The Berlaymont, on vacation, watches Moscow burn (updated)

(BRUSSELS2) Faced with the fires that are ravaging Russia, one can only be surprised at the silence – even the dumbness of Europe.

The European Commission did not see fit to mobilize the MIC - its civil security unit. This can only act onrequest of a state, not on its own"explains a spokesperson for the European Commission. "But we are in regular contact with Emercom (Russian civil security). And Me Georgieva spoke with Sergey Shoigu, the head of Emercom “he justifies himself.

Better ! No official message offering assistance ("ready to help") or even concern has been sent to the Russian leaders by the European authorities. As for the coordination between Member States, it is very light and does not correspond to the new mechanism put in place by the Treaty of Lisbon (1). MIC agents are present and work 24 hours a day. But there is still a lack of political will. The sending of French or Italian planes is thus done in "a bilateral framework“, we specify.

Once again, Europe is not acting in a global foreign policy offer but in a dispersed order and with a concern for national interest, above all. An interest that the Russians know and which they play on regularly... Situation all the less understandable as the risk of contamination is not excluded, if a fire reaches a sensitive site (not only nuclear but also chemical or industrial). And that the simple natural movement of smoke could quickly threaten certain nearby countries (Estonia, Finland, etc.) or even further afield. According to a latest NASA press release, the smoke from the fires has reached the stratosphere and can therefore now move very quickly (to see the mass of smoke formed, here).

At the last balance sheet

According to the latest report drawn up by the Russian authorities, on August 10, there were still nearly 550 fires on a total area of ​​175.000 ha (approximately). Since the start of the fire season in 2010, there have been nearly 26.000 fires over a total area of 750.000 ha. The authorities have mobilized more than 160.000 men, 26.000
machines and 42 planes.

Read also: International aid to Russia (updated)

Civil security, the missing piece in the EU – Civil power (2009)

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

(photo credit: Russian Emergency Situations Ministry)