The end is near! That's what Frank Sinatra sings in the famous song MY WAY. That is also what we hear and read almost every day about Europe. But as Mark Twain once said: The rumours about my death are strongly exaggerated! This is certainly also true when Europe is concerned.
Many problems discussed by the politicians and in the media are perceived problems - not real problems. Take the number of refugees and migrants coming to Europe. For 2018 we are talking about 44.000 for the whole of Europe. In 2017 the figure was 172.000, in 2016 363.000, in 2015 1.000.000 and in 2014 216.000. Let us try to see things in perspective. We are after all more than 500 million inhabitants in the EU. And all agree that we are in need of people from outside. Why all this moaning and shouting then ! In other words: let us train our politicians in dealing with the real problems and not with invented ones!
But there are, of course, lots of very important tasks for us to address here and now. Let us mention a few:
1) The now seven year long war in Syria must come to an end. The Syrian people deserve it. The country deserves it. The Syrian refugees deserve to get a functioning and peaceful country to come back to. And we deserve it - giving us the possibility to help the Syrians at home and not a panic-like help to millions of Syrian refugees, who of course have the right to all the help we can give them, as long as it is needed.
What is Europe in concreto doing to get peace in Syria? What can we do? Isn't it upon time to push Putin very hard to make him behave well in Syria - perhaps leave? And how do we use our support for the Iranian deal to get the Iranians to change their behaviour also in Syria? Real peace in Syria will make a huge and positive difference for all of us.
2) A Marshall Plan for Africa: great idea. That continent needs help. Many, also in the EU, say so. But where are the concrete plans? Who is doing what? Europe should take the lead in this task too. And get others on board. But first we have to prepare and present a realistic and efficient plan.
3) Europe will more and more need people from outside to ensure that we can continue our welfare states. Most people agree to that. Where are the in-depth short-term and long-term analysis and recommendations? And what concrete measures will be taken by whom to ensure that all this happens in a coordinated and for all proper way?
4) We have to strengthen Europe's external borders. Yes, all agree. The new Austrian EU presidency wants to make this a priority. EU's Border and Coast Guard agency FRONTEX is working and getting strengthened step by step. But most of the work is done by national border guards. But what are the concrete plans for a further strengthening? EU has about 80.000 km sea borders and ca. 8.000 km land borders to third countries. How do we organise a stronger, efficient and high-tech control at these borders, so that all cries for starting permanent controls at internal borders between EU countries stop?
These are just a few of the very concrete huge tasks in front of us. Stop TALKING. Start ACTING.
