European Commissioner Urges Europeans Not to Panic
In connection with the growing terrorist threat, the EU needs a common policy on receiving refugees and immigrants, believes European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner. "I am convinced that we need a common European policy in this area," she said at the annual European Alpbach Forum, which is taking place in the Tyrolean town of Alpbach.
According to Austrian media, Ferrero-Waldner expressed confidence that Europe needs immigrants for demographic reasons. "At the same time, we must demand from immigrants a stronger commitment to the universal, liberal value system of our society," she noted. In addition, the European Commissioner urged the European Union not to panic over the terrorist threat. "We must not go overboard, and active awareness of current threats should not provoke panic," Ferrero-Waldner added.
"We have a strong democracy and society, we are not in a state of emergency or martial law," the European Commissioner emphasized, while noting that "the terrorist threat has become more serious" and that it will not be possible to hide from it "behind the mighty Tyrolean mountains."
Brussels Airport to Treat Fear of Flying
The administration of Brussels International Airport "Zaventem," together with one of Belgium's leading airlines and the University of Ghent, is organizing two-day sessions to treat fear of flying starting this September.
According to Belgian media, organizers guarantee that in just two days, 98% of patients will completely lose their fear of flying. Patients will be introduced to the aircraft's structure and control systems, as well as a substantive analysis of all potential risks associated with flying. Aviophobes will learn a set of special breathing exercises with the help of psychologists to control their fears.
The final stage of the sessions will be a "test" flight on a commercial aircraft, the route of which will not be disclosed to the patient in advance. This two-day treatment course will cost those wishing to overcome their fear of flying €1,200.
In addition, to be admitted to the sessions, one must also answer psychological test questions online. Even at this stage, specialists can determine whether it is possible to rid the client of aviophobia.
UK Population Exceeds Milestone
The population of the United Kingdom has exceeded 60 million for the first time in history. This data was released by the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS). According to this information, as of June 2005, the population of the United Kingdom was 60.2 million, and it is growing at an accelerating rate. While the annual growth rate was 0.3% in 1989-1999, it was 0.4% in the early years of the new millennium, and in 2004-2005 it reached a record 0.6%, or 375,000 people in absolute numbers.
The population is growing mainly due to immigrants from new European Union countries, which were allowed free entry for work in the UK after the EU expansion in May 2004. Nevertheless, the birth rate still exceeds the death rate, although natural increase is no longer the dominant factor in Britain's population growth.
"The population of the United Kingdom is aging," the ONS stated. "This has led to a decrease in the proportion of the population under 16 and an increase in the number of people aged 65 and over." The average age of Britons is now 38.8 years; in 1971 it was 34.1 years.
As for the distribution of the population by region of the United Kingdom, the vast majority – 50.4 million (almost 84%) – live in England. Scotland has 5.1 million (8.5%), Wales about 3 million (5%), and Northern Ireland 1.7 million (3%).
Greece Tightens Penalties for Traffic Violations
Greek authorities plan to tighten penalties for traffic violations in the near future, local media report. In 2006, the traffic police recorded more than 270,000 serious violations by drivers in the capital region of Attica alone.
Every year, about 1,500 people die in road accidents in Greece, and over the last 35 years, road casualties have reached an astronomical figure for a small country: 75,000 dead and 1.2 million injured.
In the new traffic code being prepared for adoption, it is intended to at least partially address this problem by increasing fines for dangerous violations. According to the newspaper Kathimerini, drivers ignoring seat belts and motorcyclists without helmets will have to pay €350 and lose their driver's license for 10 days. Previously, the fine for these violations was €83. For running a stop sign or red light, instead of the previous €167, they will have to pay €700, and in the latter case also lose the right to drive for two months.
Fines for drunk driving have also increased several times. While previously the fine was from €83, now it will be raised to a maximum of €1,200 and a six-month suspension of driving rights. Drivers who are heavily intoxicated still face prison.
Police will also punish drivers talking on mobile phones while driving more strictly. The fine will increase from the previous €33 to €100, and one can lose their license for a month. Penalties for improper use of headlights have also increased many times - the maximum fine for a driver who blinds others with high beams will be up to €700.
Minor but relevant offenses will now also include playing music on a car stereo at excessive volume. While previously the rules did not provide for punishment of "music lovers" who deafen other drivers on the road and residents of nearby houses using built-in audio equipment, now such behavior will cost €200.
Simultaneously with the tightening of penalties, the new traffic code increases the maximum permitted speeds on roads from 120 to 130 kilometers per hour (for highways).
Convicted foreigners in Spain will be able to serve their sentences in their home countries
Spanish authorities are developing a plan under which foreign inmates in the country's state penitentiary institutions will voluntarily serve their sentences in their home countries.
"The General Directorate of Penitentiary Institutions (GDPI) intends to soon implement a plan aimed at encouraging foreign inmates to serve their sentences in their countries," reports the Spanish news agency Europa Press, citing sources in the GDPI.
Spanish legislation does not contain any provision allowing foreign nationals who have committed a crime on the country's territory to serve their sentence for that unlawful act in their home country. Therefore, they will have to voluntarily leave Spanish prisons.
This "plan, currently in the development stage, will include assistance to improve the detention conditions of inmates in countries whose citizens are held in Spanish prisons." "Such assistance is already being provided to Romania," the statement notes.
The articles of the document, the agency clarifies, will include corresponding provisions that will help "simplify the procedure for repatriation (of inmates from other countries) and in every way encourage foreign citizens to voluntarily agree to repatriation." The GDPI's desire to "get rid" of foreigners is explained by the fact that "Spanish prisons are chronically overcrowded." Moreover, the number of convicted foreigners is constantly growing.
According to GDPI data, Spain currently has 64,042 inmates, nearly 20,000 of whom are foreign nationals from 142 countries. The first place in terms of the number of inmates in Spain is occupied by Morocco – 5,441 people; among Eastern European countries, Romania leads with 1,365 inmates; among former Soviet countries, Lithuania – 176 inmates; Ukrainians in Spanish prisons – 120; Russians – 101 people.