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Leitner, Karin,
2 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.
Opposition to state's data snoops
As a result of pressure from the US, data on the telephone, Internet and email connections of all EU citizens is to be stored for at least six months. But opposition to this data snooping is growing, the daily Kurier writes: "Even EU bigwigs are now beginning to doubt that the data storage is the cleverest solution. Commissioner Neelie Kroes argues that it would not be passed in its present form today. Critics see this as a chance to prevent the state from snooping data. They also hope the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights (Article 8: 'Protection of personal data) enshrined in the Reform Treaty will hinder the measure. ... Perhaps because of the growing opposition people in Brussels are starting to reflect on whether the balance between the right to privacy and the 'public interest in security' is right. Citizens should be protected from terrorists, but they shouldn't be treated like potential terrorist suspects."
» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Europe, » U.S.
Free access to universities a chimera
With an eye to the most recent student protests in Austria the daily Der Kurier calls on the government to take a clear stand: "Those in power cannot continue to muddle through on this issue, they must state their position. If they want everyone to be able to study what they want, they will have to cough up the necessary money. Since they don't have it, other tactics are required: limited access (to massively attended subjects) and/or fees (with grants for the needy). The [conservative] Austrian People's Party has no problems with this, but the Social Democratic Party of Austria can't go along with it for ideological reasons. Since [Bruno] Kreisky [Austrian Chancellor from 1970 - 1983] it has stood staunchly for free access to university. That sounds all very well and good, but it's a chimera. Social selection doesn't take place with access to universities, but long beforehand. And fewer workers' children complete their university studies in Austria than in England, where there are fees and other obstacles to entry."
» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » Austria
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