>> hello and welcome to this edition of "european journal" coming to you from dw city as in brussels. it is very good to have you with us. -- dw studio in brussels. the by london. scottish nationalists want independence. and why concierge are on the rise again in france. it will not be easy for the small island in the mediterranean. cyprus is taking over the presidency of the eu on the first of july at a time when europe is in its deepest crisis, but it knows the ins and outs of

the union's problems only too well from its very own experience. there are closely intertwined with the greek economy, but help is on its way -- cyprus has asked for help from its european partners. in the past, it has turned to russia. >> these russian schoolchildren are rehearsing music numbers they will be performing at the next fall festival, but they only know russia from vacations. their home is cyprus. natalia also considers this harbor city her home. 13 years ago, the businesswoman made the move to the mediterranean. she now publishes a russian- language newspaper. she is proud of how much the russian community has contributed to prosperity in the island nation.

>> they are important for the economy. compared to the number of people who live in cyprus, 50,000 rush of people compared to 800,000 total, it is quite a big number. >> many of the expatriates' live in limassol. it is common to your russian in the streets here. visitors will often finds a look lettering on trucks as well as in restaurants. there is russian beer and a russian supermarket. in one of the municipal parks, there is a monument to russian poet alexander pushkin, a gift from the mayor of moscow. >> carter says the two countries had relations and that the island's tradition of hospitality has drawn russians ever since.

>> the speed of life here is slower than in european countries or in russia, but we see that people enjoy the communication. they enjoy being with family. >> in summer, russian is often heard in the hotels and on the beaches. fewer and fewer tourists are arriving, but the number of russian vacationers has almost doubled over the last 12 months. many greek cypriots are happy to see them. >> they feel a lot closer. they are much more welcome to be with us. we are both christian orthodox. it is difficult to tell why there's difficulty. >> money plays a role. since the start of the euro crisis, an average 60 businesses have closed down here every month. russians are continuing to invest. they currently account for more than a quarter of the

investments in cyprian banks and more than 1/3 of international business, but many investors are exploiting tax loopholes. they set up a bogus firms to ebay russian tax authorities. in cyprus, the company's only pay 10% tax. the firms do not want publicity. when we tried to film the newly founded russian bank, security guards quickly arrive. the financial crisis is making many international investors in cyprus nervous, but others see the country's problems as an opportunity. >> 2.5 u.s. dollars were received under conditions from the government, it means we have very good economic ties. >> the russian ambassador and said. finance minister have a lot to discuss.+ the mediterranean nation is reportedly in final stages for the negotiations for a further $5 billion loan, but that has a

downside -- freighters carrying suspicious cargo had been seen leaving the harbor, some say carrying weapons to syria and other areas of armed conflict. although people are watching their words, the russian mafia is also rumored to have gained a foothold on the island. >> at some point in time, it will put pressure on everybody. some of the funds surely would be dirty money. >> critics say the government has grown too dependent on russia, but while cyprus seeks to deal with both moscow and brussels, the russians have become a permanent fixture.

>> they go visit the same villages and feel like part of the country. the amount -- >> even if the economic crisis deepens, russians appear to be in cyprus to say. >> just hours before cyprus, spain also requested help from its european partners. for a long time, the government in madrid did not want to acknowledge that spain has problems it cannot solve all loan, but eventually, there was no way around it. -- it cannot solve alone. money will be flowing, but will it reach the people? one year ago, this town was hit by spain's heaviest earthquake in half a century, and the people there were definitely -- will definitely need some help. >> nothing here has been cleared up or rebuilt. all that remains is devastation and desolation and memories.

the grandson of maria lopez was killed in the earthquake. >> i am not as fit as i was. i often forget things. i forget where i put things and cannot find them again. everything has changed for us. >> the quake hit in may 2011. nine people died. more than 7000 families were left homeless. the total damage was estimated to be worth more than 70 million euros. the disaster has changed the town and its people. a year on, rebels -- rubble still lies scattered across the square and many buildings are in danger of collapse.

"help us," urges this banner. maria lopez and her daughter are running the restaurant in a park. it is a stop-gap measure. reconstruction after the earthquake was made even harder by the credit crunch. the spanish banks have been affected by the economic crisis as well and are living out very little money. >> as agreed victims, we are no longer credit worthy. our insurance company still has not paid out, so we are using up our savings. >> the town in southeastern spain has almost 100,000 inhabitants. with no sign of reconstruction, the physical scars of the natural disaster have not even begun to heal. many here call it the double as great. she still has to pay her mortgage payments, even though her house was ruined and is no longer habitable. the banks are making no

exceptions. >> the banks know no mercy. the money i get from the insurance company goes straight toward paying off my mortgage. "european journal -- >> for now, the elderly lady lives in a temporary village. this red cross worker looks after the homeless. it may seem immoral for the banks to demand that the earthquake victims continue paying off their loans. however, it is perfectly legal, and it is making life even harder for these survivors. >> there are many cases like hers, pensioners on a small income will have to keep paying

the mortgage and paying their loans and buy food. it is a really difficult situation. >> so far, not a single house has been rebuilt. this furniture dealer is trying to restock his shop. with the banks on willing to hand out loans, it is a vicious circle. >> we are in a catch-22 situation. we have the economic crisis, then the quake, and you burn less and less. >> at city hall, officials are offered little consolation. they say the economic downturn means less the emergency funding for madrid. many people are accusing the politicians of using the crisis as an excuse.

>> when you get an economic crisis and an earthquake, it is a lethal combination. we are facing a downward economic spiral. we desperately need outside help. >> there is growing frustration. the town is an especially drastic example of spain's current plight. there is no sign of recovery in sight, and the economic depression is deepening. >> maria lopez and her daughter know they cannot count on help from either the banks or the authorities. >> there is no point to my life anymore. i just do not know. >> the double earthquake continues to have repercussions.

until they get spain -- help until -- until they get help from outside, the outlook is a gloomy one. do not bite the hand that feeds you -- it is a saying scottish nationalists have a quandary with. they are well paid with the money london sense for their oil, but at the same time, they also want independence for their country. the parliament in edinburgh are ready has powers over some policy areas such as health and education, but others are decided far away in london, but in 2014, the scots can decide if they want a clean cut or not. some believe it would be a very good idea. the scots are known as a proud people, especially when it comes to national identity. the annual highland games are an illustration of their legendary determination. self-determination, severing ties with london, is now a

political movement with a growing number of supporters. 40% of scottish people favor independence, and angus robertson wants to see that figure become a majority. his mother is german, his father scottish, but this is very much his home. >> scottish independence is a mission for me. these are really exciting times. we are going to achieve something we can be proud of. >> anger is robertson points to a substantial offshore reserves -- angus robertson points to a substantial offshore reserve which could make scotland economically independent.

them in the fishing fleet is gone. we have all these votes here, but they are all single-handed. exports are going up every year. when oil goes up, i do not know what will happen. >> as a leading official of the scottish national party, robertson tries to win over voters for independence. he was instrumental in bringing the leader of s&p to power in the devolve scottish parliament. both men are determined not to let the british prime minister highjack the independence issue >> i am not really popular in scotland. the fact that he seemed to be trying to claim our debate as this debate rebounded very badly. >> scotland has 4 million voters, and the s&p is targeting the undecided with a highly

effective intelligence tool. the parties database contains collated information on individual income, level of education, age, and past voting records, data that can be bought in britain. >> no other party in scotland, britain, or europe has this system, and our rivals do not, it gives us a huge advantage. >> the s&p has target constituencies clearly mapped out from the big cities all the way to the highlands. >> it is like any other village or small town. a lot of people are undecided, and that makes us optimistic. >> but there is still a lot of work ahead for him. this is a remote village in the heart of the highlands. close to the village square is the whiskey emporium was our has a fairly sober approach to independence and how it would benefit scotland.

>> we want to know what is on the table first of all, what it really does mean, and the effect of it. >> pro-independence voices site the positive benefits scotland already has compared to england -- known university tuition fees and free medical prescriptions. the s&p leader has been here in person to spread the message. scotland's currency is the british pound, all the it -- albeit with different bank debts. many voters see the economic benefits of scotland adopting the bureau. >> of the euro is doing fine, then probably stop one would certainly have the opportunity to make up its own mind on that -- probably scotland would have the opportunity to make up its own mind. >> i did not think it would be beneficial. >> there is not a lot of positive stuff.

>> besides convincing floating voters, robertson has to keep his own party members in line, and that means a one-man road show every weekend. then they say the germans take a very thorough approach. well, i certainly do. >> another meet and greet. they are the future of independence, he tells them. >> whatever it is, we need friends, people you know, colleagues covering up the subject with one another -- >> the general mood in the crowd is upbeat. it's fantastic, having him on our doorstep, to be able to influence and get his input. >> i think we have learned a lot from those campaigns, and we're

looking forward to this next step. >> robertson has a busy schedule ahead, and the tireless campaigner stands a good chance of seeing his dreams of scottish independence come true. >> just how they got their name remains a mystery. one theory says that in the middle ages, they were the ones who would tend to guests who were visiting nobles in castles. the position was called keeper of the candles, and the french translation there could have evolved into concierge. in any case, they are a cultural institution in france. once threatened with extinction, the profession today is still very much alive. >> this train bricklayer, having had enough of backbreaking work on building sites, he decided to become a concierge. the profession used to be

dominated by women, but that france's first school for concierges in paris, the new recruits are an eclectic mix. the first lesson -- cleaning. applicants learn how to use the tools of the trade. >> this is called the fed the duster technique. i am not bending down. i keep my upper body straight all the time. >> sweeping stairs, polishing the banisters, cleaning windows. week after week. but he is looking forward to it and already has experience. that everyone in the building is grateful. you often see right away when things are clean. everything looks wider and nicer, and the residents feel better. you really get phrase for it. it is a good job. >> portuguese-born marie already

works as a common shares. she took over her aunt's job. -- she already works as a concierge. >> some residents prefer to get their mail right away. i take it right to their door. i have been doing this job for 27 years. it is as if the building belonged to me. in a certain sense, it is my house. >> this resident asks her to hold on to a package she is expecting while she is away. no problem. there are no regular working hours. she is on call whenever she is needed. >> i have a little problem. there is a leaky pipe in my bathroom. it has been dropping for three or four days now. >> ok, i will call the plumber.

i cannot promise that he will come today, but i'm sure he will be there tomorrow. >> sometimes, she regrets that she never had any special training, but she is convinced that a concierge needs skills that cannot be learned in school. >> they introduce me to their boyfriends or girlfriends. we are like a big family here. that is why i like this job so much. it is not just about cleaning. >> she is old school. the new concierges have to master computer skills and take first aid courses. today, there are working together. she shows him around for a 35- square-meter living quarters. two rooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom. >> it is pretty spacious, but it

is not made for a big family. >> she brought up her two sons year while working day and night as concierge. but she has no complaints. then there is no real garden, but this little green corner is wonderful. this is where the kids played, learned to ride their bikes. it was great. >> he appears uneasy listening to everything that his senior colleague has to take care of. >> i'm interested in the job, but i want to do as an together with my girlfriend. it is to the advantage of the owners to employ a couple. there would always be someone there. but we have to find it big enough building for them to take both of us. and that at the beginning of the last century, there were 350,000

concierges in paris. today, there are only 1/10 of that number. many landlords believe they are an unnecessary luxury. dore coats instead of people now provide security in engines falls, for example, but the trainees learn that technology is no substitute for the human touch. >> the concierges are there if someone forgets their code. some also keep an eye on the exact time that people go in and out. dorcas cannot do that. -- dore codes cannot do that. >> matter michelle is perhaps the most famous in her profession. she knows exactly who comes and goes in her house, but she has a problem. she feels disadvantaged and uneducated, so she uses every three minutes she has to read and broaden her horizons.

this parisian newspaper has fought for almost a century for the rights of concierges. >> some residents treat the concierge like a slave, but concierges have rights. they have the right to sleep through the night without being constantly disturbed. >> the students are hearing about the balance of rights and duties in this job. >> the most important thing is communication. the concierges have to have a close relationship with the residents but must keep their distance. they have to be able to listen at the right time, but they must retain respect. >> he would like to work as a concierge in an up-market residents -- residence. >> i see a good future ahead of me. i imagine we will live here somewhere and not willing have children. then our children can discover paris.

a flat and a secure job -- that would be happiness. >> two months of schooling and then he can look for a job. for him, the concierge diploma is the ticket to a whole new world. >> that report wraps up this edition of "european journal." we hope you enjoyed the show and you will tune in again at the same time next week. remember that you can always get in touch with us. the address is europa@dw.de, or visit us on facebook. and you can always watch episodes on our facebook pete -- always watch episodes on our website. until next week, from all of us here in brussels, thanks very much for watching, and good bye for now. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org--