"The proposal by Malta for member states [made by Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg] to share the burden, when illegal immigrants are saved in international and third country search and rescue (SAR) waters, received a lukewarm response by EU Justice Ministers yesterday", notes the daily. " [Borg] proposed an agreement among EU member states, whereby illegal immigrants saved at sea by EU-registered vessels in the SAR region of a non-EU state that refuses to shoulder its responsibilities, would be shared by EU member states on a strictly proportional basis and according to a pre-accepted system. He also proposed that ... the number of immigrants so received would be deducted from the immigrants/refugees quota a receiving EU country might have agreed with the UNHCR [the UN refugee agency]." (13/06/2007)

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All available articles from » Andrea Camilleri

"The EU seems set on slowing down the flow of illegal immigrants by reinforcing border control, but mostly by demanding greater cultural and social integration of the foreign community as well as by making it more difficult to obtain residence permits and request naturalisation", explains the daily. It has drawn up a list of reforms applied to this end in France, Germany and the UK. "The EU has not, however, accepted Malta's request to create a system that distributes the immigrants saved at sea among Member States. Harshly affected by illegal immigrants, Spain is one of the rare countries to understand this initiative. But seeing as the 27 have not reached an agreement, it would be preferable for the Valetta government to imitate Madrid's policy, negotiating the repatriation of immigrants with the African countries they come from." (13/06/2007)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Migration, » Spain, » Malta, » Europe

The German daily harshly criticises Europe's refugee policy: "Europe has closed its doors. The number of applications for asylum in the EU has gone down to a third of what it was ten years ago; in Germany the number of asylum seekers hasn't been this low since 1984. Far away from Berlin, refugees are washed up on the coast of Andalusia, dead or alive. And boats full of people half-dead from thirst float in the waters around Malta... The motto of the EU's refugee policy is: out of sight, out of mind. Those refugees from Africa who do manage to survive often don't get any further than Malta. But the states of Central Europe won't even think about setting quotas for the distribution of these refugees to spread the burden more equally. A proposal for such a policy has just been flatly refused. Malta is on its own." (13/06/2007)

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In an essay the German filmmaker Wim Wenders reflects on Europe and its need to be inspired by art. He writes: "After a (probably necessary) period which is now drawing to an end and during which the economy took primacy over all else, Europe now needs to develop a new utopia! That means upholding social justice, preserving peace and freedom, respect for human rights and battling against the ills of our sick planet. But in the coming age all this cannot be achieved by political and economic means alone. To succeed in the eyes of the Europeans themselves Europe must now define itself through its very essence: the wonderful, chaotic, unique diversity of its culture!" (13/06/2007)

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More from the press review on the subject » Film, » Fine Arts, » Literature, » Europe
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The columnist Xavier Zeegers denounces the desire to accumulate cultural knowledge. "We are all confronted with this dilemma: the more we know, the more we want to know, and the more we strive, the more in vain our efforts feel, like an ever receding horizon. ... The right reaction might be to stop running after culture like a dog after a car, to stop and set ourselves reasonable objectives, maybe even stop idealising. Perhaps it is only an art of amenity after all. Has it been proven, beyond conventional consensus, that culture is really that beacon that sheds light on the world's obscurity, leading the way forward ? Are all forms of books, shows and artistic creation really barrages against barbarity ? Come, come! Germany was the most educated country, the most enamoured with culture. And that didn't prevented anything at all. .. 'Culture for what ? Culture for making us what 'we' are, is what the poet Paul Valéry used to say, 'quite simply', I might add." (13/06/2007)

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More from the press review on the subject » Literature, » Stage, » Cultural Policy, » Global
All available articles from » Xavier Zeegers

According to a recent survey, "there is only 17 % of Swiss people left who think that the country should become a full member of the EU", regrets the columnist Chantal Tauxe. And yet, "with the bilateral agreements, Switzerland has got itself a non declared status as a passive EU member. We stick to the EU's rights when it suits us, which is nearly always since the economy is our only compass. We register what the EU decides in our laws, as if it were the fruit of our own genius, feigning to be unaware of its origins. Granted, the dues we pay are less high than if we were members. But we don't decide on anything. We don't propose anything. We are happy to position ourselves like gnomes in the political garden. All this while claiming to have much to teach the EU and the world about democracy, the respect of minorities and human rights..." (07/06/2007)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » Domestic Policy, » Switzerland, » Europe
All available articles from » Chantal Tauxe

The Romanian historian, Vladimir Tismaneanu, who once headed a commission of historians entrusted with clearing up the crimes of Romanian communism, received a death threat early this month. Tismaneanu now lives in the US. In an interview he explains that certain details of the threatening letter, which he says is written in the characteristic style of the former Securitate secret service, point to the far-right party 'Romania Mare' being the author. "Several times I have been harshly attacked in the Romanian press, and I have received emails containing offensive anti-Semitic language, but none of them was as violent in its style as this most recent death threat... Over the past 25 years I have never once succumbed to repression... But I left Romania because the false lies hurt me." (13/06/2007)

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More from the press review on the subject » History, » Romania
All available articles from » Ovidiu Simonca

In France, the environmentalist Nicolas Hulot has been able to convince politicians of the need to appoint a "super minister" who watches over the effects of policies on the environment. Hungarian sociologist Gábor Erőss observes with envy the 'ecological pact' which has been signed, among others, by Nicolas Sarkozy. "As far as environmental policy is concerned there is still an iron curtain in Europe, although all Europeans are directly affected by climate change. One exception is the Czech Republic, where the Greens are part of the governing coalition... The Hungarian government will soon realise that in the 2010 elections voters who won't be satisfied with a month's extra pension and modernisation for the sake of modernisation and an infrastructure of steel and cement will be a factor for the first time. These new, self-assured voters are city dwellers: intellectuals, pensioners who stand around in queues for overcrowded buses and students who want to ride bikes safely." (13/06/2007)

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All available articles from » Gábor Erőss

The newspaper comments on the right-wing populist Danish People's Party's prediction that the Swedish social system will soon collapse under the pressure of the many refugees, so that soon Swedish "social refugees" will be arriving in Denmark. "From the Danish perspective it's obvious that the Swedes, with their high number of immigrants - at present they hold the European record as far as taking in Iraqis is concerned - face a major challenge over the coming years... The Swedish head of government has warned of the dangers of a two-third society in which immigrants account for one third of the population and form a parallel society... At the same time, the [right-wing populist] Swedish democrats were very successful in the last elections in Schonen. Let's see if the Swedes aren't soon having discussions about where the border lies." (13/06/2007)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Denmark

Banaz Mahmod, a young Kurdish woman, was killed by her family last year in England for having fallen in love with a man belonging to another Kurdish community. On monday, her father was found guilty of ordering the murder. "Honour killings are on the increase here and in Europe",notes the journalist Jan Moir. "A woman's honour can be regarded as a family commodity, something that confers status and respect. On the menfolk, of course. Not her. According to the Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation (IKWRO) ... Muslim Kurdish women, within the confines of their own society, have no human rights at all, not even the right to live. ... Many have paid with their lives for falling in love with someone forbidden to them, or for seeking a divorce, or any number of things believed to bring shame on their families. It seems incredible that some of this abuse happens on British soil to British citizens ... ." (13/06/2007)

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All available articles from » Jan Moir

In a recent meeting of European finance ministers, Luxemburg opposed a reform of VAT on electronic services. Jean-Claude Juncker, Luxemburg's prime Minister and Minister of Finance, hopes in so doing to protect his country which has attracted big America companies like AOL, Apple and Skype thanks to its low VAT rates. "This is a political veto that for the time being is leaving room for negotiations that could be finalised under the Portuguese presidency [of the EU between July and December 2007]", explains Jacques Hillon. "The situation is therefore not completely blocked, but unusual in a country like Luxemburg. But after all, that's the way Europe functions, moving from more or less big blockages to compromises .This is not necessarily the fastest route, but if is is possible for a big coutnry to question what has been adopted by a majority of other Member States, it is logical that a little country should also defend its own interests." (07/06/2007)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Fiscal Policy, » Labour market / Services, » Tax Policy, » Luxembourg

June 12 has been declared a day of remembrance in honour of the victims of communism in the US. Yesterday, the foundation stone for a memorial site was laid in Washington. Wessela Ilieva criticises the fact that this initiative is not the work of the UN or Europe, but a foundation in Washington. "The feeling that, wherever you go in your home country, you're treading on a mass grave, is painful. At the same time you would think you were walking among the dead today when you sense the cool indifference of the living towards a historical truth which is only two decades in the past. This poses the question of how one should talk of communism, of the perpetrators and the victims. The question 'how ?' no doubt has more than one answer. But there's only one answer to the original, fundamental question of whether we should talk about it: absolutely." (13/06/2007)

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All available articles from » Wessela Iliewa

June 14, 1941 will be commemorated in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania tomorrow. On that day tens of thousands of citizens of the Soviet Union were loaded into cattle trucks and deported to Siberia. The cornerstone ceremony for a memorial to the victims of communism in Washington prompts the newspaper to call for the erection of a similar site in Estonia. "Tomorrow is once again the day of mourning on which we remember the victims of June 14 - but where can we lay flowers for the tens of thousands of innocent people ? The Russians have their bronze statue, which even the Estonian prime minister has visited. The Jews also have their own memorial, but not the Estonians. Where can we commemorate the citizens of our city who were killed during the bombings, the partisans and the refugees who drowned in the Baltic Sea ?" (13/06/2007)

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More from the press review on the subject » Religion, » History, » Weltanschauung, » Estonia

Philipp Meier had a look at the Art Basel art fair and came to the following conclusion: "Discoveries are becoming increasingly rare; commerce is king and the blue chips of the market change hands here. The 300 or so gallery stands have plenty of marketable and expensive art on offer - most of it tailor-made for private living spaces. The exhibitors have relegated the experiments to the Art Unlimited sections, together with the bulkier pieces and the latest statements in art. This is the first time that such works have been brought together in one hall... Those whose tempers are boiling after the bustle of the fair can seek refuge here and mull over the resale value of their art trophies while contemplating a gigantic endless loop with the title 'Forever and Ever' by Mark Wallinger." (13/06/2007)

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More from the press review on the subject » Exhibitions / Museums, » Fine Arts, » Switzerland
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The journalist Peter Wilby responds to a speech Tony Blair gave to the Reuters Institute on Tuesday, June 12th. "Blair grossly underestimates the role of politicians in changing political coverage. His speech yesterday was a rarity: it wasn't trailed in advance. But consider how often you see stories saying that a minister 'is expected to say today'. This is a recent development ... Once important announcements had to be presented first to parliament (or at least the cabinet) and were jealously guarded until then. Leaking gives ministers substantial advantages. They can leak partially. They can leak to selected journalists, who may be deemed trustworthy or just grateful for a story. ... They can leak before potential critics have a chance to give a more informed verdict. ... The difficulty with Blair's speech is one of chicken and egg. Did the pressures of 24-hour news come first, or the politicians' more manipulative approach to supplying news ?" (13/06/2007)

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More from the press review on the subject » Audiovisual Media, » Print media, » Online media, » United Kingdom
All available articles from » Peter Wilby

'Marcha real', Spain's national anthem, is not sung. Several political parties want to remedy this situation by adding lyrics to the tune, an initiative supported by numerous Spanish sportsmen [and women] who can no longer bear to stay mute. For the professor of law Jorge Esteban, "A national anthem without lyrics is a national aberration. Not only because in today's world some 200 countries on the planet have lyrics to sing, but because a hymn without lyrics is like a car without petrol: there is no point in it existing. But now we have to deal with the delicate question of which lyrics we need for the half-hymn to become a whole. ... If political parties manage this initiative, they will never agree, as has been proved in the past. And this is why it seems to me that giving the Olympic committee the task of writing the lyrics is a good idea." (11/06/2007)

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All available articles from » Jorge de Esteban