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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 17 december 2019

Germany looks outside EU for nurses, other professionals

By DAVID RISING to get visas to work and
Associated Press seek jobs in Germany. Ar-
BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor rangements currently ap-
Angela Merkel’s govern- plied to university gradu-
ment hashed out strate- ates are being expanded
gies Monday with German to immigrants with profes-
business and union officials sional qualifications and
on attracting skilled work- German language knowl-
ers from outside the Euro- edge.
pean Union as the country Sectors such as information
tries to tackle a shortfall of technology and nursing
qualified professionals. have complained of labor
Merkel told reporters the shortages.
first two pillars of her gov- “Many companies in Ger-
ernment’s approach to many are urgently seek-
the problem would be ing skilled workers, even in
providing more training for times of a weaker econo-
Germans and working to my,” Eric Schweitzer, presi-
attract professionals from dent of the Association
other EU countries. of German Chambers of
But recognizing those German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends the weekly cabinet meeting of the German Commerce and Industry,
steps will not be sufficient, government at the chancellery in Berlin, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019. told the Funke newspaper
Germany needs to recruit Associated Press group ahead of the meet-
workers from outside the ings. “For more than half
trade bloc, she said. To quickly start new jobs, and “It’s not only us who are area.” of companies, the short-
do that, Germany needs ensure the country is seen looking at the world’s pro- Legislation due to take ef- age of skilled workers is
to make it easier for skilled as an attractive place to fessionals,” she said. “There fect March 1 will make it currently the biggest risk to
workers to get visas to resettle. is great competition in this easier for non-EU nationals business.”q

Central Europe mayors against populism sign free cities pact

Associated Press ropean Union and noted because of legal changes
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — the rise of populism and ex- promoted by Prime Minis-
The mayors of four Central tremism in their countries. ter Viktor Orban’s govern-
European capitals signed “We’re also witnessing that ment and centered on his
a “free cities” pact Mon- our region is, in some way, ideological conflict with
day, pledging to cooper- closing from the influence CEU founder and billion-
ate on issues ranging from of the free Western world,” aire George Soros.
environmental protection said Bratislava Mayor Ma- Budapest Mayor Gergely
to urban planning and tus Vallo. “Still, in our four Karacsony offered his city’s
public transportation. capitals we see the highest office in Brussels to the oth-
The mayors of Budapest, concentration of diversity. er members of the pact to
Hungary; Prague, the Social, religious, political, help them lobby for more
Czech Republic; Warsaw, ethnic and national.” direct funding to munici-
Poland; and Bratislava, Slo- The signing ceremony was palities and other autono-
vakia, who are either inde- held at a symbolic loca- mous bodies.“In the past The mayors of the capitals of the V4 countries Czech Republic,
pendents or from parties in tion, the Budapest home decade, a significant part Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, Zdenek Hrib of Prague, Gergely
opposition to their respec- of Central European Uni- of EU funds have landed Karacsony of Budapest, Matus Vallo of Bratislava, and Rafal
tive national governments, versity. CEU recently was at the companies of oli- Trzaskowski of Warsaw pose after their meeting in the aditorium
also advocated for more forced to move much of garchs close to power,” of the Central European University in Budapest, Hungary,
direct funding from the Eu- its main activities to Vienna Karacsony said. q Monday, Dec. 16, 2019.
Associated Press