is totally based on German investment in the ex Warsaw pact nations. German investment in Eastern Europe, and in particular, the Balkans, is greater than that of the rest of the EEC and the
United State put together. In essence, the failed policies of Nazi Germany based on war and conquest, of a Greater German Reich and Leibensraum in the East is becoming an reality based on the economic superpower that Germany has become since reunification. In essence Central Economy is German Economy. German investment in rebuilding of the infrastructure in the Balkans to faculitate the construction of new industries again, exceeds that of the EEC and Europe put together. As soon as Germany indicated that it might come into assit in Iraq if Kerry was elected, the foreign Radio services of two Balkan nations, Romania and Bulgaria, began an intense attack on the failed Bush policies in Iraq. They run very close to the arguments against the Bush policies held and used by the Schroeder government.
Polls taken in Germany have indicated support for Kerry's policies for Iraq, and also indicate a 90 percent support rating for German military support of a Kerry administrations plans for Iraq.
Eastern Europe is also providing German Industry with a large and young labor pool to replace the falling number of workers due to the Greying of Western Europe.
In 1998, it was the United States that provided the largest investment in Eastern Europe.
Germany second. Since then the situation has reversed.
Plus Germany provides the largest markets for Eastern Europe, and also provides the largest amount of tourist dollars to Eastern Europe, in particular to the Balkans again.
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Germany has provided more aid and investment to the former Soviet republics than any other West European state, contributing US$52 billion in aid to Russia and other members of the former Soviet Union between 1989 and 1993 as well as US$25 billion to the states of Central and Eastern Europe. More than one-half of East European and Baltic trade with the EU is with Germany. Other types of economic activities are also becoming common. For example, by 1994 the Deutsche Bank had opened a branch office in Prague and planned to open others throughout Eastern Europe...
The credits that Germany has been giving to its Eastern trading partners are not without risk. Russian and East European debt has been accumulating for several decades. Virtually every East European state had trouble servicing its debts during the early 1990s, and special arrangements had to be made to reschedule Poland's debt. Nonetheless, the German government and German banks were prepared to extend further credits despite nagging doubts about when the credits would be repaid. German determination to increase trade with Eastern
Europe and to invest more in that area reflects tradition as well as economic and political interest. Moreover, Germany is better located than any other West European state to trade with Eastern Europe, especially because Berlin remains one of the most attractive potential production, assembly, service, and transportation centers for East European trade.
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Unified Germany is simply the linchpin on which Eastern European economic growth is based.
As noted Eastern Europe is extremely in economic debt to Germany. Such debt easily translates into political debt.
You might want to read the following as well, a study based on a data from 1050 German investment projects in Eastern Europe. This 1050 number is a small sample of German investment in Eastern Europe.
Both articles are old, and Germany has seriously increased its investment position in Eastern Europe.
The German anti war movement was not as responsible for Shroeders losses in the Bundestag as the anti-Bush,anti-American movement was. Schroeder was extremely scathing in his attacks on the Bush administration and the Iraq war. His party did not lose seats to the anti-war parties but to the far right German nationalist parties.