The Life and Times of Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki
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EUR PE Diplomatic magazine REINING IN THE ROBOTS: Why some are worried by the rise of artificial intelligence SWEDISH DEFENSE MINISTER PETER HULTQVIST: “Russian aggression has destabilized the region” THE CONSERVATIVE’S 2020 CONSERVATIVE November The life and times of Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki E 3 BRUSSELS - PARIS - GENEVA - MONACO EUROPEDIPLOMATIC IN THIS ISSUE n The smallest hiding place How country leaders are hiding behind the SARS-CoV-2 .........................................................p.5 n The Conservative’s Conservative The life and times of Poland’s Prime Minister ................................................................................................p.12 5 n The Populist Pasha Turkey’s sharp right turn ......................................................................................... p.19 n 20 arrests in QQAAZZ multi-million money laundering case ..................p.26 n News in brief From around Europe .............................................................................................................................p.27 19 n The Nuclear option Still waiting for Finland’s long-delayed new reactor ........................................................................p.32 n Sweden vs Russia A new frontline? ..........................................................................................................................p. 38 43 n Reining in the robots Why some are worried by the rise of artificial intelligence ................................................p. 43 n Berlin Brandenburg airport Now operational .....................................................................................p.49 n The European Space Agency Signing the first commercial space transportation contracts .......................................................................................................................................................................p. 50 50 n IAEA Director General Grossi Warns about Health Impact of Delayed Cancer Care During Pandemic ................................................................................................................................................p. 51 n Timeless Chic Standout fashion and beauty trends ..................................................................p. 52 51 n Books Our selection ......................................................................................................................................................................................p. 54 “EUROPE DIPLOMATIC MAGAZINE” is characterized by a very open editorial line that allows it to capture all the themes EUR PE that affect directly or indirectly the European political, economic, social and security issues. Whether piracy in the Gulf of Aden Diplomatic and its threats to the global economy, articles about political leaders, geostrategic situations or technological developments affecting our civilization, Europe Diplomatic Magazine strives to work in comparing opinions and providing an objective magazine analysis based on extensive research. For a wide audience composed of both members of the diplomatic corps, lobbyists, international officials or academics, the magazine gives everyone the necessary and useful information about all topics that make up our daily lives. Covering sensitive issues such as nuclear, the rise of Islamism and energy dependence, the magazine opens its pages to recognized specialists who would like to express first order and exclusive information. But Europe Diplomatic Magazine is not only a source of information on recent topics. It is also addressing older facts with deep thought fur further analysis. Whether it’s news, security, diplomacy, technology, energy, terrorism, European affairs, no subject is treated superficially. Europe Diplomatic Magazine is an independent media, conveying balanced ideas of openness and analysis based on almost 30 years of experience in the journalistic world. Visit our site and please give us your comments: https://europe-diplomatic.eu/ [email protected] 3 EUROPEDIPLOMATIC Nikola Hendrickx 4 EUROPEDIPLOMATIC © consilium.europa.eu French President Emmanuel Macron and Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel THE SMALLEST HIDING PLACE How country leaders are hiding behind the SARS-CoV-2 virus t may be only 60 to 120 nanometres 1031 (that a 1 followed by 31 zeroes) mere size and physical structure might (nm) from side to side but you’d be virus particles in Earth’s biosphere, suggest is possible and, certainly in this amazed how much can be hidden outnumbering all those prokaryotes case, succeeding. Ibehind a SARS-CoV-2 virus (it stands that make up the bacteria and archaea, if for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome actually weighing far less. We, of course, Despite its meagre proportions, though, the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been providing Corona Virus 2, as you know). The virus like our animal neighbours and co- in question here is, of course, the one that ample cover for some political leaders habitants, are made up of eukaryotes, who want to clamp down on personal causes COVID-19, not to mention panic, rather than prokaryotes. In many ways, mask-wearing, public misbehaviour, freedoms. We have all seen news reports a virus is a bit like some political leaders: stockpiling, stupid ‘freedom’ of anti-masking demonstrations, mainly demonstrations and, sadly, far too much wanting to make a bigger impact than its in America where a lot of people still illness and death. For the mathematically blame the 5G mobile phone network minded, that means this particular virus for COVID-19. I’ve never been sure if can range in size from just 6x10-8 metres they believe the radio-magnetic waves up to a presumed maximum of around actually create a real virus or merely 120x10-7 metres, around the same size cause the symptoms; perhaps they’re as an HIV virus. You can also express the not sure. Human scientists have been size of the virus as being between 0.06 and trying to recreate life in the laboratory 0.12 microns. In any case, extremely small, for many, many years without success, even if quite large by virus standards (the so it’s hard to believe that people who are porcine circovirus measures a measly 17 effectively telephone engineers have done nanometres, or 0.017 microns; less than it accidentally. The idea is simple nonsense a third the size). There is still some debate born of scientific ignorance. It seems to as to whether or not a virus is ‘alive’ in the be more a case of “I don’t want to face normal sense, since an individual virus restrictions just to protect my neighbours, cannot ‘live’ – reproduce, in other words – so I’ll just say it isn’t happening”. Ostriches without a host. Furthermore, viruses lack have a similar panic response, I’m told. a cellular structure and cannot metabolize. Naomi Oreskes, a professor of the history of science at Harvard University, writing However, there is no dispute that they are in Scientific American, points out that the the most numerous biological entities on people denying that COVID-19 exists are Earth. It’s reckoned that we have some often the same people who deny climate 5 EUROPEDIPLOMATIC change and evolution. It is, she says, what psychologists called “implicatory denial”. She sums up the surprisingly similar arguments like this: “Climate change: I reject the suggestion that the ‘magic of the market’ has failed and that we need government intervention to remedy the market failure. Evolutionary theory: I am offended by the suggestion that life is random and meaningless and there is no God. COVID-19: I resent staying at home, losing income, or being told by the government what to do.” Basically, it means gov © kedo ‘believe what you like if the obvious truth China using facial recognition to control the population is unpalatable’. Oreskes sums up, however, with an interesting conclusion. “Sooner or A HOLIDAY FROM public concern. “On numerous occasions, later, denial crashes on the rocks of reality. HUMAN RIGHTS? the Venice Commission examined The only question is whether it crashes the limits of such emergency powers,” before or after we get out of the way.” The Convention allows for derogations it declared. “The Commission has consistently underlined that State security While for most of us COVID-19 has in times of emergency, but “The main and public safety can only be effectively been an unmitigated disaster, for some problem is, how far are we going to go guaranteed in a democracy which fully leaders it has been an opportunity, and with the limitation of certain human respects the rule of law. Even in genuine one which they have seized eagerly. If rights?” asks Vladimir Vardanyan, a cases of emergency situations, the rule of you’re in charge of a country and would member of the Armenian parliament. law must prevail.” like tighter controls over what the people “How far are we going with the limitation get up to, what they say and what they of certain human rights?” We are in strange time, Vardanyan accepts, and that We have to remember that the Venice think, then measures to combat the virus will inevitably mean some changes that Commission set out its checklist of what give you a golden opportunity. Who is can include limitations being imposed is and is not acceptable in an emergency going to question tough new restrictions on the rights normally enjoyed. However, back in 2011, long before the SARS- when they’re imposed “for the public “this limitation should be proportionate, CoV-02 virus turned up to rock the