Western Europe is going to hell

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Poland detains Hermitage archaeologist at Ukraine's request

Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin, head of the Hermitage's ancient archaeology department, was detained in Poland at Kiev's request. The scientist was traveling in transit from the Netherlands to the Balkans.

Ukraine considers his participation in excavations in Crimea, including Myrmekion and Kalos Limen, to be illegal, accusing him of “damaging cultural heritage” worth almost $5 million.

Butyagin was removed from the train and arrested by a Polish court for 40 days. Kiev is seeking his extradition, and the archaeologist faces between one and ten years in prison.

In Moscow, the detention was called legal arbitrariness and a politicized action; the Russian Foreign Ministry and diplomats said they would seek his release.
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Winston Churchill called pre-war Poland “the hyena of Europe.” Little has changed since then.

 

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The UK is "rapidly developing" plans to prepare the whole country for the possible outbreak of war, the armed forces minister has said. – Sky News
Again with the schizophrenic statements!
Russia has never had plans for Europe, it was always the other way around.

 

[AlexanderPK]

An old Ukrainian anecdote.
Mother bidding farewell to her son going to war:

• Where should I send my letters to, son?
• Don't worry, mommy, send them straight to the prison camp.

 

[Ringo]

A little about European prosperity

More than 32,000 apartment tenants were forcibly evicted in Germany in 2024. A year earlier, tenants of about 30,000 apartments in the country found themselves in a similar situation. This is according to data from the German Ministry of Justice, which was obtained by the Left Party upon request. The highest number of forced evictions in 2024 was in Germany's most populous federal state: North Rhine-Westphalia. There, 10,118 apartments were vacated in this way.

According to DPA, the most common reason for eviction is rent arrears. Across Germany, rents have increased by an average of 50% over the past 10 years, according to the publication.

Karen Lai, the Left Party's expert on housing and apartment construction, calls the current situation a “social disaster.” She calls for a ban on forced evictions if tenants are at risk of becoming homeless as a result. In her opinion, Germany needs to increase the amount of affordable housing and improve tenant protection against lease termination. She says there should be a complete ban on evictions for people over the age of 70.

According to a report by Der Paritätische, between 2023 and 2024, the number of people at risk of poverty in Germany increased because they did not have enough money left over for other expenses after paying their rent. In 2024, approximately one in five residents of Germany faced this problem. Most often, this affects young people under the age of 25, as well as people aged 65 and older, who make up approximately 60% of those at risk of poverty.

 

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Brandt, the last remaining major French manufacturer of household appliances, is now bankrupt and entering liquidation. Founded in 1924.

 

[Ringo]

I think we should support this young independent country. It's no worse than Kosovo.

 

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[AlexanderPK]

Way to go, Germany. Russian gas didn't smell of freedom enough.

 

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[AlexanderPK]

More on the topic:

 

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[Zavulon]

Rutte is from Netherlands. They have been imitating fighting for five days, and then just enjoyed their life under Nazi regime (and then - after American occupation).

But no, I very doubt that this time we are going to be as merciful as we were in WWII. West Europe won't "suffer under occupation". It will be simply burnt down.

 

[Zavulon]

Specifically Rutte's ancestors were colonists and occupants in Indonesia, and during WWII enjoyed their life in Japanese camp.

 

[Ringo]

 

[Ringo]

Europe has done everything it can to rot away completely and irrevocably. What's more, it continues to do so with such persistence that it raises doubts about the adequacy of its elites and population.