>> hello from brussels and a very warm welcome to "european journal." good to have you with us. here's a look at what is coming up in today's show -- back to basics. alternatives for unemployed spaniards. europe applauding -- a prestigious prize for lithuania's president. bulgarian's looking -- the backlash against anti- immigration blitz. when it comes to health spending, germany ranks high

compared to other countries. it spends an average of 3500 euros per capita per year. with the average german visiting the doctor 20 times per year, it seems to be something of a national pastime. people in neighboring poland can only dream of statistics like this. it is facing a serious shortage of doctors, forcing many to call the emergency services in non- emergency situations, and that is having serious implications. >> it is a typical morning in warsaw. this is where the state emergency medical services are coordinated. a fleet of 70 ambulances is waiting to be dispatched. so far, it has pretty -- has been pretty calm. just a few traffic accidents. the squad we are allowed to film gets its first call of the day. on the way, we hear that a child

has fallen from a swing. fortunately, it is not serious. and so it goes for the next few hours. again and again, we encounter with the paramedics call helpless drunk people. they tried to avoid picking them up for fear they will, in ambulance, putting them out of service for at least 12 hours. -- for fear they will vomit in the ambulance, putting them out of service for least 12 hours. only one out of four calls turns out to be any emergency. >> we drive like mad to save lives, and when we get there, the supposedly unconscious person is walking around all jolly and fine. he called us because he did not manage to get to the doctor. >> it is hard to get a doctor's appointment. our health system in poland is not working. we cannot get a hold of a doctor on night or on weekends, and you have to wait months for an

appointment. >> said the quickest way is to call the emergency services. and everyone knows this, so when people call dispatchers for less than serious situations, it is just viewed as a trivial offense. >> the head of poland's medical association blames the situation on failed health-care policies. he says they remind him of the communist era. >> poland has changed in the past 20 years -- for the good, of course. no one denies that, but the health care system is getting worse and worse. it is the last enclave of the socialist system. it cannot go on like this. >> the situation was highlighted in march when help came two -- to late for two-year-old dominican. ambulances decided it was not necessary to send and ambulance to her parents call, and she

died of a viral infection. there's a shortage of doctors throughout the country such as here in this children's hospital. the chief anesthesiologists is 70 years old, and she considers it normal to still be working full time. she claims she has to because she does not want to end up living in poverty. >> my husband is dead, and i'm on my own. my pension is not enough for me to pay the rent and live a normal life. it is far too small. >> the doctor has been working for 40 years. she says her work keeps her young, but when we asked if there is a successor in sight to care for the premature babies, she just shrugs. >> no, that is another problem. there are no young house - inwe.

for years, we cannot even find anyone to care for the babies. it has always been like this. >> her call at warsaw -- her colleague agrees. he is already past his 70th birthday still working 10 hours a day. he also claims his pension is too small and that he wants to keep on working for the well- being of his patients, too. he tells us all the doctors are more experienced, more empathetic, and more knowledgeable. we ask him about a possible successor. >> i'm ashamed to say this -- we don't have a replacement. there are fewer and fewer of us. young people are leaving and hospitals are forced to hire pensioners. >> on his ward, we see only a few young faces. most of poland's young doctors are working in german or british hospitals. this infuriates him immensely.

>> it is so unfair. we train the young doctors for free. they did not pay for their education, and then they leave and find positions abroad when they should be staying in poland. it is very frustrating. i understand their economic reasons -- they earn a lot more abroad -- but i resent it. life is so brittle. >> to hear more about the current situation, we meet up with medical students at an oncology ward at the university hospital. all three are finishing their studies this year. what they tell us confirms fears -- all the students plan to go abroad. some already have contracts. and the foreign language is not a problem. >> i studied in hanover for a year, and i learned german there.

>> of course, it is about the money. i want to have a family and i do not want to have to struggle financially. i'm going to study there to make a better life. that is easier in germany than in poland. here i would have to work much harder. >> i'm going to germany for my specialization. i will get a top-quality education and become a neurologist there. we will see what happens after that. >> just as we finished filming in warsaw, the emergency dispatchers called out a major alarm. ambulances the speeding to the site of a big road accident. paramedics and doctors have their hands full. luckily, they have arrived on time, but in poland these days, that is not a given period of all european countries, only albania currently has fewer doctors per capita. 1/3 of doctors here are over 60.

if that all retired now, the country's health-care system would break down completely. >> necessity is the mother of invention, goes the saying, and that applies especially in times of economic crisis. we visited journalists who grus felt for an income. female students who donated their eggs for money, and entire communities that turned to canada's growing. in spain in particular it seems no solution is too far-fetched. >> in spain, severe unemployment is forcing many people to rethink their careers, and a growing number of spaniards are turning back to the land. in andalusia, one of the world's oldest professions is undergoing a real renaissance. >> antonio has an important

lesson. he is going to initiate her into the mysteries of milking sheet. she is a qualified veterinarian, but now she is training to become a shepherd. for several months, he has been her teacher. the shepherding course in southern spain includes such juicy bits of ovine science as what else to use on which sheep and how to keep the flock together by hurling stones. >> i think it is great to spend the day out in nature with the animals. that is a far more relaxed life. i feel better when i get up in the morning. >> we do not want this tradition to get lost, and it is good to know that there are young people who want to pursue this wonderful profession in the future as well. >> after the sheep are all milk, they are driven out to pasture, and the day begins.

the shepherding school opened three years ago in the mountain village. it is financed by the european union. there's no shortage of applicants, but only 20 are accepted for each course. many of spain's out of work young people see it as an opportunity. qualified masons, mechanics, and college graduates sit together here learning the art of shepherding. the course takes six months. >> as a shepherd, i am in my own boss and in control of my time. >> it is an enormous change for me, but it will be a far more peaceful life. >> during the course, syria and practice alternate. early in the evening, they practice shearing sheep. each trainee has a turn.

as a veterinarian, 28-year old begonia has some experience with animals but not necessarily with handling the shears. >> it is much harder than it looks, but that is often how it is with theory and practice. >> one of the organizers said this course presented a real alternative for the trainees. you end up working as your own boss. you do not have to depend on anyone else, and everything you earn, you keep for yourself. >> the beauty of the nature reserve is impressive, and the shepherds are helping to maintain a centuries-old balance and culture. in the middle of the reserve, we encounter a herd of goats and a married couple. they have built up an extensive livestock operation in the solitude of the surrounding mountains. they discuss their project with the reserve director.

gaspard used to work as an electrician, but then he lost his job. >> i really enjoy living up here. partly, of course, because there's no other work to be had. at least i've got an income here. >> going from electrician to go heard -- that is part of spain's current professional reality -- going from electrician to go to her -- goat herder. she says that all across southern europe, the trend is to give back to the land. >> i think the crisis has made people realize again that it is the development of rural areas that has to be encouraged in spain. >> the next unit is cheese production. that is essential to spain's

shepherds. producing and selling goat cheese is how they earn their money. the cheese from each producer should have its own unique taste, and the trainees have to learn ways to market their products as profitably as they can without going through distributors. begovia's dream is to become a shepherd and make and sell her own cheese. >> sometimes dreams come true, but there are always problems. you need land and subsidies, but it is still my dream. >> at one time, the people of andalusia move from the country to the cities in search of better lives. now it is the other way round. >> some become shepherds. others set up shops where you

can barter rather than pay with money. we have collected some of the most creative ideas for tackling the euro crisis for you from countries such as spain, ireland, and greece. take a look online at dw.de/ planbenglish. one of england's most prestigious prizes, the charlemagne prize, takes its name from charles the great. the award is presented to individuals who promote european unity. this year, the prize goes to a woman being honored for her exceptional endeavors for deeper integration in the european union and for finding solutions for the current crisis. >> of the lithuanian president is used to making appearances on the international stage. those who know the president well say she particularly enjoys this part of her job. at a recent conference in oslo,

participants discussed the european financial crisis. she explains how lithuania's economy has held up so far. >> lithuania already in 2011, 2012 started to grow by 5%, 6%, and this year, we expect more than 3% growth. >> the financial crisis hit lithuania later and harder than most other countries. in response, the government cut its budget and was thus able to pull itself out of the financial crisis without international financial aid. >> the average cut on wages was about 20% 30 of we will years. 20%. average of pension cuts -- 5%. >> the average cut on wages was about 20% for two years.

>> not long after lithuania declared its independence from the soviet union, she completed her university studies. she is a political economist by training. later, she worked at two lithuanian government ministries, international economic relations and foreign affairs. she served as lithuanians finance minister and then made the move to european politics. in 2004, she was appointed e. you commissioner for financial programming and the budget. she is said to be a tough negotiator, especially when it comes to defending her country's interests against those of more powerful european union members. >> she believes that since lithuania is an eu member state, it must carry out the new policies to the letter -- it must carry out eu policies to the letter. she wants her country to be the star pupil. >> the author of two biographies

of the president believes her leadership abilities leave something to be desired. and you have got to take a look at her personal history. she started out as a bureaucrat. a government administrator. her primary concern is to follow the rules to the letter. but good politicians need imagination. they should also be independent and able to think strategically. >> in 2009, as the effects of the european financial crisis were being felt across the continent, she returned to lithuania to run for president. it was a nasty campaign. for example, she was accused of being a kgb agent. the yellow press claimed that she was a lesbian. the candidate denied the allegations. despite all this, she went ono e

and became lithuania's first female president. >> her campaign platform, although it was short on specifics, was based on a clear political vision -- the fight against corruption, the oligarchs, and the underground economy. that was the centerpiece of her platform. she believed that if she could stand up corruption, she would make a name for herself as president. >> after the election, she supported the government's efforts to cut the federal budget. lithuania's economy recovered and is growing quickly. for her efforts, she was awarded this year's charlemagne prize. >> it is prize not for me, really. it is prized for my people for handling and for patients to handle this situation. economic difficulties which we had during last few years.

it is also respect for the entire baltic region. all three countries suffered. >> she is an ardent supporter of european unity. most analysts agree that the charlemagne prize was one of the highlights of her career. >> the european union plays an important role in her plans for the future. her presidency is just one point in her political career. she wants to return to brussels, preferably in a senior post. >> if that happens, she will be able to look forward to more of these appearances on a larger stage. emma the streets in england are paved with gold -- that is what clever jamaican shipping agent told potential clients some 60 years ago to lure them onto a ship heading from the british isles. sense, hundreds of thousands of

people from all corners of the world have migrated to britain. from january next year, bulgarians and romanians will be allowed to settle anywhere they want in the eu. experts doubt they will be heading for britain, but talk of a british campaign aimed at putting off bulgarians has sparked an indignant response. >> a publicity campaign expounds the horrors of living in britain. the streets there are not paved with gold. they run deep with rain and slush, and every time a snowflake falls, the nation breaks down. it might look like fun, but it is not. this video was just a satire in the british media, but the idea of turning bulgarians' sour on the uk was seriously discussed in british government circles. most bulgarians just are not

that gullible. >> this video just makes me laugh. i have lived abroad, and i have that many of my countrymen there. they are all well-trained specialists, and they all pay their taxes regularly. very few of them wanted to stay permanently. them that are part of a group of artists. they promptly came back with a snappy digital answer. of course bulgaria's streets are paved with gold. our soccer players win and women are prettier, and black sea beaches put the north sea in the shade. the brits we truly admire our shakespeare, james bond, and all the ones who bought houses in bulgaria. in fact, tens of thousands of brits have bought houses in

the european union in 2007. for example, some 2000 britons bought property in the picturesque medieval capital in the balkan mountains. among them is real estate agent philip clayton. he moved here from london seven years ago. >> i think there is a lot of xenophobic rhetoric with regards to the bulgarians coming over to the u.k., and speaking from personal experience, they go over there on seasonal jobs, and many ino do not particularly want to go to the u.k. apart from maybe and holiday like anybody else would. look at it. just look. this does not represent what they have shown on british tv. i'm somewhat angry by these remarks. >> clayton fell in love with the

many old houses and castles in the region. many of his countrymen have since followed. >> to develop new business lines in bulgaria. the thoughts and the river. it is that time of the year. it is our home. it is our home in deed. >> two years ago, philip clayton's wife joined him, and now she, too, has fallen in love with bulgaria and the bulgarians. >> the local people are very friendly here and very helpful. they are more family oriented than in london. >> they quickly made bulgarian friends. >> my goal for some experience

to spend some time there, may be six months. and then they'll come back. i think it will come back. >> the grass will not be greener? >> no. >> hardly anyone here believes but will face a wave of immigration like it did in poland in 2004. bulgarians and romanians will have 26 eu member states to choose from. >> in times of economic problems which we have now, it is easily -- easier to throw the spotlight on someone else. they see romania and bulgaria as easy targets. >> why can the rumanians not work? why can they not work and live and eat the same as the polish, the hungarians who live here? >> the ministry of labor and social policy agrees.

>> our recommendation as a government is that freedom of movement is one of the core freedoms on which the european union is based. so we think that bulgarian citizens should be able to exercise this right. >> not many europeans are aware of bulgaria's true riches. they are proud of landmarks and resent britain's suggesting that all bulgarians want is to flee their country. >> i think the whole debate is a little overblown. i'm aware that our country has big problems, but that does not mean we can be treated like that. >> for the two artists, this was another case with pictures speak at thousand words. five years after bulgaria joined the eu, europeans are finally discovering its natural and historic duty.

>> about time, too. it is time to go out. thanks very much for watching. until next time, auf wiedersehen and bye for now. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org--

hello, you're watching "newsline." i'm shery ahn. here's a look at some of the stories we're following this hour. comments by the mayor of osaka on so-called comfort women have upset people in and out of japan. a japanese envoy in pyongyang has received words of praise from north korea's second highest ranking government official. and as rent and housing pr