August EUR PE 2020 Diplomatic magazine KILLER ROBOTS - WHOSE FINGER ON THE TRIGGER? The controversy over ‘lethal autonomous weapons’ FEE-FI-FO-FUM! One woman tackles a 4-headed giant Europe’s competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager HERO OR DESPOT The ever-changeable rule of President Aleksandar Vučić E 3 BRUSSELS - PARIS - GENEVA - MONACO EUROPEDIPLOMATIC IN THIS ISSUE n Hero or despot The ever-changeable rule of President Aleksandar Vučić ................................................p.5 n Fee-fi-fo-fum! One woman tackles a 4-headed giant Europe’s competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager ....................................................................................................................................p.11 5 n Turkey’s latest political battleground Byzantine basilica becomes a mosque ......................................................................................................................p.18 n Killer robots whose finger on the trigger? The controversy over ‘lethal autonomous weapons’ ........................................................................ p. 21 11 n News in brief ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. p. 28 n Still going strong at 70 The birthday of the European Convention on Human Rights ..................................... p. 30 n The United Nations of Europe Europe likely to recover faster than anywhere else, thanks to the European model ................................................................................................................................................ p. 37 21 n Schadenfreude for fun and profit The surprising fall of Wirecard an emerging German giant ............................................. p. 40 n Covid-19 European Commission secures EU access to Remdesivir for treatment of covid-19 ................................................................................................................ p. 48 30 n Newly accredited European Ambassadors ............................................................................................ p. 50 n A place to visit August 2020 - January 2021 ............................................................................................ p. 52 n Van Gogh museum acquires 1888 letter from Van Gogh and Gauguin to Bernard for 210,600 euros ............................................................................................. p. 54 40 n Books Our selection ......................................................................................................................................................................................... p. 58 EUR PE “EUROPE DIPLOMATIC MAGAZINE” is characterized by a very open editorial line that allows it to capture all the themes 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 magazine affecting our civilization, Europe Diplomatic Magazine strives to work in comparing opinions and providing an objective 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 © Predsednik President Vučić visiting the 15th Tank battalion of the ground troops First Brigade HERO OR DESPOT The ever-changeable rule of President Aleksandar Vučić “A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.” That was how Britain’s wartime leader, Winston Churchill, described the likely reaction of Stalin’s Russia to the outbreak of the Second World War (In fact, Churchill said it in 1939, shortly before he became prime minister; Neville Chamberlain was still in charge at the time). It would also be, however, a reasonable description of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, whose rule in Serbia still commands some support among EU member state leaders whilst appearing to lapse at times into autocracy. Videos of severe police brutality, described by the news website Euractiv as “unmatched anywhere in contemporary Europe”, have gone viral around the world. riddle wrapped in a mystery contemporary Europe”, have gone viral COVID-19 and resistance to Vučić’s inside an enigma.” That was how around the world. decision to impose a weekend lockdown. Britain’s wartime leader, Winston We’ve seen similar protests in other “AChurchill, described the likely reaction The violence was certainly extreme countries, especially the United States, of Stalin’s Russia to the outbreak of the and shocking, with protestors being where conspiracy theories seem more Second World War (In fact, Churchill beaten to the ground with batons and infectious than the Sars-CoV-2 virus, said it in 1939, shortly before he became then repeatedly kicked. In one incident, but the brutality of the Serbian police prime minister; Neville Chamberlain was three men simply sitting together on a was extreme. Serbia’s Interior Minister, still in charge at the time). It would also park bench are targeted by the baton- Nebojsa Stefanović said the police had be, however, a reasonable description wielding thugs of Belgrade’s finest and acted ‘with restraint’ and only in self- of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, beaten to the ground. These are horrific defence. The footage now on the internet whose rule in Serbia still commands scenes and demonstrate that something suggest that Stefanović is suffering from some support among EU member state is rotten in the state of Serbia, as Hamlet’s self-delusion over self-defence. Vučić leaders whilst appearing to lapse at times friend Horatio might have said. In this himself blamed ‘far-right radicals’ (having into autocracy. Videos of severe police particular instance, though, the cause been one once upon a time he ought brutality, described by the news website of the violence was - theoretically - the to know them) and ‘foreign agents’ for Euractiv as “unmatched anywhere in spread of conspiracy theories about the trouble. The country’s ombudsman 5 EUROPEDIPLOMATIC insisted that the police had not used and other kinds of poison. You have to on Vučić to try to rein in his excesses, excessive force. In that case, I’d hate to be have a ruthless autocrat and politician to but the EU, as on previous contentious there when they are using excessive force. even want that sort of control, anyway. occasions, prefers to keep its head One reason for the protest is that there The problem is that Serbia seems to have down and hum to itself to drown out have been credible claims that Vučić lied one of its very own, in the person of the the cries and screams. It’s never brave about the number of COVID-19 cases in country’s President, Aleksandar Vučić. when confronting contentious issues, Serbia in order to calm the public before generally preferring the status quo to elections that he wanted to go ahead. Serbia is rated by the US-based non-profit continue as long as ‘stability’ triumphs. These allegations came first from the NGO Freedom House as a “transitional That’s why so far, their response to or hybrid regime”. Corruption is rife and Balkan Investigative Research Network the violent repression is, largely, an some of his opponents have pointed out (BIRN), which wrote in an article that, embarrassed (and embarrassing) silence. Vučić’s venality since he took power in according to its investigation of the data, Six member states have blocked further 2012 as evidence that the country is a the number of deaths from the pandemic negotiations for membership, partly virtual kleptocracy, lining the pockets up to the 1st June was 632 instead of the because Vučić still insists that Kosovo, of Vučić and his cronies (or allies, if you reported 233. The sudden clampdown an ethnically Albanian province, should prefer). Freedom House cites another came as a shock, while some were again become part of Serbia; he refuses example of political violence that to recognise its independence. Kosovo circulating the sort of conspiracy theories almost marks a turning-point in the created to sow doubt and discord. broke away in 2008 after a brutal war country’s recent development: “As 2018 in which atrocities were committed drew to an end, one event set the scene on both sides. Vučić was Minister of for the start of 2019,” it says in a report Information during that conflict, and he on Serbia. “In November, just before introduced huge fines