Messages in the Media 2013
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to thank Robert Austin, Randall Hansen, and Kate Korycki for their tremendous support and guidance. In addition, we are sincerely grateful to the Arts and Science Students’ Union and the Centre for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies at the Munk School of Global Affairs for their financial assistance, which made this project possible. Furthermore, we express our gratitude to Georgina Steinsky-Schwartz for invaluable contributions to this initiative. We also acknowledge and applaud the efforts and de- termination of the analysts and editors, without whom this journal would not be a reality. ! ADVISORY BOARD ! Robert Austin, PhD Randall Hansen, PhD Kate Korycki, PhD Candidate EDITORIAL BOARD ! Anjela Deyanska – editor-in-chief Gareth Story – editor-in-chief Amina Abdullayeva – editor Petar Dodic – editor Alessandro Gemmiti – editor Allison Gibbons – editor Julieta Grieco – editor Alexandra Savilo – editor Sheena Singh – editor Isa Topbas – editor Alison Wood – editor Isabel Wyrzykowska – editor Cover Design by Dmitry Novoselov ! © The European Studies Students’ Association 2013 ! 2 CONTENTS PREFACE 6 NOTE ON METHODOLOGY 7 NOTE ON SOURCES 7 GLOSSARY 8 ALBANIA 9 by Andi Asimetaj AUSTRIA 16 by Aglaia Lowo BELGIUM 23 by Emily Barrette BULGARIA 34 by Ivan Petrov CROATIA 50 by Danijela Stajic CYPRUS 64 by Andreas Kyprianou CZECH REPUBLIC 69 by Grant Babayan FRANCE 73 by Rewa El-Oubari GERMANY 84 by Laura Lamster 3 GREECE 98 by Alexandros Konstantinos Hoc HUNGARY 109 by Daniel Csorgo IRELAND 118 by Nikki Vukasovic ITALY 128 by Olivia Suppa MALTA 143 by Katherine Kawalerczak THE NETHERLANDS 158 by Farbod Saatsaz van Driel POLAND 163 by Alex Foster PORTUGAL 169 by Alice Franco Sampaio ROMANIA 178 by Cristina Stoica THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION 186 by Anastasia Bizyayeva SERBIA 195 by Petar Dodic SPAIN 208 by Karen Lugo-Londoño 4 SWEDEN 226 by Emma Nilsson Fjallstrom SWITZERLAND 235 by Natasha Miletic TURKEY 248 by Alev Kayagil THE UNITED KINGDOM 260 by Gareth Story 5 PREFACE Following the successful publication of the inaugural ESSA journal in 2012, we were encouraged by the positive response we re- ceived to undertake the project again this year. Luckily, because more people had now heard about the journal, or had experience working on the 2012 edition, they were willing to get involved and as a result, we were able to expand both our coverage and editori- al team. This year’s edition is now enlarged to 25 reports: 19 EU Member States; and 6 countries that are either candidates, or are within the EU sphere of influence. 2012 was another eventful year for the European Union, with the Eurozone crisis influencing a number of reforms proposed by the EU institutions. These caused a certain amount of division within the Union, between those within the Eurozone, and those outside it. We feel that the past year’s events have highlighted some inter- esting and revealing trends in Member States’ domestic media coverage. We hope that our analysts’ reports will provide insights that will contribute to the understanding on the issues affecting EU- Member State relations. Furthermore, the reports on influential non-member states elucidate the challenges that the EU faces in dealing with peripheral countries while the Union is in a state of turmoil. We hope that you will find this year’s journal compelling, interest- ing, and informative. In addition, we hope that whether you are a scholar of European Studies or not, these reports will enhance your understanding of the manner in which the EU is portrayed to its citizens. Angela Deyanska and Gareth Story Editors-in-chief April 22, 2013 6 NOTE ON METHODOLOGY While we endeavour to provide a cross-section of the so- ciety within any country reported on, there are limitations due to our methodology. When selecting media sources we ask that our analysts select them based upon the following guidelines: they must provide free access to all areas of their website; their circula- tion numbers should reflect that they are widely-read; and that they report on issues affecting the EU. Bearing this in mind, we feel that our publication provides insight to the general population’s percep- tion of the EU within any country covered. NOTE ON SOURCES All country background information has been sourced from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise noted. The EU funding status has been determined based upon a Bloomberg EU 2011 Operating Budgetary Balances chart. The data used for the media sources is from Presseurop, unless otherwise stated. 7 GLOSSARY CEPS Centre for European Policy Studies CIS Commonwealth of Independent States EaP Eastern Partnership EC European Commission ECSC European Coal and Steel Community EEC European Economic Community EFSF European Financial Stability Facility EFTA European Free Trade Area EMU European Monetary Fund EP European Parliament ESM European Stability Mechanism EU European Union IMF International Monetary Fund OECD Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development SGP Stability and Growth Pact ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 8 ALBANIA Andi Asimetaj BACKGROUND: • Population: 3,002,859 • Ethnic composition: Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, Others 2% (Vlach, Roma, Serbs, Macedonians, and Bulgarians). • GDP per capita in 2012: $8,000 • EU member entry date: Candidate Status MEDIA SOURCES: Koha Jone • Founding date: 1991 • Ownership: Aleksander Fragaj • Daily circulation: 7,833 Zeri I Popullit • Founding date: 1944 • Ownership: Socialist Party of Albania • Daily circulation: 5,167 Gazeta Panorama/ Panorama Group • Founding date: N/A • Ownership: Irfan Hysenbelliu • Daily circulation: N/A FINDINGS: • Number of articles consulted: 91 (Koha Jone-30; Gazeta Panorama-30; Zeri I Popullit-31) • List of search words: “Bashkim” (Union), “Evrop” (Europe), “Integrim” (Integration), “Bashkim evropian” (EU), “Shqiperia edhe Evropa” (Albania and Europe) From these findings the following 3 major topics stand out as the leading issues related to Albania- EU relations reported on in 2012: EU's Agenda with regards to Albania’s Candidate Status • As 2012 began, the majority of reporting on the topic of Albania joining the EU was focused on the remaining key reforms the Al- banian government had to address, following the priorities set by Brussels. The Commission reasserted the need for adequate re- forms in the Parliament, the rule of law, and the Civil Administra- 9 tion.1 All three papers consulted, reported the obstacles that are refraining the country from receiving candidate status for joining the EU.2 • The year that symbolized Albania’s 100-year independence, had a lot at stake regarding how far the country had come, to an ever- closer EU.3 All three newspapers reported on the three reforms that have been laid out by the EU. They all concluded that in order for the country to have a chance at beginning negotiation talks in regards to Albania joining the EU, the reforms needed to be ful- filled by December of 2012.4 Domestic Issues Hindering Albania’s Candidacy • In domestic politics, criticisms were targeted towards the Demo- cratic and Socialist parties, on grounds of corruption, organized crime and hindering the electoral process. 5 The three news sources reported that the internal conflicts among party leaders obstructed their ability to concentrate efforts on fulfilling the reform objectives set by Brussels.6 • News source, Zeri Popullit, which is primarily influenced by the Socialist party, outlined the level of corruption that Sali Berisha has reached as the Prime Minister of Albania.7 Koha Jone, the Demo- cratic Party’s news source, indicated that Edi Rama, the Socialist leader, was to blame for not agreeing to sign the approval of the three reforms, which is ultimately holding back the country from receiving candidate status. 8 The centrist news source, Gazeta Panorama, outlined the reasons behind the prime minister's stalling, and stated that since the elections are scheduled to take place in 2013, it is in his favor to stall these reforms.9 • All three news sources agreed that Albanian leaders needed to take action and work together for the purpose of achieving candi- date status and to further progress as a country in order to fulfill the requirements to join the EU.10 Although Albania has improved in certain sectors of government, it is openly noted that it has reached a new level of corruption by being placed in 113th place out of 176, alongside the most corrupt African countries Ethiopia and Nigeria, by Transparency International.11 External Support for Albania’s Candidacy to the EU • The majority of the reporting focused on interviews with Europe- an leaders as well as American leaders for their huge support of Albania’s step forward towards joining the EU.12 The three news sources shed light on the fact that Albanian leaders are focusing on accusations directed at one another, rather than coming to- 10 gether to fulfill the last three major requirements brought forth by Brussels.13 2012 IN REVIEW: Throughout 2012, relations and communication between Albania and the EU were focused on the following topics: the EU's agenda concerning the fulfillment of the three required priorities: internal domestic issues, corruption, and the people's right to free elec- tions. Internal domestic issues refrain the political parties from agreeing with one another to fulfill the three required priorities that the EU has set in place in order for negotiation talks to begin. The year that marked Albania’s 100th anniversary since independence, provided optimism to move forward in the direction of joining the EU. Albania is far from achieving candidate status, but the EU has laid out three fundamental democratic priorities for the country to fulfill, in order to have a chance at negotiation talks. The three priorities constitute reforms in parliament, rule of law, and civil administration. These priorities would move Albania to- wards a state where free elections are held fairly throughout, cor- ruption is eliminated, and the country would benefit economically in meeting the criteria for joining the EU.