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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.
Global Real Estate Project
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Why EU needs Morocco as more than a neighbor?Morocco and the European states exist in close geographic proximity for many centuries. Yet, despite this proximity, Morocco may never become a member of the EU. Exactly 20 years ago its government submitted an official application to join the union, then still an economic community. Brussels, on the ground that Morocco was not a European country, almost immediately turned the application down. In terms of geography Morocco is still not in Europe. With so many worries coming after its eastern expansions, Europeans have little time to think about those living on the other side of the Mediterranean. EU, however, needs Morocco as more than a good neighbor. It's almost unimaginable that this country won't get a special status vis-à-vis the union, a status that will reflect its special geographic location and special responsibilities in terms of security. Unfortunately for Morocco, European Union now looks like as a Christian club of ex-colonial powers plus their former eastern agricultural appendixes. In such a club, in general, there is no place for predominantly Muslim nations. At some point, many years from now, this may change; the European Union may become a place of shared civic instead of religious values, but this day isn't around the corner. Turkey doesn't look well positioned to become EU member at any time soon. Morocco has even less chance being not so strategically located as Turkey. But can it be treated as a simple neighbor, akin of Moldova? Europe has a major problem with thousands of illegal migrants coming from Africa and Asia. Morocco is a key transit point for some of this traffic. In fact, it's the 'good neighbor' policy of Morocco that saves Europe from even higher wave of illegal immigration. The reason for cooperation is simple, Europe needs a solid buffer zone as faraway as possible from its frontiers; Morocco needs a special treatment for its exports and its own citizens traveling and working in Europe. This need of cooperation singles Morocco out of most other 3rd world countries. It cannot play the card of being close to other great powers outside Europe, but it can hurt European interests by doing nothing, unless a reasonable accommodation is reached. What this special status may mean? It may include duty-free exports to Europe for all goods and services produced in Morocco. In the future this duty-free zone may grow up into a custom union, meaning that Morocco will impose duties on imports from third countries in accordance to European rules. At some point it's also possible that Morocco may be allowed to join the Schengen free-movement area, meaning its citizens will be able to travel freely to Europe. All these measures don't require EU membership for Morocco. There are other countries that have similar agreements with the EU and enjoy similar special status, so this won't even set a precedent.
Morocco profile: --------------------
See also the directory of companies providing real estate services in, and general real estate information of Morocco.
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