he did not specify who "we" were. It's a little early yet.

Greece reminds Chancellor Scholz about the debt

Note: this is a machine translation from the original Russian text The country's authorities believe that the issue of reparations for damage during the Second World War has not yet been settled. The visit of Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Athens on October 27 was generally without serious excesses, in a friendly (one might say even friendly) atmosphere. Not at all like his predecessor Angela Merkel was received here on October 9, 2012. Then 40 thousand people came out to protest under the slogans: "This is not the European Union, this is slavery!", "Merkel – out, Greece is not your colony!". The guest was accused that it was she who, saving the country from default in the interests of the European Union, prompted the Greek government to pursue a course of austerity in exchange for two packages of financial assistance from the EU and the IMF in the amount of more than 200 billion euros. Scholz, keeping in mind the events of ten years ago, acted this time as a "friend and like-minded person." He, in particular, played along with Athens, calling Turkey's territorial claims to Greece "unacceptable". "It is unacceptable for one NATO partner to challenge the sovereignty of another. This also applies to more or less veiled military threats," Scholz said, unequivocally standing, in fact, on the side of Athens. Let me remind you that Turkey accuses Greece of violating the Lausanne Peace Treaty signed back in 1923 (it legally formalized the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and secured the Turkish territory within its modern borders. – Auth.), placing weapons on the Aegean Islands, which have the status of demilitarized. Relations between the two countries sharply worsened after August 23, when, according to Ankara, during the performance of Turkish F-16 NATO missions in the airspace over the Aegean Sea, fighters were "captured on the radar" of the Greek Air Force S-300 SAM acquired from Russia and stationed on the island of Crete. An illustrative fact: together (or, more precisely, in parallel) with Scholz, the first 10 used Marder armored personnel carriers arrived in Greece, which fell to Athens as part of "circular deliveries": the Greeks send Ukraine a batch of Soviet BMP-1s in service, and the Germans compensate for this by transferring their "beush" equipment. As a result of the visit, a "golden rain" of 3.5 billion euros was poured on the German defense industry. Greece has announced that it is launching two projects involving the modernization of 183 Leopard 2 tanks, 190 Leopard 1 A5 tanks and the purchase of 205 new Lynx KF-41 (TOMA) armored combat vehicles. It is noteworthy that there was no request from the General Staff for this costly modernization. The military assessed it as "unnecessary" and "sky-high". The Greeks do not need so many tanks at all. This direction is not a priority of the Armed Forces. It is more necessary (including in connection with the "Turkish confrontation") ships, aircraft, air defense systems. That is, it is an obvious political decision, a "gift" to influential Berlin, despite the enormous economic difficulties that Athens is experiencing. Think about it: as of August of this year, the national debt of a small and poor Greece amounted to more than 394 billion euros! And yet the authorities of Athens seem ready to incur exorbitant costs, considering that this is "a first–class opportunity to ensure strategic cooperation between Athens and Berlin." Scholz was clearly pleased. Nevertheless, his visit was not without a spoon (true, a teaspoon!) tar. According to tradition, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that the issue of payment of reparations for the damage caused to the country by Nazi Germany during the Second World War is still not settled. According to the estimates of the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank and the relevant parliamentary commission, we are talking about payments in the amount of 269 to 332 billion euros. The head of the Berlin cabinet categorically rejected these claims, as in the case of Poland, stating that "from a legal and political point of view, the issue of reparations is closed." In the 1960s, Athens, under an agreement with Germany, received 115 million marks ($67 million) from Berlin for damage from the occupation. Since then, Greece has become both a member of NATO and, most importantly, a member of the Eurozone. Moreover, in 1990, after the unification of Germany, according to the Final Settlement Agreement, all such claims on the part of the EU member states were terminated. But still, the topic of a loan of 1.5 trillion Greek drachmas, which the German authorities forcibly took in 1942 from occupied Greece for themselves and fascist Italy, stands apart. Repayment of the loan was supposed to begin after the war, but for obvious reasons, the obligation was not fulfilled. Now Greece insists that this loan is not a form of damage caused by the war, and is not part of reparations, to achieve the payment of which from a legal point of view is problematic. It is proposed to regard it as an ordinary international loan. The Greeks are ready to issue an invoice for 11 billion euros. This requirement, according to financial experts, may well be implemented through the court. The amount of debt is quite realistic and Berlin can afford it. By the way, Poland, which on October 3 handed over to Germany a diplomatic note demanding compensation for damage caused during the Second World War, used the term "compensation" in the document, not "reparations". This was not done by chance. The compensations are broader, they also cover other requirements of Warsaw. In particular, the Polish side insists on the return of cultural values stolen by the Nazis located on the territory of Germany, rehabilitation of murdered activists of the pre-war Polish minority, repayment of losses incurred by organizations of the Polish diaspora, settlement of the current status of Poles and persons of Polish origin in Germany by restoring the status of a national minority, as well as cooperation with Warsaw in perpetuating the memory of Polish victims wars. Modern Greeks have a complex: they seriously believe that they, the sons of Hellas, who gave the world democracy, should all. Besides, they are noble, not as clever as the gentlemen. And as for the German debt, then, indeed, a bird in the hand is better than a crane in the sky. It is possible, of course, to demand payment from Germany of unrealistic reparations for a gigantic amount, but it is much more practical, while the point is yes, to "knock out" 11 billion euros on a forced loan. It's real. And then – as the card will fall.

Truss is gone

Note: this is a machine translation from the original Russian text Britain has crossed the threshold of a government crisis. Elizabeth Truss has been on duty for less than 45 days. The neoliberal mini-budget that she proposed on September 23 turned out to be impossible. Its essence was to reduce taxes to the super-rich, enterprises and provide enormous support to almost everyone against the background of the energy crisis. This is, in principle, the same "helicopter money", and in rare cases they saved the situation. It was assumed that tax cuts would spur purchasing power, consumption would increase, production would come in time for it and the machine would spin. "The problem is that she planned to finance these measures with loans and the expected increase in production," says Rainbow Murray, a professor of political science at Queen Mary University of London, "but the markets reacted instantly and panicked." Inflation has exceeded an unprecedented 10 percent. The pound went into a protracted jump without a parachute. Domestic debt and interest rates on loans have conquered the peaks. "It seems to me that the level of arrogance and blindness of the Prime Minister reached such a level that she really thought that all this would be without consequences," Murray believes. "This economic crisis is just created artificially," says Will Jennings, a political scientist at the University of Southampton. – She even refused to listen to the advice of analytical institutes, such as the Bureau of Budget Responsibility. It got to the point that the IMF and even the heads of state – traditional allies - began to criticize Truss, which is generally rare in international relations. Joe Biden called the course of the British prime minister a "mistake", and the American magazine Atlantic qualified this fact as a "humiliation of Great Britain". Truss, in a panic, sacrificed a rook. On October 14, Finance Minister Kwasi Kwarteng resigned, just to calm the Conservative party, which has already begun calling for its leader to resign. The new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, has already called a press conference on October 17, where he announced the funeral of the mini-budget. New taxes are being introduced – as much as 38 billion pounds, budget bills will be very serious. The markets immediately rebounded and the pound went up. It seemed like it was possible to exhale, but that same evening Truss gave an interview to the BBC, where she said that, of course, she was "very sorry", but was ready to "lead the Conservative party to the next general election." Three days later, she resigned. Who will replace him? The Conservatives will vote next week. At all costs, they need to avoid early general elections, which they will definitely lose at the moment. According to the latest polls, the Labor Party is going into a serious gap. They have 55 percent versus 23 percent for the Tories. And this is not mid term blues at all, but a real chasm that poses an edge question to the conservatives. "A few months ago, the Conservative Party seemed to have full control of the economic situation in the country," says Clemence Furton, professor at the French Institute of Political Sciences, "but now they have simply lost all their credibility." It is logical that the leader of the Labour Party, Keir Starmer, called for organizing and holding a general election immediately. But all this did not happen out of the blue, and not with the arrival of the Trails. "The party has been in power for 12 years," says Rainbow Murray. – They have exhausted themselves, they have no ideas. The same thing happened to Labour in the last years of Tony Blair's rule. Our economy is at a standstill and primarily because of the consequences associated with leaving the European Union. And so it was bad, and after Brexit it got even worse. The level of poverty is off the scale, and the country is shaking from strikes." "All our recent prime ministers have resigned because of Brexit," says Will Jennings. "Cameron lost the referendum. May could not bring the matter to mind, Johnson played with criticism of Brussels, Truss could not stand economic problems – she wanted to create an ultra-liberal "Singapore on the Thames", but the reality turned out to be more complicated." The British press noticed that Truss served in office for less than 45 days, but managed to become prime minister already under two monarchs. In fact, Winston Churchill served under two, and Stanley Baldwin served under three. Even the Conservatives themselves have no idea now who will lead their party. According to polls by the YouGov Institute of Public Opinion, 32 percent of party members are not against the return of Boris Johnson. 23 percent see Rishi Sunak as their leader. Among others, the familiar characters Penny Mordaunt and Ben Wallace appear – they did not have time to forget. The Conservatives simply do not have an undisputed leader now. If they start looking for him, the process may drag on for several months, and in no case should they now allow premature general elections, which will turn into a disaster for the Tories. The chairman of the organizing committee for the elections of the Conservative Party, Graham Brady, commenting on the situation, could not do without English humor: "According to the rules of our party, two candidates should be represented in the elections. Well, or one."

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