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Independent researcher/writer based in Hong Kong since 1997. Reformed academic. My long-form, analytical articles are collected here https://laura-ruggeri.medium.com/ email: lauraru852@yandex.ru
Finland-Estonia underwater power cable cut: Helsinki claims sabotage possible
Finland is weighing the possibility of sabotage following damage to an underwater power cable between the Nordic country and Estonia on December 25, which resulted in a disruption of electricity supply, according to Finnish public broadcaster Yle.
At least two vessels were spotted in the vicinity where the cables are located, claimed Arto Pahkin, the head of operations of the Finnish electricity grid.
The EstLink 2 cable, which transmits electricity to Estonia, experienced a power cut, as confirmed by Fingrid. This left only the EstLink 1 cable operational, but with a reduced capacity of 358 megawatts compared to the 658 megawatts being transmitted prior to the disconnection.
Earlier, the underwater C-Lion1 data cable connecting Finland and Germany and running near the Nord Stream gas pipeline was severed in November, in Sweden's special economic zone.
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"It is wrong to speculate about the causes of the plane crash near Aktau while an investigation is underway. No one should do this, and the Kremlin will not either," Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a briefing. ▪️On Dec 25 a passenger plane belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines crashed near the city of Aktau, in Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 people onboard.
The plane was en route from Baku to Grozny (Chechnya) but due to fog the flight was redirected to Makhachkala (Dagestan). The crew reported an emergency on board and attempted to land at the Aktau airport. @LauraRuHK
EU Skeptical on Sending Peacekeepers to Ukraine: A Crisis of Credibility
The idea of deploying EU peacekeepers to Ukraine is reportedly being met with significant resistance within European capitals, as skepticism and anger over the war mount. According to US state-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), unnamed EU diplomats have all but dismissed the possibility, citing overwhelming public opposition and the likelihood of it becoming a political catastrophe. “There are no good scenarios,” one diplomat conceded, warning that Ukraine is cruising toward “a rough landing” in the coming year.
Sending European troops to “die in Ukraine” is not just political suicide, it’s a direct insult to the intelligence of European citizens, who have endured soaring energy prices, runaway inflation, and endless war fatigue while their leaders double down on Washington’s agenda. Even US state media, parroting its usual lines, has been forced to acknowledge the cracks in European unity. When the megaphone of American propaganda starts broadcasting discontent, you know the anger is impossible to ignore.
Sources cited by RFE/RL point out that skepticism is particularly high in Poland and the Czech Republic, the very countries expected to provide the lion’s share of troops. Emmanuel Macron’s France floated vague ideas about sending military instructors or demining teams, but even Paris seems reluctant to step into this political minefield. Meanwhile, Poland’s Donald Tusk has outright dismissed the idea, underscoring the futility of trying to sell this to an increasingly disillusioned European public.
The irony here is almost comedic. European leaders, who lecture the world about democracy and listening to the will of the people, seem utterly deaf to their own citizens. Instead, they continue their devotion to Washington’s proxy war, sacrificing their economies and stability on the altar of NATO’s endless expansion. It’s beyond hypocrisy, it’s arrogant contempt.
Russia, meanwhile, has drawn a clear red line: any Western soldiers on Ukrainian soil will be treated as legitimate targets. Sending “peacekeepers” into an active war zone doesn’t just defy common sense; it escalates the conflict, potentially turning Europe into an even bigger proxy battlefield. But when has Washington cared about common sense? European elites are learning the hard way that the American empire will drag its vassals down with it and call it solidarity.
This entire charade reeks of desperation. With Ukraine’s position deteriorating and winter deepening the crisis, the Western narrative is collapsing under its own weight. Rather than pursuing genuine peace, Europe’s leaders remain locked in a cycle of bad ideas, chasing illusions fed to them by a U.S. that views their populations as expendable pawns in a much larger game.
❗️Sending peacekeepers isn’t about peace; it’s about salvaging the optics of a war spiraling out of control. The fact that even RFE/RL is highlighting European discontent speaks volumes about how untenable this narrative has become. The cracks are not just widening—they’re fracturing the very foundations of Western unity.
How long can European leaders ignore their people before their own political systems (forget political parties) implode? This isn’t just the twilight of Western hegemony, it’s the reckoning for an empire that treats its allies (vassals) with disdain and its citizens with contempt. When the smoke clears, will Europe still be standing, or will it be another casualty of Washington’s collapsing empire?
- Gerry Nolan
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▪️In Russia WhatsApp may be blocked in 2025 if the platform does not comply with Russian legislation, Deputy Chairman of the Council for the Development of the Digital Economy Artem Sheikin told RIA Novosti. ▪️In Iran the Supreme Council of Cyberspace has voted to lift a nationwide ban on WhatsApp and Google Play that was introduced during a wave of civil unrest in 2022.
Messaging and social media platforms have long been recognized as a tool of hybrid warfare since they are widely weaponized to affect people's belief system, perceptions, motivation and behavior. And of course they are used to gather intelligence. There is no level playing field on social media - those who control them have the power to make rumors, seditious content and disinformation go viral or make them inaccessible. @LauraRuHK
Mystery solved. The woman in question turned out to be a scam artist making money off the media portrayal of her "plight". When the picture was taken the delivery bag was empty and she was no longer working as a courier. Just pretending to. Four years later her picture is still being used by foreign agencies to peddle an anti-Russian narrative on social media. /channel/LauraRuHK/9516
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David Tobin "authenticated" Adrian Zenz's fanciful narratives of "Uyghur genocide and forced labour" for the UK-based Uyghur Tribunal. Despite his hippy look Tobin isn't your typical underpaid, overworked university lecturer. One of his side hustles is leading the International Network for Critical China Studies (that demonizes China and calls for sanctions) and writing for RUSI. Based in Whitehall, close to the Ministry of Defence, RUSI is the leading defence and security think tank in the UK.
Its largest funders are the EU Commission, US State Department, UK Foreign Office, the British army and arms corporation BAE Systems, arms manufacturers Lockheed Martin, Airbus, Leonardo, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon, alongside the UK Ministry of Defence and the Royal Navy.
@LauraRuHK
During the annual Q&A with Vladimir Putin a Russian Youtuber with 80 million followers asked the president why YouTube should be blocked if Russian platforms are already doing well and are competitive.
Putin replied that "there are more issues on the side of YouTube and its owner, Google" than on the side of Russia and they arose, among other things, against the backdrop of Western sanctions. YouTube, like Google, must comply with Russian laws, and should not abuse the platform "to achieve the political goals of their government." Putin recalled that YouTube has blocked the channels of many Russian bloggers, artists and politicians. "Google has not officially operated in Russia for two years now, preferring the bankruptcy procedure of the Russian branch and stopping the support of its caching servers. This approach leads to a decrease in the quality of the video service," representatives of Roskomnadzor told Interfax." Since yesterday YouTube has become inaccessible in Russia. @LauraRuHK
🇮🇱❌🇱🇧 Mossad’s Global Terror Theatre: Exploding Pagers and Manufactured Chaos
In a chilling admission broadcast on 60 Minutes, a supposed ex-Mossad agent, dubbed “Michael,” brazenly detailed a terror plot involving explosive-laden pagers sold to Hezbollah in Lebanon. The result? A catastrophic blast that killed 12 people, including children, and wounded nearly 3,000 others.
The agent, shrouded in a balaclava and sunglasses, smugly described Mossad’s operations as “a global production company” where
“we write the screenplay, we’re the directors, we’re the producers, we’re the main actors. And the world is our stage.”
And at the end of their mandate they both refuse to step down. What a coincidence.
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China’s leading anti-spy agency has blamed foreign agents for comments on Chinese social media that distort history and slander revolutionary heroes.
“There are foreign spy agencies flooding online comment sections with unofficial and fake history about our country’s historical heroes, trying to discredit and slander our historical culture and heroic role models, and dispel people’s admiration for heroes and their identification with our historical culture,” the Ministry of State Security said on Monday. (Source: SCMP) @LauraRuHK
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has accused Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky of attempting to bribe him with €500 million, in order to persuade Bratislava to support Kiev’s bid to join NATO.
Fico made the revelation at a press conference in Brussels on Thursday, shortly after his behind-closed-doors meeting with Zelensky on the sidelines of an EU leader’s summit.
The prime minister, who in March was shot multiple times by an activist who opposed his critical stance towards Ukraine, told journalists that Bratislava could consider “reciprocal measures” after Kiev refused to extend its gas transit deal with Russia, on which Slovakia depends for gas, and which is set to expire at the end of the year.
Ukraine has cited the ongoing conflict for the decision to block transit gas while Fico has emphasized the need for alternative solutions to avoid a crisis.
He recalled that during their talks, the Ukrainian leader declined to allow the transit of fuel, instead offering “absurd” proposals to settle the gas issue.
Fico claimed that, among other things, Zelensky “asked me if I would vote for NATO membership [of Ukraine] if he gave me €500 million from Russian assets” frozen in the West after the outbreak of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev.
“You know my opinion on Ukraine’s membership in NATO, and it is strange that he asked me such a question because he knows very well that Ukraine’s invitation to NATO is completely unrealistic,” he stressed.
Ukrainian opposition MP Artyom Dmitruk, who reportedly fled the country earlier this year fearing prosecution, said that Zelensky has again “disgraced” Ukraine in front of the whole world by trying to bribe Fico. (Source: RT) @LauraRuHK
The Kiev regime is desperately trying to escalate the conflict. The weaker it becomes on the battlefield, despite receiving massive financial and military support, the more it engages in terrorist activities. This morning it attacked high-rise buildings in three districts of Kazan, the capital of Russia’s Tatarstan that recently hosted the BRICS summit. Several explosives-laden kamikaze UAVs were used to carry out the attack. /channel/tass_agency/292532
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If we are to believe his statements, Trump wants NATO countries to pay more for the privilege of defending US interests, buy more US weapons to keep the Military Industrial Complex happy, slap more tariffs on imports from NATO countries to protect US manufacturers. NATO's secretary general Mark Rutte suggested 'blood and tears' cuts to healthcare, pensions and social benefits to meet Washington's demands. How much more abuse can vassals tolerate? @LauraRuHK
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Media Freedom - During the annual Q&A with Vladimir Putin that was broadcast live on all the main Russian media, British and American "journalists" were allowed to ask very provocative questions that contained both criticism and accusations. When was the last time you heard a Russian journalist ask a Western leader a question? In Western countries Russian journalists are not even allowed to attend press conferences! @LauraRuHK
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The main theme of the "Results of the Year" Q&A with Putin was the economy, most precisely the economic sovereignty of Russia because everything depends on it. 🔸Vladimir Putin:
As is traditional, I will start with the economy. The economy is the basis and the cornerstone. It has an impact on living standards, general stability, and the country’s defence capability. The economy is everything.
The economic situation in Russia is generally positive and stable. We are growing in spite of everything, in spite of any external threats or attempts at outside influence.
As you know, last year Russia increased its GDP by 3.6 percent, and this year the economy is expected to grow by 3.9 percent, or possibly even four percent. However, we will have to wait and see the final results, as the year-end figures will be de facto factored into these projections in the first quarter of next year, which will be 2025 in this particular case. It may well be that this indicator reaches four percent. What this means is that our economy will have grown by eight percent over the past two years. After all, the tenths and hundredths of a percent make for a negligeable difference. This is what experts have been telling me – we exchanged views this very morning. About eight percent over the past two years, compared to a growth rate between five and six percent for the United States, one percent for the Eurozone, and zero for Germany, the EU’s leading economy. It seems that next year that country will also have zero growth.
International financial and economic institutions ranked Russia as Europe’s biggest economy in terms of volume, in terms of purchasing power parity, and the world’s fourth largest economy. We are behind China, the United States and India. Last year, Russia surpassed Germany and this year, we left Japan behind. But this is not the time for us to be complacent. We will definitely keep moving forward.
There is development everywhere you look and so much positive momentum across the board. If the Eurozone has fallen asleep, there are other centres of global development that are advancing. The situation in the Eurozone and the United States has been changing too. We must maintain the momentum we have gathered and transform our economy at its core, from a qualitative perspective.
The US National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) played up the alleged "China military threat" as an excuse to increase US military spending and maintain its hegemony. This grossly interferes with China's internal affairs and undermines world peace and stability. We are strongly dissatisfied with it and firmly oppose it,
France has approached Russia several times through closed channels to establish a “dialogue on the Ukrainian issue,” Lavrov stated.
Russia will respond to Ukrainian strikes on civilian facilities, but Moscow’s forces target only military-related sites, Lavrov has stressed.
“Striking civilian targets is not part of our rules,” he emphasized.
“Our Western counterparts will inevitably take part in a multipolar world but must overcome their psychological resistance to playing a less dominant role,” Lavrov stated.
The US must take the first step to restore dialogue with Moscow, the Russian foreign minister has stated.
Russia has noted signals from Trump’s team expressing interest in resuming dialogue, which is “reasonable and normal,” he said.
“All ideas less binding than the Minsk agreements aim to buy time for the Nazi regime,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.
He also recalled that former Ukrainian President Petr Poroshenko, former French President Francois Hollande, and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel admitted they never intended to implement the Minsk agreements.
Israel should not secure its safety at Syria’s expense, as the destruction of military facilities in the Arab republic will “sow a storm,” Sergey Lavrov warned.
Moscow understands Ankara’s concerns about security on the Turkish-Syrian border, Lavrov has stated.
He emphasized that Türkiye's legitimate security interests must be addressed while preserving Syria’s territorial integrity.
Russia maintains contact with the new Syrian authorities, discussing the safety of Russian citizens and the embassy in the country, Lavrov has said.
He emphasized Moscow’s interest in dialogue with Damascus on other bilateral issues as well.
Russia is also ready to assist in organizing elections in Syria to ensure they are universally recognized and raise no concerns, the foreign minister added.
Lavrov has called the West’s demands for other countries to sever ties with Russia absurd. Moscow is ready to engage with any Western representatives open to mutually beneficial agreements, he said.
He cited Hungary and Slovakia as examples, noting that other EU members are also beginning to lean toward this approach.
Russia is ready for consultations with the President-elect Donald Trump’s administration on Ukraine and hopes the White House will delve into the root causes of the conflict, Lavrov stated.
A truce in Ukraine would currently lead nowhere, stressing the need for reliable agreements.
He clarified that Russia is not setting any preconditions for negotiations but insists on the fulfillment of existing agreements.
The foreign minister added that future agreements on resolving the Ukraine conflict must include a mechanism to prevent violations. https://swentr.site/russia/609970-russian-fm-lavrov-holds-online-briefing/
The company that owns the Russian bulk carrier Ursa Major stated that the vessel sank as a result of a terrorist attack.
On December 23 three explosions occurred on the starboard side of the Ursa Major while it was in international waters between Spain and Algeria. @LauraRuHK
Merry Christmas to all those who are celebrating today. Warmest wishes from Hong Kong.
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A Russian cargo ship, Ursa Major, sank in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria as a result of an explosion in the engine room. At the time of writing the cause of this explosion hasn't been ascertained yet.
Two crew members are missing, and the remaining 14 people were taken to the Spanish city of Cartagena by a Russian military vessel, whose crew took over the rescue operation. Several fishing vessels in the area took part in their rescue.
The Ursa Major, a cargo ship operated by a subsidiary of the Russian defense company Oboronlogistics, left the port of St. Petersburg and was heading to Vladivostok. According to Maritime Executive two large crawler cranes were on deck and the holds were empty. @LauraRuHK
Here is an example of indirect anti-Russian propaganda i have just come across on social media. Highlighted comments steered the conversation into the desired direction: Russia is waging war instead of supporting her people. ▪️Pictures taken out of context are an ideal tool of emotional manipulation, even before AI enters the equation. Let's assume the picture hasn't been manipulated. How do you know this woman was "delivering food while caring for her two children"? She might have just picked up her kids from nursery/kindergarten at the end of her shift, or borrowed her husband's delivery bag to carry her groceries. ▪️In Russia mothers receive very generous subsidies. Masks suggest the picture was taken during the pandemic - in 2020 mothers were entitled to 466,617 rubles. That sum has increased considerably to encourage families to have more children. In 2024 maternity capital for the birth of second and subsequent children in Russia is 833,000 rubles. For the first child is 630,400 rubles. @LauraRuHK
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A travesty of democracy - The citizens of EU countries can vote but their votes don't matter. French President Emmanuel Macron endorsed a new cabinet, with key ministers keeping their posts.
Jean-Noel Barrot retained his job as foreign minister, and Sebastien Lecornu also remained defense minister. Bruno Retailleau stayed on as interior minister.
Colonial subjects aren't allowed to fundamentally change the direction of their colonial administration. In EU countries we see a combination of both direct rule and indirect rule contingent upon the governing context. Direct rule can be defined as an imperial power that takes direct control over the executive. Indirect rule refers to a system of colonial governance in which pre-existing local power structures are utilized. In both cases colonial rulers impose their ideology and cultural values onto the ruled masses, including the implementation of cultural assimilation. @LauraRuHK
Maia Sandu, the puppet president of Moldova, intends to seize GRES, the power plant located in Transnistria near the border with Ukraine, the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) of Russia said.
"The Moldovan president demanded to prepare a forcible seizure of the power plant," the SVR said.
Sandu wants to establish control over Transnistria and eliminate the Russian peacekeeping presence in the region.
According to the Russian intelligence, the European Union opposes the timing of action rather than the plan, and does not know how to rein in the unhinged Moldovan leader.
The EU would not mind creating a new crisis for Russia, but is not yet ready for it; no one can guarantee that Sandu will not unleash a regional war since Moscow could take action to protect Russian peacekeepers...and those Oreshnik ballistic missiles can't be intercepted.
It must be pointed out that Sandu is not an independent player. Everything she does is coordinated with representatives of the Democratic administration in Washington.
She has supervisors from both the EU and NATO. @LauraRuHK
Romania - Klaus Iohannis, the illegitimate president who refuses to step down at the end of his mandate, nominated Marcel Ciolacu of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) to form a new government. Presidential elections were cancelled by a NATO coup. @LauraRuHK
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The US continues to look for any pretext to impose more sanctions on Hong Kong. The "2024 Annual Report" issued by the United States (US) Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), made a series of smearing remarks against Hong Kong authorities accusing them of human rights violations, and criticized the National Security Law. The HKSAR Government rebutted these claims in a statement, expressing its disapproval of the CECC's repeated tactics to interfere in the affairs of Hong Kong through the so-called annual report. The HK government pointed out that the US report completely ignored the severe national security threats posed by the riots and the Hong Kong version of “colour revolution” in 2019 - it was thanks to the implementation of the National Security Law that life returned to normalcy. Safeguarding national security is an inherent right of all sovereign states. Many common law jurisdictions, including the US, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, have enacted similar laws to safeguard national security.
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202412/21/P2024122100449.htm?fontSize=1
In China 500 stores selling Russian products have been planned. A few are already open and extremely successful. Chinese customers are particularly fond of Russian chocolate, ice cream, honey, milk, pickles, bread and of course vodka. Products come from virtually all corners of Russia, including Donetsk! 🔺Guangzhou https://ok.ru/group53537968685256/topic/157601611855304 🔺Shenzhen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVtNZEJoJA0
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Italy sharply increased wine supplies to Russia, despite duties
Italian-Russian Chamber of Commerce: Italy supplied wines worth 170 million euros to Russia 🥂 In vino veritas? @LauraRuHK
📄 Excerpt from the article by Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation (December 13, 2024)
Russia and China: the experience of reintegrating territories with their historical homeland
🇷🇺🇨🇳 For both Russia and China, historical continuity and centuries-old unified ethno-national lineage serve as an inexhaustible wellspring of rich cultural heritage and traditions, making significant contributions to the formation of each nation’s public identity.
It is noteworthy that despite the stark differences between the Ukrainian and Taiwanese issues, Western observers have conflated them into a single narrative. This once again underscores their artificial genesis, orchestrated with the involvement of foreign disruptive forces, primarily the US and the European Union. However, such ventures, detached from reality, inevitably culminate in military setbacks, and, the insurgent provinces eventually return home.
The return of our lands to their historical Motherland – territories that were lost amid the political turbulence during the late 1980s and early 1990s — is no more “criminal” than the annexation of the GDR by the FRG in 1990.
❌ At that time, we were persuaded that the logic of the historical process justified the reunification of the German nation. However, in reality, there was no “unification” of Germany. No referendums were conducted, no common constitution was drafted, and no unified army or currency was established. East Germany was simply absorbed by a neighbouring state. Did anyone at that time condemn this instance of irredentism, which defied the principle of the inviolability of borders enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act of 1975? The world merely applauded.
Yet, the question of whether the citizens genuinely desired this unity, or were manipulatively compelled to “desire” it, remains unresolved to this day. The economic realities, mentality, and even the language of East and West Germans in the 45 years following the Second World War differed almost as much as they do today between the Chinese and the populace of Taiwan or between the residents of the Smolensk and Dnieper regions.
Nonetheless, these differences did not embarrass anyone — they were deemed “the proper difference.”
In this context, it is worth noting that Russians differ from those residing in Ukraine no more than the inhabitants of the Greater Poland Voivodeship differ from those of the Pomeranian Voivodeship, or than the residents of North Rhine-Westphalia differ from those of Thuringia.
☝️ Furthermore, there are significantly greater differences between the inhabitants of Schleswig-Holstein and Bavaria in Germany, Normandy and Occitania in France, not to mention the Basque Country and Catalonia in Spain, as well as England and Northern Ireland in Great Britain — differences in terms of household, linguistic, and ethno-cultural aspects — than between the residents of the Pskov and Kharkov Regions.
Read the article in full
Excerpt from Vladimir Putin's annual year-end summary and Q&A Session.♦️Alexandra Suvorova: I have a follow-up question, given the numerous questions surrounding price growth, to which we will return. You have cited Germany and Japan as examples. I wish to focus on Germany having a zero percent growth rate, which you mentioned as a case previously known for its economic expansion.
Do you believe this is perhaps linked to politics and sovereignty? Not long ago, at the VTB Forum Russia Calling!, you reminisced about Gerhard Schroeder's birthday celebration, remarking how all the songs were in English, with none performed in German. ♦️Vladimir Putin: Quite some time ago, it was Gerhard Schroeder's birthday, he invited me and I attended. There was a small concert, and, as it happened, all the bands performed in English. I remarked at the time, “Even the Hannover girls' choir sang in English." There was, however, one ensemble that performed in German: the Kuban Cossack Choir, which accompanied me. Moreover, this was entirely unexpected on my part. I inquired, “How did you come to know these songs?” They replied, “Out of respect for the Germans, our hosts, we learnt these songs en route and performed them in German, including those from the local region where we are now.”
During the intermission, numerous attendees approached me (I recount this as it truly unfolded) and expressed, “We are embarrassed, truly, that only Russian Cossacks performed in German here.”
I recounted this to a colleague who was present at the event, which has now been recalled. You see, sovereignty is a crucial concept; it must reside within, in one's heart. In the post-war era, I believe this sense – of homeland and sovereignty – has been somewhat eroded among the German people. Who are the Europeans, after all? They are proud to be European, yet they are foremost French, German, Italian, Spanish, and then European. There is a tendency to smooth out things, to homogenise. Ultimately, this affects everything, including the economy.
I previously spoke about our economic growth – this is largely attributable to the reinforcement of sovereignty, which extends to the economic realm.
Many foreign manufacturers have exited our market. What has been the consequence? Our entrepreneurs have started producing these goods domestically, necessitating further research and the engagement of institutions, including those focused on development. All of this – what we are discussing – is the enhancement of technological sovereignty.
Sovereignty manifests itself in various forms: defence, technology, science, education, culture. This is of paramount importance, especially for our nation, because should we lose sovereignty, we risk losing statehood. That is the crux.
Economic growth is also an effect of bolstered sovereignty. @LauraRuHK