Cafebabel.com

From a Yezidi party in central Vienna to the world music stage of artists resident in Vienna from Syrian and other origins, the patterns of the Austrian capital's oriental music world don't quite mirror society when it comes to integration. Can oriental rhythms foster social change?

By Francesca Cerri

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) are vital partners for decision-makers, as they are best placed to know population's needs in terms of development. The role of CSOs has to be strenghten from being implementing partners to sharing more responsibility with the State as the developing countries claim ownership of their own development.

By Nathalie Jusseaume

12 Hours for Greece is an initiative of citizens of various nationalities living in Brussels, acting in their own name, wishing to address a sign of support and solidarity to the Greek people in times of crisis. This event will be held on 16 May 2012 from 10.00 am to midnight at Halles de Schaerbeek in Brussels!

The wonderful Greek word 'charmolypi' describes the exact sentiment of the majority after the 6 May elections: joy (hara) and sadness (lypi). There is relief, because the two major parties were punished, but also scepticism about the rise of extreme right and the course of the country

Budapest’s Park, built shortly after the fall of communism, commemorates the visual iconography of four decades under communist rule in the Hungarian capital. In sharp contrast to its frozen lethargy, the House of Terror bursts with life. Could things have been different for Hungary today if it had a revolution back in 1989?

Empty tribunes of the PGE Arena (the recently built Gdańsk stadium), freshly laid grass and five set of robes proudly rustling it. After all Europe's high-profile sporting event is also a chance to score and join the team of God, according to the Gdansk seminary

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Wing clippings around MALEV

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The unexpectedly reported bankruptcy of MALEV, the 66-year-old Hungarian airline, was a surprise even for its employees. Not only a group of services (eg. direct flights to a number of countries) were lost, but also thousand of jobs. And the not so happy ending of MALEV still does not mean the end of the cut-backs at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, because the planned closure of Terminal 1 put more jobs at risk. We asked Bálint Bukta, a flight operations officer at the airport, about 3rd February 2012, the day when the bankruptcy was announced, and about the current situation. (The interview was made at the end of March.)

Cafebabel.com: Bálint, was the bankruptcy expected at all?

Bálint Bukta: There are two main reasons that caused the bankruptcy, one is based on the fact that the airline has never been properly capitalized, and the other is that it has become a “political toy”. It had been known for a long time that MALEV was in big trouble. There were some negotiation with the Chinese in autumn about taking over the proprietary rights, but they declined the investment opportunity after estimating the status of the airline. It was only on 3rd February at 6:00am when everyone was informed about the bankruptcy.Then the company received bankruptcy protection from the State and the employees were surprised by the news. Some of them were in the air flying when they heard that the company they work for went bankrupt. Actually, the reaction of other airports and airlines was surprisingly quick.

Cafebabel.com: What exactly happened at the airport? Who were laid off?

Bálint Bukta: Each employee got a call at 6:00 am saying he or she no longer works from that day. They had to pack up their belongings from the lockers until 10:00 am, and their access cards were disabled. The last flight landed was from Helsinki because it took off before the declaration of bankruptcy. Then there was a gathering for all the emlpoyees in the hangar. Approximately 2300 persons were fired the same day, and but some of the pilots deprived of their jobs at this meeting were asked to fly back the planes leased by MALEV to the owner companies. Each “flight” was undertook by a pilot. The last Dash Q-400 (HA-LQC) was returned to Torp-Sandefjord, Norway by captain Attila Leposa and first mate Edina Leposa, the pilot’s daughter on February 23. The first mate sang a line from Hungarian singer Charlie as a farewell song (it was a well-known Hungarian song with the title „Nézz az ég felé” – ‘Look up to the sky’ – the translator). With the bankruptcy of MALEV the airline’s pilots, stewards and stewardesses lost their jobs, but the subsidiaries partly remained in operation. MALEV GH (MALEV Ground Handling, a ground support unit responsible for the technical maintenance - ed.) dismissed 75%, ACE (Aeroplex of Central Europe specialises in repair and maintenance services at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport - ed.) dismissed 50% of their employees. Mournful days were coming after the bankruptcy.

By Carlo Peano

The Europe Day is not a public holiday, so in Brussels the celebration takes place during the weekend with the Festival of Europe. This year it will occur on Saturday 12 May from 10 am to 6 pm.

By Carlo Peano

Cafebabel Brussels has interviewed Ms. Amelia Andersdotter. She is the youngest current Member of European Parliament (MEP) and her party – the Pirate Party – is having success not only in Sweden, but also in other European countries, such as Germany. She works at the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and at the Delegation for relations with the Korean Peninsula. She is also substitute in the Committee on International Trade, in the Committee on Budgetary Control and in the Delegation for relations with the countries of the Andean Community.

A debate on the Western Balkans at Centrál Kávéház held by cafebabel.com

What features characterize the European history of the Balkans? What level of integration do our southern neighbours need and through what means? The Budapest team of European online magazine cafebabel.com organised a debate on 19 April entitled “Encouraging the neighbours – Hungary’s role in the Western Balkans” to get answers to these questions.

Two experts participated in the debate: Dr. Imre Szilágyi, Senior Research Associate of the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs and Csaba Szikra member of ExperienceBalkan.com, a team organizing intercultural training courses. Two Serbian journalists, Vuksa Velickovic and Valentina Popovic, have also actively participated in the debate from the audience, since they were spending a few days in Budapest as part of the Orient Express Reporter 2 project, the follow-up of last year’s successful Orient Express Reporter.

As the Arab world is making a shift and Mediterranean cosmos is in full swing, women of the neighborhood will have a one day get together in Brussels, to discuss various topics.

The meeting is organised by Mediter Network, at 8 th of May in Brussels, and is entitled “Mediterranean women between Arab Spring and the crisis”. Join us!