Poland: Gay community - a shift in attitudes
The Polish city of Gdansk, on the country's Pomeranian coast, is famous for several reasons. World War II is widely regarded as having started here in 1939,as did the Solidarity workers' movement of the 1980s. Recently the first ‘gay rights’ march in the region took place there, attracting about 1,000 participants. Even two years ago, such a march in this city would have been unthinkable. At that time, Poland’s most famous native icon, Lech Walesa, founder of the Solidarity movement, said on TV that ‘gays had no right to impose their will on the Polish majority. ‘Nor should they play a prominent role in Polish politics’, he added. Attitudes are changing, in part because the Catholic Church's influence is shrinking in Poland and more Poles are declaring themselves to be homosexual. With the opening of borders after joining the European Union things have changed, especially for the youth. LGBT characters being featured in popular TV series makes a difference in social acceptance.
Netherlands: Government ordered to cut greenhouse gas emissions
A Dutch court has ordered the government to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25% by 2020, in a case environmentalists hope will set a precedent for other countries. Campaigners brought the case on behalf of almost 900 Dutch citizens. They argued that the government had a legal obligation to protect its citizens from the dangers of climate change. Government lawyers did not immediately comment on the ruling at the court in The Hague. Jasper Teulings from Greenpeace called it a ‘landmark case’. ‘It shifts the whole debate. Other cases are being brought in Belgium and the Philippines. This is the start of a wave of climate litigation. In terms of practical implementation, the government has already agreed to close coal-fired plants, increase the use of windmills and solar energy and drastically reduce gas extractions in the north of the country. The court case puts pressure on the government to speed up the process in order to meet the targets and become more energy-efficient within the next five years. The judgment is legally binding and based on ‘Tort Law’ - a general and universal concept which essentially refers to a duty to refrain from causing harm.
Montenegro: Calls for increased political accountability
The sixth meeting of the EU-Montenegro Civil Society Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) in Brussels, held a lively debate on the transparency and inclusiveness of Montenegro's accession process to the EU. The situation concerning disability policy and recent developments on social dialogue in the country were also discussed. The JCC called on the EU to increase its financial support aimed at strengthening and supporting the professionalism and independence of the media. Urgent action is also needed to ensure the rights of people with disabilities. While acknowledging that some positive steps had been taken towards promoting the integration of people with disabilities, the JCC stressed it was important to translate good intentions into real, efficient and timely action on the ground. JCC members noted with deep concern that access for people with disabilities to a majority of state and local institutions, such as schools, hospitals, social welfare centres, and even the Parliament and courts, was still extremely difficult.
Monaco: Law enforcement system to be envied
Law enforcement in Monaco is provided by an armed national police. It has the largest police force and police presence in the world on both a per-capita and per-area basis. Its police includes a specialist unit which operates patrol and surveillance boats. There is also a militarised bodyguard unit for the Prince and his palace called the Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince, well-equipped with modern weapons. There is also a well-trained Corps des Sapeurs-Pompiers, which provides an extensive civil defence service in support of law enforcement, in addition to its fire and rescue services. A member of INTERPOL, Monaco enjoys the world's lowest crime rates.
