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Simeon Mitropolitski is a Canadian analyst, of Bulgarian origin, and a former syndicated columnist with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). He is the author of several hundred articles dealing with hot political and economic topics, both national and international.

He was part of the first group of Bulgarian intellectuals and students that began the opposition movement that finally put an end to the communist regime in this country in 1989, and in 1996-1997 participated in international observation teams during the elections in several Balkan countries - Romania, Albania and Bulgaria.

In 2002 Simeon and his family moved from Bulgaria to Canada where they live now in Montreal, province of Quebec. Simeon is a Master of Political Science from McGill University and a B.A. of Political Science and History.

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Twice a year the political and the economic elite from around the world gather to exchange thoughts and views about how things should go on. The first annual occasion is in September in New York, during the UN General Assembly. The second chance to have all the world elite together occurs in the winter at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Far away and far above the life of billions ordinary human beings, this forum offers an excellent opportunity to meditate on the general trends of our world.

The first time I read about this town was from the Thomas Mann's novel "The Magic Mountain". The Alps Mountains symbolized our spiritual nature, away from the lies that surround us and close to our true soul, away from the hypocrisy and close to God, away from the materialism and close to Heaven. This solid rock, more than 1100 km long and almost 5 km high, attracts like a magnet people from around the world, fascinates them, energizes their bodies and minds.

The European Alps have been for a long time taken as synonyms of Switzerland but this country isn't the only one that stands upon these mountains. Six other countries: France, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia partly or in full also share that huge geographical heritage. Created from the geological aftershocks of the collision between Europe and Africa millions of years ago, the Alps stand like huge lungs between the European North and South, at the crossroads of nations, religions and cultures.

It was this cultural uniqueness, the sense of equality and the self-reliance that produced Switzerland in 1291, the first constitutional democracy after the Ancient Greece. After having been invaded after the French Revolution, in 1815 the European powers agreed to guarantee permanent neutrality for this country.

In the past the Alps meant a barrier, today they mean high quality of winter tourism just hour or two by plane from any major European city. Hundreds of resorts, cable cars, chairlifts and railways allow access to the high terrain for hikers, skiers and other fans of the white tourism.

Switzerland and Liechtenstein are also places for many rich Americans and Europeans who would like to pass there the rest of their lives, benefiting from the low taxes and the highest possible living standard. Some Swiss cantons have been renown for decades as safe heavens among the foreign businesspersons. What make Switzerland an ideal place for retiring are the low criminal rates, the low taxes on high incomes, the fact that it isn't a EU member, the reliable infrastructures and the excellent medical system.

Buying a house isn't only an investment decision but also a way to enjoy life surrounded by beautiful natural scenes. The typical investors are former business executives that put the tranquility and the natural pleasures above all. The most popular destinations are Geneva and Ticino regions plus the areas around some mountain resorts like Gstaad and St.Moritz. An increasing popularity has recently been gained by the region around Zurich and the nearby Zug.

Matterhorn

See also:
Swiss Alps, Mountains a la Carte

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