The restless little man

I was afraid that maybe my yesterday post on Sarkozy was kind of malicious (actually, I was told it was mean :D). Seems to me I am not the only one fed up with Sarkozy’s desperate need to be the centre of the Universe. Also on 21st of October he decided to rescue the Europe from crisis with an astonishing proposal: partial nationalisation of key European companies.
Several reactions to this odd idea you may find in Cafebabel press review.
Czech president Václav Klaus criticises the ‘crazy’ suggestions:

‘Those who were fortunate enough not to have lived under communism should not succumb to the fatal fallacy that central planning can eliminate crises. This idea is a misconception. Crises were always used by irresponsible politicians as an excuse for massive state intervention in the economy. Popular fear gives politicians a blank cheque. Let us try to revive trust in the banking and financial system. But let us not attempt to erect new, artificial systems that are directed even more than before against a normally functioning market. Sarkozy’s proposals (and also those of German chancellor Angela Merkel) will not lead to a ‘new capitalism.’ What they really represent is a return to ‘old socialism’.’

What a strange and unbelievable situation! West-European countries, the core of democracy on our continent - France and Germany - try to impose communist solutions to the very model of capitalist market, and former communist countries are strongly against this. Unfortunately, state intervention, if will happen, will be a disastrous acceptance of failure, the little trust the citizens might still have will be vanished. And I don’t want to think about long-term effects.

Handelsblatt (Germany) also have nothing but harsh words for the tempestuous French leader:

‘But now success seems once again to have gone to Sarkozy’s head. Sovereign wealth funds with investments in key industries? And that coming from leading conservative politicians of all people. What on earth will come next? How about a central planning authority, preferably one for the whole of Europe. It is high time to bring Super-Sarko back down to earth. The banks are in dire straits, state investments are necessary for a transitional period. But nationalising entire sectors of industry, however ’strategic’ that may be, we’d better leave that to the Russians.’

As I understood, The French president has called another summit for 7th of November, in Brussels and, only a week after, there is an international financial-crisis meeting in the U.S. I wonder - what other surprises does he have in his hat?

P.S. Of course, our very own president, Traian Basescu (’Sarkozy de Bucarest’ - sure, a beta version, little Paris - little Sarkozy) is too busy to inform Romanians on these matters, even though he loves the summits as much as his friend. I bet it is the translator’s fault.