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The White House • March 4, 2019 First Lady Melania Trump takes off on three-state tour This week, First Lady Melania Trump is taking her “Be Best” initiative across America, with visits to Oklahoma, Washington, and Nevada beginning today. Be Best lifts up children—both in America and throughout the world—by focusing on three pillars that the First Lady announced last spring: encouraging childhood well-being, promoting positive social media use, and supporting families hurt by opioid abuse. Her efforts included a major trip to Africa last fall, where she met with leaders in Ghana, Malawi, Kenya, and Egypt. First on today’s trip was a visit to the Dove School of Discovery in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Recipient of the 2018 National School of Character Award, Dove School prides itself on the first pillar: the well-being of children. It’s one of a group of five public charter schools that aims to incorporate character development into all of its classrooms from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The First Lady sat in on three classrooms, getting a firsthand look at the unique curriculum across different grade levels. She joined pre-K children for an activity that encouraged young students to think about how they can show kindness in their own lives, and she observed sixth-grade science students broken up into teams to emphasize communication and teamwork skills. “I cannot emphasize further the importance of character-based education for our children,” the First Lady said. “[Dove schools] are sculpting our next generation by creating a foundation of youth with strong character. I know they will go on to do great things.” At her next stop, the First Lady traveled to Seattle, Washington, to promote the role that tech companies can play in child welfare—including applications to teach children online safety. “She is a mother herself first and foremost, so she understands the importance of social media and the impact it has on children as they’re growing up,” the First Lady’s spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said. The story behind First Lady Melania Trump’s “Be Best” campaign In photos: The First Lady meets students in Tulsa, Oklahoma ‘Illegal immigration is not compassionate’ President Donald J. Trump addressed Americans gathered over the weekend near Washington, D.C., for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), known as “the birthplace of modern conservatism.” Speaking for more than two hours, the President explained the urgency behind his recent National Emergency declaration. “The lawless chaos on our southern border provides a lucrative cash flow to some of the most dangerous criminal organizations on the planet,” he said. “Many emergency declarations have been used to protect people in faraway nations and distant lands. Now we are protecting, finally, our people.” As a Constitutional matter, President Trump’s declaration fulfills his core Article II duties to enforce Congress’ duly passed immigration laws and prevent their violation en masse. By contrast, former President Obama’s unconstitutional orders sought to invalidate Congressional statute, effectively awarding lawful presence to those living in America illegally. The good news is that for the first time in decades, the humanitarian disaster of illegal immigration is finally being exposed. Candidate Trump brought it up the very first day he announced his run for president, and he talked about it again on Saturday. “One in three women is sexually assaulted on the dangerous journey north,” he said. “Think of how evil that is.” Yesterday, The New York Times published a report into “the hidden nightmare of sexual violence on the border.” In it, Manny Fernandez shined a light on the untold stories of migrant women exploited by criminal smugglers. “They just told us . . . ‘You have to pay with your body,’” one victim explained. That cannot be allowed to happen in the United States. “Illegal immigration is not compassionate,” President Trump said Saturday. “It’s inhumane, unjust, and cruel.” In case you missed it: Watch President Trump’s speech to CPAC 2019 Read the story: The Hidden Nightmare of Sexual Violence on the Border Photo of the Day Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks First Lady Melania Trump participates in science activities with Ms. Kelley Flemming’s 6th grade science class at the Dove School of Discovery Elementary School in Tulsa, Oklahoma | March 4, 2018 You Have to Pay With Your Body’: The Hidden Nightmare of Sexual Violence on the Border  “On America’s southern border, migrant women and girls are the victims of sexual assaults that most often go unreported, uninvestigated and unprosecuted,” Manny Fernandez reports in The New York Times. “The stories are many, and yet all too similar. Undocumented women making their way into American border towns have been beaten for disobeying smugglers, impregnated by strangers, coerced into prostitution, shackled to beds and trees and — in at least a handful of cases — bound with duct tape, rope or handcuffs.” Click here to read more. “America’s factories are hiring again,” Chip Cutter writes in The Wall Street Journal. “After years of job losses, U.S. manufacturing employment has risen for 18 straight months among those holding production or nonsupervisory jobs, the longest stretch of gains since the mid-1990s. Employers have added 274,000 non-managerial manufacturing jobs since July 2017, Labor Department figures show.” Vice President Mike Pence writes that last Friday, “the defense secretary released a legislative proposal at the president’s direction to establish the Space Force, within the Air Force, as the sixth branch of the armed forces . . . Today, the threats and opportunities in space are changing more rapidly than at any other point since the Cold War. And we must change along with them.” In Fox News, White House Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Peter Navarro writes that today “President Donald J. Trump will sign an executive order to help sea veterans seamlessly transition into the United States Merchant Marine. By simultaneously expanding veteran opportunities for great jobs at great wages while strengthening our Merchant Marine, this action embodies a key principle of the Trump administration: economic security is national security.” “The North Korean political and military Rubik’s Cube has confounded Democratic and Republican administrations for 70 years,” Army Major General Bob Dees writes in USA Today. “Trump’s courageous decision to walk away from negotiations rather than accept Kim’s demand for sanctions reliefs showed that he will not make the same mistake as his predecessors by offering unreciprocated concessions to the rogue state.”

Ινστιτούτο Μελετών Κοινωνικής Οικονομίας (ΙΝΜΕΚΟ): «ΘΕΣΜΟΙ, ΕΦΑΡΜΟΓΕΣ & ΠΟΛΙΤΙΚΕΣ ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΗ ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΙΑ».

ΔΙΗΜΕΡΟ ΕΠΙΜΟΡΦΩΤΙΚΟ

ΣΕΜΙΝΑΡΙΟ ΕΡΓΑΣΙΑΣ

 «ΘΕΣΜΟΙ, ΕΦΑΡΜΟΓΕΣ & ΠΟΛΙΤΙΚΕΣ ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΗ ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΙΑ».

ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΣ ΑΚΑΔΗΜΙΑ ΚΡΗΤΗΣ

Παρασκευή - Σάββατο 8 & 9 Μαρτίου 2019

Η ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΗ ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΙΑ ΩΣ ΑΝΑΓΚΑΙΑ ΣΥΝΘΗΚΗ

Η κοινωνική οικονομία είναι μια νέα «ήπειρος» στην οικονομία πέρα από το κράτος και την αγορά που καλύπτει το χαμένο έδαφος και σημαντικές αδράνειες του συστήματος καθώς   παρέχει αγαθά και υπηρεσίες με μείωση του κόστους και δίκαιο διαμοιρασμό.

u  Η κοινωνική οικονομία είναι αναγκαία συνθήκη για το ενεργειακό μέλλον και την αντιμετώπιση της ενεργειακής φτώχειας.

u  Αναγκαία συνθήκη για την ενίσχυση της Απασχόλησης

u  Αναγκαία συνθήκη για την Τοπική Ανάπτυξη και τους Δήμους

u  Για τον πολιτισμό και τον εναλλακτικό τουρισμό

u  Αναγκαία συνθήκη για την οικολογία και την ποιότητα ζωής

u  για την ενίσχυση του  κοινωνικού μισθού (παροχές δωρεάν η  με ελάχιστο κόστος)

u  Αναγκαία συνθήκη για τον περιορισμό της κερδοσκοπίας και διαφθοράς και  βελτίωση των συστημάτων  υγείας και την παιδείας.

u  Η κοινωνική οικονομία είναι αναγκαία συνθήκη για την  αντιμετώπιση της καταστροφής κεφαλαίου και εργασίας, που είναι το κλειδί να κατανοήσουμε και να αντιμετωπίσουμε την παρατεταμένη οικονομική κρίση.

Όταν έσκασε η  φούσκα το 2008 και ένα χρόνο μετά το νιώσαμε σκληρά στην Ελλάδα, τότε καταστράφηκε  το μισό κεφάλαιο στη χώρα, χάθηκε το ? των θέσεων εργασίας και πάνω από το 1/3 των μικρών επιχειρήσεων. Ακόμη κι αν αντιμετωπιστεί μακροπρόθεσμα το δημοσιοοικονομικό έλλειμμα και η κρίση χρέους, ο οικονομικός αποκλεισμός και η ανεργία δεν μπορεί να αντιμετωπιστεί μόνο από το κράτος και την αγορά.

Είναι προφανές επίσης ότι δεν μπορεί να καλυφθεί και γίνει ανάκτηση στο χαμένο έδαφος εφαρμόζοντας μόνο το κλασικό και νεοκλασικό μοντέλο της οικονομίας του κράτους και της αγοράς.

Μαζί με την κρίση καταστράφηκαν και οι ιδεολογικές βεβαιότητες του παρελθόντος. Πολλοί πλέον ακόμη και οικονομολόγοι παραδέχονται ότι η οικονομία ως  «επιστήμη» κυριαρχείται από ιδεολογικά δόγματα.

Από την άλλη πλευρά η   κοινωνική οικονομία έρχεται  στο παγκόσμιο προσκήνιο ως πραγματιστικό φαινόμενο και εναλλακτική, χωρίς όμως να ενθουσιάζει τις Κυβερνήσεις που ελέγχονται από τα λομπυς και τις οικονομικές ελίτ.

Αυτό είναι κρίσιμο θέμα που πρέπει να εξετάσουμε για να δούμε τι συμβαίνει και γιατί οι υποκειμενικές δυνάμεις της κοινωνικής οικονομίας και η οργανωτική της κουλτούρα είναι ακόμη αδύναμες.

Είναι φανερό ότι χρειάζεται το δικό της ιστορικό υποκείμενο το οποίο  θα εκφράζεται στο επίπεδο της πολιτικής και τοπικής εξουσίας.

Η κοινωνική οικονομία πλέον δεν είναι μια εφικτή ουτοπία μεμονομένων παραδειγμάτων.  Το δυναμικό της  γνώρισμα  είναι ότι συνδυάζει το  ΔΕΟΝ με το ΑΝΑΓΚΑΙΟ και το ΕΦΙΚΤΟ.

 Το ΔΕΟΝ είναι η επάρκεια  αγαθών με Ειρήνη, η μείωση των κοινωνικών ανισοτήτων η οικολογία και προστασία της βιόσφαιρας .

Το ΑΝΑΓΚΑΙΟ είναι η  Κοινωνικοποίηση της τεχνολογίας στο τομέα της ενέργειας αξιοποιώντας την αστείρευτη αφθονία του Ήλιου με ένα διαδίκτυο της ενέργειας.

η  Κοινωνικοποίηση  της γνώσης και βασικών αγαθών επιβίωσης.

Αναγκαία επίσης   η εναλλακτική διαδικασία της εργασίας απέναντι στη  βαθμιαία συρρίκνωσης της μισθωτής εργασίας λόγω υπεραυτοματοποίησης της τεχνολογίας.

Αναγκαία η πρόσβαση στα αγαθά της αγροδιατροφής ΧΩΡΙΣ ΜΕΣΑΖΟΝΤΕΣ.

Το είναι εφικτό  πλέον είναι διάχυση για  την κοινωνικοποίηση της γνώσης και  η διεύρυνση του κοινόκτητου χώρου μέσα από το διαδίκτυο.

Εφικτός ο διαμοιρασμός στη κουλτούρα και τον πολιτισμό.

Τέλος είναι εφικτός ο στόχος  μέσα σε λίγα χρόνια η κοινωνική οικονομία να αγγίξει το 1/3 του συνόλου της Οικονομίας .

Γι΄αυτό δεν είναι αρκετό όταν μιλάμε για την κοινωνική οικονομία να περιοριζόμαστε στα μοντέλα και στο νόμους για τις κοινωνικές επιχειρήσεις, αλλά να εξετάζουμε ταυτόχρονα το περιβάλλον και τους θεσμούς στήριξης της κοινωνικής οικονομίας.

Οι κοινωνικές επιχειρήσεις θέλουν το περιβάλλον τους «οικοσύστημα» και το κοινωνικό κεφάλαιο για ευδοκιμήσουν.

Τη διαμόρφωση του  κοινωνικού υποκείμενου που είναι οι κοινότητες και οι συλλογικότητες της κοινωνίας.

ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ

ΠΑΡΑΣΚΕΥΗ 8 Μαρτίου 2019
09:30 - 10:00	Προσέλευση - Εγγραφές (για εργαζόμενους των ΟΤΑ)
10:00 - 10:15	Καλωσόρισμα - Σύντομοι Χαιρετισμοί
10:15 - 10:30	Εισαγωγική Ομιλία - Στόχοι & Αντικείμενο Επιμορφωτικού Σεμιναρίου O  Βασίλης Τακτικός, Υπεύθυνος Επικοινωνίας Π.Ε.Σ.Κ.Ο./Διευθυντής ΙΝ.ΜΕ.Κ.Ο.
10:30 - 10:45	Ενεργειακές Κοινότητες & Συνεταιρισμοί O  Δρ. Ανδρέας Λύτρας, Καθηγητής Κοινωνιολογίας Παντείου Πανεπιστημίου
10:45 - 11:00	Συζήτηση
11.30 - 11.15	Μετέωρη Κοινωνική Οικονομία: Βασικά προβλήματα βιωσιμότητας των Ελληνικών Κοινοτήτων. Δρ. Γιώργος Τσομπάνογλου, Καθηγητής Κοινωνιολογίας Πανεπιστημίου Αιγαίου
11.15	Συζήτηση
Συζήτηση - Διάλειμμα Έναρξη Σεμιναρίου - Χαιρετισμοί
18:00 - 18:15	Διδάγματα του Παρελθόντος για το Συνεργατισμό O  Δρ. Ανδρέας Λύτρας, Καθηγητής Κοινωνιολογίας Παντείου Πανεπιστημίου
18:15 - 18:30	Ευρωπαικοί θεσμοι για την κοινωνική οικονομία Dr Νίκος Γιαννής ανώτερο στέλεχος της Ευρωπαικής επιτροπής στον τομέα της Αναπτυξιακής συνεργασίας
18:30 - 18:45	Η Συμμετοχή των Κοινοτήτων στον Πολιτισμό - Τουρισμό O  Θεόδωρος Σερεμετάκης- τηλεοπτικός παραγωγός
18:45-19:30	Συζήτηση - Διάλειμμα
19:30 - 19:45	Τα πεζοπορικά μονοπάτια-μοχλός ανάπτυξης της τοπικής Κοινωνίας και Οικονομίας και Περιβάλλοντος O  Φοίβος Τσαραβόπουλος, Κοιν.Σ.Επ. Μονοπάτια της Ελλάδος
19:45 - 20:00	Αγροδιατροφή - Παραγωκατανάλωση χωρίς Μεσάζοντες O  Δημήτρης Μιχαηλίδης, Δημοσιογράφος ΑΓΡΟΝΕΑ
20:00 - 20:15	Η πρωτοβουλία του Έργου SOCIALNEET O  Κων/νος Οικονομόπουλος, Συντονιστής Π.Ε.Σ.Κ.Ο. / Γενικός Γραμματέας ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΑ ΤΡΙΩΝ ΤΡΙΤΩΝ Α.Μ.Κ.Ε.
	Συζήτηση- Συμπεράσματα 1ης Ημέρας

ΣΑΒΒΑΤΟ 9 Μαρτίου 2019
10:00 - 10:15	Τοπική Αυτοδιοίκηση και Θεσμοί Κοινωνικής Οικονομίας O  Βασίλης Τακτικός, Υπεύθυνος Επικοινωνίας Π.Ε.Σ.Κ.Ο. / Διευθυντής ΙΝ.ΜΕ.Κ.Ο.
10:15 - 10:30	Μια καλή πρακτική : διά βίου μάθηση- Ανοιχτό Λαϊκό Πανεπιστήμιο Ελένη Βουγιούκαλου Πρόεδρος ΑΛΠ O
10:30 - 10:45	Βιώσιμες Συνεργατικές Κοινότητες και Θρησκευτικό Κεφάλαιο. Η Κοινοτική Εμπιστοσύνη σε Δράση. Ιστορία δύο Νήσων. O  Δρ. Γιώργος Οδυσσέας Τσομπάνογλου, Καθηγητής Κοινωνιολογίας Πανεπιστημίου Αιγαίου
10:45 - 11:00	Ενεργειακή μετάβαση και ηλιακή κοινωνική πολιτική: η ευκαιρία για τους ΟΤΑ". Τάκης Γρηγορίου στέλεχος  Υπεύθυνος εκστρατείας για την ενέργεια και κλιματικές αλλαγές τηςGreenpeace
11:00 - 11:15	Συζήτηση - Διάλειμμα
11:30 - 11:45	O  Πλατφόρμα Χωρίς Μεσάζοντες Θεόδωρος Σερεμετάκης τηλεοπτικός παραγωγός
11:45-12:00	Το Ζήτημα των Πόρων για την Ανάπτυξη της Κοινωνικής Οικονομίας. Προτάσεις & Κατευθύνσεις Πολιτικής O  Κων/νος Οικονομόπουλος, Συντονιστής Π.Ε.Σ.Κ.Ο. / Γενικός Γραμματέα ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΑ ΤΡΙΩΝ ΤΡΙΤΩΝ Α.Μ.Κ.Ε.
	Συζήτηση - Αξιολόγηση του Σεμιναρίου - Συμπεράσματα

Dmitry Medvedev’s interview with the Luxemburger Wort newspaper

Dmitry Medvedev’s interview with the Luxemburger Wort newspaper
5 March 2019 00:00


The Prime Minister spoke with Luxemburger Wort correspondent Stefan Scholl ahead of his visit to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg





Dmitry Medvedev’s interview with the Luxemburger Wort newspaper

Question: Mr Medvedev, tiny Luxembourg is a financial capital of Europe, and most politicians in Luxembourg are not overly enthusiastic about the sanctions against Russia. Are you going to our country to propose a new Moscow-Luxembourg strategic axis?

Dmitry Medvedev: You know, speaking about a “strategic axis”… it is not spoken about nowadays but way back in the early 2000s Russia came out with a proposal to establish a common space of cooperation from Lisbon to Vladivostok. And if contacts between Moscow and Luxembourg can contribute to its formation, Russia would welcome that by all means.

The fact that Luxembourg is unenthusiastic about anti-Russia sanctions is explained, as we see it, by the fact that your country keeps faith with its foreign policy traditions. We are impressed by your national motto “We want to remain what we are.” It is so important in today's world – preserving one’s identity and taking pride in one’s country.

But to be honest, I don’t see any particular enthusiasm across the European Union for anti-Russia sanctions. You remember that they were imposed in the context of deteriorating relations between Russia and the West when the US and some European nations supported the armed coup in Kiev in February 2014.

Question: To be sure, there are very few who are enthusiastic about the sanctions. However, all the EU nations still support them including Luxembourg. They are considered detrimental and bothersome here yet still a necessary response to Russia’s actions in Crimea and the violent “Russian Spring” in Donbass. Do you think it is a total misapprehension?

Dmitry Medvedev: Look, everyone is entitled to their misapprehensions. But I can never agree that the sanctions are a “necessary response.” Necessary for whom? For Crimeans who made their free and conscious choice in a referendum, one of the most democratic processes? Or for the Russians in eastern Ukraine? I am sure they have a totally different view of the so-called peaceful Ukrainian “winter, summer and autumn” if we follow the logical succession of your “Russian Spring in Donbass.” The situation there is very difficult despite Russian humanitarian aid. Tens of thousands of people are living in virtually the centre of Europe in the 21st century under an energy and transport blockade. In fact, it is a humanitarian disaster. And unfortunately, there is still a long way to go to a complete settlement. This is mainly due to the unconstructive stance of the Kiev authorities which apparently are not going to implement the Minsk Agreements, and yet sanctions are imposed against Russia. Strange logic.

What was the principle objective of the sanctions? To undermine our economy. The attempt has failed, as you can see. Today, the sanctions only impede relations with European partners, to say nothing about the losses incurred by everyone. Because we also had to impose sanctions in response. But we immediately said that we did not start the sanctions war. And we are ready to lift our sanctions as soon as the other side takes the first step. Yet the European Union, as if spell-bound, follows the US and keeps extending its sanctions year after year.

Let’s be frank, nobody needs this or benefits from it. And its “corrective effect” is zero. Many of our partners realise the futility of this approach. And it matters greatly that Luxembourg is among them.

Question: How do you assess the level of Russia-Luxembourg cooperation against the backdrop of sanctions?

Dmitry Medvedev: The sanctions definitely do not help the cause of mutually beneficial trade and investment. It is a classic example of missed opportunities, both for Russia, Luxembourg, and the European Union in general. And it does not make the world economy any better either.

However, even in such unfavourable conditions our cooperation is progressing. Two-way trade has been growing for several consecutive years. The Grand Duchy remains an important investor in the Russian economy. The numbers speak for themselves: by the middle of 2018 the FDI total had reached $19.6 billion. Another promising area is cooperation in the sphere of innovation. Let me note that in 2017 your Prime Minster Xavier Bettel took part in the Open Innovations forum that we hold in Moscow every year. And last year Luxembourg was represented by one of the largest delegations of around 40 companies! I am sure there would have been more without the sanctions-based restrictions.

We value our good relations with all nations. This is why we advocate moving forward in our relations with Luxembourg, on the principles of equality and mutual respect, of course. This is the sentiment I come bearing to the Grand Duchy. And I expect it will be reciprocated by our Luxembourgian friends.

Question: Luxembourg is not a nuclear state but several NATO bases with nuclear weapons are deployed around it. Should we be concerned that your new hypersonic nuclear missiles might land in our gardens?

Dmitry Medvedev: Our hypersonic missiles are of high precision and reliability. So your gardens are absolutely safe. On a serous note, we never threaten anyone, and we are even less likely to attack someone or wage a war. In our view, any attempts at nuclear blackmail lead to greater international tensions. It is in our interest to see Europe living in peace and stability. And we certainly engage in dialogue with NATO member-countries. We cooperate with them on a number of issues, and we do so constructively. And we expect the same approach from our partners.

Everyone will be more at ease when all US nuclear arms return to US territory and the infrastructure in Europe to store, maintain and promptly deploy those weapons is eliminated. This also applies to the military exercises to prepare for the use of nuclear weapons which are held by NATO countries on a regular basis. These drills add nothing but unwanted stress, primarily to the NATO countries themselves.

Question: But we are also worried about Russia, which keeps unveiling and testing new nuclear weapons. By deploying strategic 20 to 27 Mach missiles your country does not look like a bastion of peace.

Dmitry Medvedev: Missile speed is a technical characteristic, not a sign of peacefulness. We naturally strive for the most cutting-edge and effective weaponry. But let me reiterate – not for attacking. We have a genetic aversion to war, if you will. We regard our nuclear arsenal exclusively as a means of deterrence, a guarantee of Russia's national security. This is stated in our Military Doctrine which is purely defensive in nature. By the way, it is an open document and anyone can read it.

And, by the way, it is the United States of America, not Russia, that is withdrawing from the INF Treaty, a cornerstone treaty in global security. This is why the Russian President signed an executive order suspending the INF Treaty as a symmetrical response until the US remedies its violations under it.

Question: Nord Stream 2 is now being vigorously debated in Europe. Opponents of the project point out that there is already a transport system via Ukraine, there are politically more reliable suppliers and that the demand for natural gas in Europe will drop in the coming decades. What motives is Russia guided by in the implementation of such large projects as Nord Stream 2?

Dmitry Medvedev: Our motives are quite obvious. I have repeatedly said this. First, economic feasibility: indeed, in commercial terms, Nord Stream is a very interesting project, for all of its participants.

Secondly, it will reduce transit risks. Russia has been operating on the European gas market for several decades. We value our reputation as a reliable partner. And we want to be sure that we can continue to fulfill our obligations in full. So we are creating an additional transport corridor for the supply of our gas. Please note that I am saying additional, not alternative. The share of Russian gas in EU gas consumption is now around 30%. Nord Stream 2 will not fundamentally change this situation. It will only cover part of the imports required by the European Union, using a more stable and cheaper route compared to the existing one. This is a clear win for European consumers.

Question: But will Europe need Russian gas?

Dmitry Medvedev: We operate under the assumption that Europe will remain a big consumer of Russian natural gas regardless of the rapid progress in green energy and the LNG segment. At any rate, as long as decisions are made that are economically sound. Or unless a really revolutionary breakthrough occurs in energy technologies.

Russian gas supplies to the European market have grown in recent years. And the prospects are generally good, for a number of objective reasons. In particular, due to the decline in European production at old fields in the North Sea and the partial abandonment of coal, and in some countries, of nuclear power generation. And of course, due to the need to back up renewable sources of energy, which, although attractive from the environmental point of view, are still not very reliable from the energy point of view.

So, I think, Russian gas will cover a substantial part of the European countries’ energy needs for the foreseeable future.

Question: German Chancellor Angela Merkel keeps saying that the transit of Russian gas via Ukraine must be continued even when Nord Stream 2 is in place. What do you say to that?

Dmitry Medvedev: We have a similar view as Ms Merkel on the issue. But Russia, as a long-standing and large supplier of fuel, is trying to diversify gas delivery routes to the European market since the more transit routes, the more reliable the supplies

I would like to specially emphasise that we are not terminating transit through existing pipelines. Neither the Nord Stream 2 nor the TurkStream projects include such decisions – neither in relation to Ukraine, nor to other countries. In particular, we are ready to continue the transit of gas through the Ukrainian GTS after 2019 – under certain conditions, of course. We have laid them out more than once. In short, they include a settlement between stakeholder companies, favourable economic and commercial terms in contracts, and a stable political environment.

Question: In Europe, many are concerned not only about the fate of your polar bears, but also about climate change. In the face of global warming, many European countries are actively preparing to switch from traditional fuels such as oil and gas to alternative energy sources. Why are there so few such projects in Russia?

Dmitry Medvedev: To clarify up front, I support the development of alternative energy. But so far, its share is really small, not only in Russia, but also in other countries. And, although in the next two decades we are unlikely to be able to completely abandon hydrocarbons, we still need to develop renewable energy – solar, hydro, and wind generation.

Today, power stations that do not rely on hydrocarbons account for about 20% of the global energy balance. Their share is growing, although this process is not as rapid as we would like it to be. By the way, our country is one of the leaders in the field of hydropower generation. About 18% of electricity in Russia is produced by large hydroelectric power stations.

Owning a house fully powered by clean energy from the sun or wind certainly remains a cherished dream for many. This requires so-called microgeneration – units with a capacity below 15 kilowatts. This is especially relevant in Russia with its large expanses. So we are working on creating the conditions for its development. A draft federal law has been prepared; three weeks ago, it passed the first reading in the lower house of our parliament, the State Duma.

Question: Do you plan to expand the use of such energy sources?

Dmitry Medvedev: In Russia, renewable energy is developing briskly at an industrial scale. The amount of energy generated by such units has grown by 150% over the past year. A full cooperation chain has already been created in the Russian solar power industry, from research labs and manufacturing of solar modules to the construction and operation of solar power plants. In the wind energy sector, consortia are now being created between the leading players on the Russian market and major global manufacturers, including European companies. Work is underway to develop the production of equipment and components. Such enterprises are opening in the Rostov, Nizhny Novgorod, Ulyanovsk, and Leningrad regions. We are also creating the most favourable conditions possible for investors who work in this area.

Question: In recent years, many in Russia have harshly criticised Europe and its ways, often denying that Russia is part of the European cultural and political landscape, even though Russia has been one of the main pieces of Europe’s political architecture and a major cultural component for several centuries. Do you think Russia is a European country or not?

Dmitry Medvedev: Russia is a democratic country; we can have different opinions and views on Europe and its values – including criticism. But they did not emerge in the last few years, as you say. Suffice it to recall the controversy between the Slavophiles and the Westernisers in the middle of the 19th century, which involved the outstanding minds of their time.

This debate still continues in some sense. We are definitely inseparable from Europe, from the political, economic, and civilisational processes taking place on this continent. And at all times, we have never been a closed space, never closed to international contacts.

A truly united Europe is unthinkable without Russia. Many European politicians at all times were aware of this. For example Charles de Gaulle, who, as you know, first proposed the concept of Greater Europe from the Atlantic to the Urals.

Historically, Russian civilisation is an integral part of global civilisation, and Russian culture is part of European culture. At the same time, Russia is a unique country. We have always sat at the crossroads of western and eastern civilisation. This is only natural given our geographical location and huge territory, much of which is located in Asia. We have learned to understand the culture of the East, which enriched us and had a significant impact on various spheres of our life. In this sense, we have come a long and difficult way, something few European countries can boast. And we are definitely not going to forget about it. It is not our way to set the Western and Eastern elements against each other; quite on the contrary, we see this as our advantage. Lev Gumilyov, a remarkable scholar and historian, said Russia is a unique country that harmoniously combines elements of the East and the West.

Question: But ideological confrontation has become mainstream in Russia. Such as the word "Gay-Europe" heard on political talk shows on Russian television. And the officials believe that post-Christian values hold sway in Europe which radically differ from the traditional values of Russians.

Dmitry Medvedev: There is always heated rhetoric in the media of any country. They gin up controversy to generate interest. But it would be odd to equate talk show guests and the stance of officials. In this case each word spoken on TV would lead to a dozen diplomatic notes of protest.

As for the value system, it evolves over decades, and actually centuries. And it is by no means directed from the top down or by signals in the media. Obviously, each person chooses their own path and predilections. It is unacceptable to interfere in private, intimate matters. We are definitely not going to peek in the bedroom and condemn what goes on there. However, we are not going to promote something that runs counter to the beliefs of the majority of people in Russia. In this respect, Europe’s history differs from ours. You must respect other peoples’ traditions rather than impose your own standards on other nations.

I am confident that the main things for all of us is happiness, well-being, and the safety of the people residing in our countries. Our views totally coincide on that. We have a lot in common with Europe. Our peoples have always been in close contact. To be sure, there have been wars and periods of cooling. But all the same, interaction and cultural exchanges continued. We must not forget so-called popular diplomacy, which has always been there regardless of the political situation.

Question: What do you think is the most important element in relations between Russia and Europe in the 21st century?

Dmitry Medvedev: As for our current relations with European countries, I can say with confidence that the European Union has been and remains an important trade and economic partner for us. Despite the recent difficulties and persistent attempts by the United States to hinder the development of our relations, I am confident that there are no objective obstacles to constructive cooperation between Russia and the EU. We are so closely interconnected – historically, culturally, economically, geographically – that ultimately there is only one path for us to follow, the path of cooperation

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