Der Spiegel – ‘Violation Of Treaties’ : Germany Wary Of ECB Plan To Help Southern Europe – 13 May 2013

The European Central Bank would like to encourage banks in Southern Europe to issue more loans. But Berlin is concerned that a planned move to trigger such lending could violate EU treaties. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble has hit the brakes.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble and European Central Bank head Mario Draghi have never seemed particularly eager to avoid conflict with one another. Just in January, the two got into a mini war-of-words over the need to bail out Cyprus, with Schäuble openly questioning whether the country was systemically relevant.

Read the whole story at : www.spiegel.de/ link to original article

Der Spiegel – Joel Stonington – Dumping Allegations: EU To Impose Tariffs On Chinese Solar Panels – 9 May 2013

(Lucas : EU’s  desperation is shown again.  It shows the real face of the small group that controls and profits from holding back real solutions to  free energy availability for all.  Protectionism kicks in to hide their own gas and oil  industry interests in stopping people’s freedom to get of the grid.  Even not buying back energy from solar installations and  compulsory connection to the grid is part of the scheme. It should be welcomed to have the lowest price on solar energy panels and installations to build fast a free energy world. The old thinking in economic blocks and profits above any rational thinking is key and is the sociopathic behaviour of the few in power that want to control all. The world needs  sustainable energy and free energy  for all.  Free energy systems are already available for a few that hide it for all behind patents and secret projects and by claiming patents, threatening developers and inventors. The time has come to show your light now and not your stupidity in denying what will be inevitable.)

(Picture : A worker walks past sets of solar panels on the rooftop of a Nanjing South Railway Station, currently under construction in China.

The European Commission has approved tariffs on Chinese-made solar panels in response to complaints of price-dumping. However, analysts say the move will do little more than give European companies a short-lived boost, and that the levy will mainly just increase prices and decrease use of solar power.

Read the whole story at: www.spiegel.de / link to original article

Der Spiegel – Gisela Friedrichsen – Time For Justice: Families Of Suvivors Demand Answers In NSU Trial – 6 May 2013

Demanding answers: Protestors in Munich call for clarification of the true nature of the German neo-Nazi killing spree.

A massive neo-Nazi trial opened in Germany on Monday seeking to bring justice to the victims of a murder spree that killed 10. Families of the victims want answers that will bring closure: Why were their relatives killed and why did the government fail to detect the true origins of the seven-year crime wave?

Read the whole story at: www.spiegel.de / link to original article

Der Spiegel – Luke Dale-Harris – Romanian Mine A Symbol Of New Push For Resources – Dirty Gold : Crisis Has Europe Clamoring To Mine – 28 April 2013

Amid the enduring economic crisis, European governments are looking for new ways to fill empty coffers, and once unappealing mining projects are becoming far more attractive. One massive strip-mining project in Romania has divided the country.

In a bland and brightly lit ballroom in the center of Zurich, the leaders of a hundred of the world’s largest gold exploitation companies looked on as the European Gold Forum opened with a slide show of bank notes from Weimar Germany. One hundred marks, 500, 10,000, 1 million, 100 million, 500 million. It cut to some text, left hanging on the screen as the audience applauded. “Currency destruction through Hyperinflation. Will history repeat itself?”

Read the rest and parts here:

• Part 1: Crisis Has Europe Clamoring to Mine
• Part 2: A Long-Term Sentence to Poverty

www.spiegel.de/ link to original article

Der Spiegel – Sven Böll – German ‘Alternative’: Parallel Currency Idea Carries Great Risks – 23 April 2013

A new German protest party is proposing the gradual re-introduction of the national currencies of highly indebted euro-zone countries. While the party’s spokesman insists the idea solves everyone’s problems, it has one major drawback: Economists agree it won’t work.

Bernd Lucke, the spokesman of the newly established Alternative for Germany party, is no ordinary economics professor. Giving the most complicated answers to the most straightforward questions is normally one of the trademarks of his profession. But the Hamburg economist takes precisely the opposite approach. He has a simple solution for even the trickiest problem of the day.

Read the whole story at http://www.spiegel.de/ link to original article

Der Spiegel – EU Comissioner: Time To Move ‘Quicker And Harder’ Against Tax Evasion – 15 April 2013

(Lucas : could this also mean harder measures against capital flight. As the EU and EURO are falling apart.)

Luxembourg has said it will drop banking secrecy. Will Austria be next?

In a SPIEGEL interview, European Union Tax Commissioner Algirdas Semeta discusses the post-“Offshore Leaks” debate on fighting tax havens and why he believes cooperation and information exchange between the United States and Europe could create the global standard.

Der Spiegel – Jakob Augstein – Stubborn And Egotistical: Europe Is Right To Doubt German Euro Leadership – 26 March 2013

The drama over Cyprus has made clear that the euro-zone crisis is developing into a struggle over German hegemony in Europe. On the surface, Merkel and Schäuble seem to be working to stabilize the economy. In actuality, they’re binding other nations with the shackles of debt.

Der Spiegel – Vatican Financial Oversight Director: ‘Church Strengthens Position By Combating Money Laundering’ – 19 March 2013

René Brülhart, 40, has been the director of the Vatican’s Financial Information Authority (FIA) for nearly half a year. The Swiss lawyer and former head of Liechtenstein’s financial intelligence unit is on a mission to clear the Vatican Bank of all suspicions of money laundering and other illegal financial transactions.

Der Spiegel – Harsh Criticism For Orbán : ‘Take Away Hungary’s European Council Vote’ – 18 March 2013

Photo : REUTERS

Anti-government protesters rally in Budapest on March 17, 2013, about a week after Viktor Orbán’s government pushed through a package of controversial constitutional changes.

After the Iron Curtain came down, István Hegedüs, 55, was a parliamentarian for Hungary’s conservative Fidesz party, which was in the opposition at the time. But now he is fiercely critical of the party’s leader, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and his move to consolidate power. Europe must react, he tells SPIEGEL.

Der Spiegel – Hitting The Savers: Euro Zone Reaches Deal On Cyprus Bailout – 16 March 2013

After fraught negotiations, euro-zone finance ministers reached a deal early Saturday to provide up to €10 billion ($13 billion) bailout funds to Cyprus, which faces bankruptcy in May. For the first time, deposits at banks in a country are being seized to assist in the rescue.