BROMLEY, UK, Jul 19 (IPS) – Sri Lanka is officially bankrupt and a failed state in all but name. How did a country of 22 million people with a level of literacy on par with most of the developed world end up in such a dire position where the state coffers did not have the measly sum of 20 million dollars to purchase fuel to keep the country functioning beyond the next working day?Read the full story, “Sri Lanka: Why a Feudal Culture & Absence of Meritocracy Bankrupted a Nationâ€, on globalissues.org →find more fun & mates at SoShow now !
A team of economists offers America a new way to look at economic growth. It’s a sort of GDP prototype that tracks the well-being of different income groups.
North Macedonia and Albania are a step closer to membership after Skopje resolved its disputes with Bulgaria
The European Union has initiated accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday.
Speaking at a press conference in Brussels, von der Leyen hailed Skopje and Tirana for their progress on the path to joining the bloc, including strengthening the rule of law, fighting corruption, and implementing a range of reforms.
She said the governments of the two Balkan nations have been making headway to become EU members because those steps are “good for your countries and are already delivering a better quality of life for your people.”
“This historic moment is your success. The result of your hard work,” she reiterated.
“We have taken another important step towards bringing the Western Balkans closer to the EU. It’s a great success of our presidency,” Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala tweeted on Monday.
North Macedonia (then Macedonia) was granted candidate status back in 2005, but it took Skopje years to resolve some of its disputes with neighboring countries, including Bulgaria, which had blocked the nation’s accession to the EU over linguistic and historical issues.
This opposition also hindered Albania’s progress, given that the EU treats the issue as a part of a single package. Notably, the two nations go together in the EU’s 2021 enlargement package, a comprehensive strategy that sets priorities in removing obstacles for EU membership for the Western Balkans.
On Sunday, however, Bulgaria and North Macedonia managed to strike a deal allowing Skopje and Tirana to formally initiate accession negotiations with the EU. North Macedonia, in particular, agreed to amend the nation’s constitution to acknowledge its Bulgarian minority, protect minority rights, and fight hate speech.
Before that, however, the French-led “compromise solution” on the matter sparked fierce protests in North Macedonia, which saw crowds of nationalists rallying outside the parliament and clashing with the police.
It may take years before the two Balkan countries actually become fully fledged EU members, with no deadline set for the process. To join the union, the candidates must undergo a screening process of national legislation in order to align it with EU law.
BROMLEY, UK, Jul 19 (IPS) – Sri Lanka is officially bankrupt and a failed state in all but name. How did a country of 22 million people with a level of literacy on par with most of the developed world end up in such a dire position where the state coffers did not have the measly sum of 20 million dollars to purchase fuel to keep the country functioning beyond the next working day?
Kampala, Jul 18 (IPS) – Nearly a year after the Ugandan government suspended 54 NGOs for allegedly operating illegally and failing to file accounts, most civil society organisations (CSOs) remain shut.Read the full story, “Most Suspended Ugandan NGOs Still in Limboâ€, on globalissues.org →find more fun & mates at SoShow now !
NPR’s Ari Shapiro talks with author Ingrid Rojas Contreras about her memoir, The Man Who Could Move Clouds, and how writing it helped her rediscover herself after losing her memory.
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