The creditors are demanding that Athens draw up a list of the labour market and tax reforms that have yet to be enacted for the country to receive further loans. But the politicians are not willing to introduce reforms, which means that the fate of the country is sealed, writes the left-liberal daily La Repubblica: "Greece is turning once again into a walking menace for the financial markets. After a relatively positive week on Europe's stock markets the Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos has turned up with almost empty hands. The credit negotiations will continue but owing to the lack of domestic unity in Greece things do not bode well for them. If the negotiating parties haven't reached an agreement by February 13 the insolvency of Greece will be a fact and national bankruptcy inevitable." (06/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Fiscal Policy, » Greece
All available articles from » Valentina Conte
Who's saying what » Greece in dire straits, » Ways out of the debt crisis

Government leader Lucas Papademos aims to secure domestic support for the additional austerity measures that the Troika is demanding from Athens today. The business paper Imerisia finds the pressure from Europe unbearable: "Will we allow these hard, unfeeling, unhistorically-minded technocrats to open fire on Greek society and prompt a rebellion? Because what the troika really wants is to incite us to reject the new loan instalment, forcing the country into insolvency. ... These people are dangerous, not just for Greece but for all of Europe, because as Deutsche Bank CEO Josef Ackermann and other serious economics have stressed: if Greece collapses, all of Europe is in danger. ... For that reason Merkel, Sarkozy and Juncker should stop threatening us in this shameless way - which is being met with increasing resentment by a growing number of citizens. Together with the Greek government the trio should seriously look for an advantageous solution for Europe and Greece." (05/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Fiscal Policy, » Greece, » Europe, » Global
All available articles from » Thanasis Lirtsogiannis
Who's saying what » Greece in dire straits, » Ways out of the debt crisis

Greece should not under any circumstances be allowed to plunge into a disorderly insolvency, writes the business paper De Tijd: "Europe itself is pursuing a hopeless course because it is relying on a one-sided recipe that doesn't work. Therefore Europe's leaders should assume responsibility and place the country under close supervision while at the same time providing help to avoid the present hopeless situation from further deteriorating. But is there the will to do this? One may surely doubt it. ... Even if Greece approves the reforms it won't solve the debt problem but merely postpone it. The stakes are high in the gambling over Greece right now. But it's questionable whether all the parties truly realise what is at risk. It won't be just Greece's future that is at stake if the country can't service its debts in March, but that of the entire Eurozone." (06/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Fiscal Policy, » Greece
All available articles from » Jean Vanempten
Who's saying what » Greece in dire straits, » Ways out of the debt crisis

Russia and China opposed a resolution on Saturday in the UN Security Council meant to end the bloody suppression of the Syrian opposition and bring about the resignation of dictator Bashar al-Assad. With this strategy reminiscent of the Cold War era Russia is merely trying to regain its lost power, the conservative daily Le Figaro affirms: "Russia and China are exposing themselves to the criticism that they care more about defending authoritarian regimes than for these countries' populations or their desire for freedom. The Kremlin's alliance with the Syrian regime is a legacy from Soviet times. By aiding the foundering dictatorship, Moscow hopes to secure weapons sales to ensure its warships' access to the Mediterranean harbour of Tartus and to counter Western influence in the Middle East. But such Cold War logic will hardly help Russia regain its superpower status." (05/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Russia, » Global, » China, » Syria
All available articles from » Pierre Rousselin

Tens of thousands of Russians gathered in Moscow and St. Petersburg on Saturday to demonstrate against Vladimir Putin. The presidential election on March 4 could see Putin sorely disappointed, writes the left-liberal daily El País: "The huge protests probably still won't prevent Putin from being elected Russian president for the third time. The opposition is not a coherent political force and lacks a national leader. Moreover the current prime minister is still the most popular politician, even with 20 percentage points less in the polls than he had at the end of 2010. He has been able to do as he pleased over the past 12 years, but now his position is weaker. He knows that the presidential elections - which can no longer be rigged so easily - will be an acid test of his popularity. If a second round is necessary because he falls short of the 50 percent he needs that would be an unprecedented humiliation for the man who won landslide victories the previous two times." (06/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Social movements, » Elections, » Russia

The conservative politician Sauli Niinistö was voted Finnish president in the second round of the presidential elections on Sunday. The liberal daily Turun Sanomat says the conditions for good cooperation with the government are optimal: "In Niinistö Finland has a president whom the citizens can accept unreservedly, independently of which of the original eight candidates they voted for. Niinistö is starting out in a better position than many of his predecessors and conditions are optimal for realising his goal of strengthening Finnish society. ... Niinistö did not accept the reduction in presidential powers unconditionally. Yet during his election campaign he stressed how important it was for the president to support and cooperate with the country's government. So from an outsider perspective at least, the prerequisites for cooperation seem optimal. The government is led by a prime minister who, like the president, belongs to the National Coalition Party." (06/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Elections, » Politics, » Finland

The Middle East has still not calmed down since the launch of the freedom movement last year. But it took other democracies up to 200 years to stabilise themselves, Richard Herzinger writes consolingly in the conservative Welt am Sonntag: "Nevertheless it is worth remembering that revolutionary upheavals like those which have gripped the Middle East generally tend to result in many decades of bloody confusion, terrible mistakes and cruel wars. Yet the central problem posed by revolutions has always been how to rein in the violence they generate and curtail it through institutions. The American Revolution was to a certain extent exemplary in achieving this while the terrorism of the French Revolution initially got out of hand - not to mention the Russian Revolution. In total 200 years passed before democracy was firmly established in the Western world. Remembering to think along the long lines of history can at least help us not to despair at the current atrocities unfolding in the Middle East - and to focus on doggedly fighting the worst inhumanities instead of hankering after visions of an ideal democratic future." (05/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » History, » Human rights, » Libya, » Egypt, » Syria
All available articles from » Richard Herzinger
Who's saying what » Arabs fight for freedom

The Hungarian airline Malév stopped operating on Friday after 66 years because it could no longer pay its outstanding bills. The conservative daily Magyar Nemzet blames the bankruptcy on the left-liberal governments: "Malév is the first major state-run transport company that the government could no longer save in the midst of the economic and financial crisis and while observing EU rules. The Malév bankruptcy is a portent for Budapest's financially struggling transport companies, the state-run bus company Volán and the Hungarian national railway network. ... What is the actual cause of the bankruptcy? The practice since the collapse of communism of reducing the major state-owned companies to cemeteries for members of the cadre, free hunting grounds and bountiful sources of money for the parties. ... Under the socialist and liberal governments the state-owned companies could be plundered on a grand scale as long as the state kept forking out billions for their continued operation." (04/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Corporations, » Economy, » Hungary
All available articles from » Gyula Jámbor

Italy's Prime Minister Mario Monti last Wednesday called on Italy's younger generation to get used to the idea of not having one steady job their whole lives. But this means they will have no long-term security, the online business paper Dinheiro Vivo stresses: "Last week he caused an uproar in Italy with the words: 'What a boring prospect it is to spend your whole life doing one job. It is good to change and face new challenges.' Monti, a strict technocrat, had one underlying message with these words: don't expect the state to give you what it gave your parents. ... The statement was greeted by a chorus of grumbling. Children, parents and grandparents all voiced their disapproval - the former because they're unemployed and want stability, the others because they have stability and don't want to give it up. The social networks exploded with comments on the topic. But aside from the numerous verbal excesses, some people made the very valid point: 'Yes, it's boring to work at the same job all your life, but banks like boring people when they grant loans." (05/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Labour market, » Italy
Who's saying what » Ways out of the debt crisis

The British are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne. She is at the height of her popularity now, writes the liberal-conservative daily The Times: "Like most monarchs, the Queen has seen her popularity rise and fall, as deference has given way to respect, myths and mystery have been dispelled, publicity has taken its toll on privacy and changing social mores have questioned and sometimes rejected the institution of monarchy itself. She has maintained her composure, dignity and authority throughout these vicissitudes. And she has arrived at a point now, at the age of 85, where her personal standing and popularity have rarely been higher. There is a sense throughout the country, among people of all ages, faiths and ethnic groups, and also in her cherished Commonwealth, that the Queen has served the nation well. And as she begins the 61st year of her reign, there is a sense of expectation, indeed excitement, that this jubilee will be celebrated with an exuberance not seen in Britain for more than a century." (06/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » United Kingdom

The Netherlands has been gripped by ice skating fever. For the first time in 15 years the Elfstedentocht (Eleven Cities Tour), the world's longest ice-skating marathon on natural ice, could take place again this week. The 200-kilometre tour around the eleven Frisian cities is causing a little too much excitement, the Christian-social daily Trouw believes: "In the winter, when everything looks dead, nature helps us to believe that not everything has come to an end. ... The ice skaters who glide through the landscape demonstrate that they are in control of life and death. Then we organise festivals on the ice. We challenge the ice by trampling on it in unison. It is so typical of our culture that after one day of frost people immediately start talking about the Eleven Cities Tour. Our culture revolves around immediate gratification. We want everything, and we want it now. The Eleven Cities Tour is no longer a celebration of victory at the end of a harsh winter but an orgy to which we are entitled - or so we believe." (06/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Society, » Netherlands
All available articles from » Jan van Dijk

Several employees of a Lithuanian authority were caught partying wildly in a drunken state during working hours on Thursday. Alcoholism is widespread among bureaucrats and is eating away at the state, the daily Vilniaus Diena writes: "One may well be surprised at the combination of drinking and democracy, but not in the case of bureaucrats with their butts stuck to their seats. ... Institutional alcohol consumption is a glaring problem here in Lithuania but for decades there have been efforts to hide the fact. Parties are more important here than working, among other things because the work of most bureaucrats is basically superfluous. So we don't even notice when they don't do their work properly. Civil servants mostly don't work for people directly but simply fulfil the tasks of other bureaucrats and institutions. Over the years a kind of bureaucratic conscience has developed. Nowadays the individual interests and rituals of the bureaucrats are more important than the state itself, which has wallowed for so long in democratic cynicism." (06/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Health and Medicine, » Lithuania
All available articles from » Saulius Pocius

According to the most recent census, Romania has lost more than a tenth of its population in the past ten years. The shrinkage is due not only to the declining birthrate but also to massive emigration, writes the daily Adevărul: "Those who emigrated have nevertheless been present the whole time, because they've sent back huge sums of money. With these funds millions of Romanians have been able to escape abject poverty, and a whole generation of children has been able to go to school under reasonable conditions. And in many villages flush toilets were installed for the first time - a huge improvement. ... But we shouldn't cede to the illusion that many of these emigrants will come back home to stimulate the economy. Because they've settled down elsewhere, not just because of the salaries but also because of the schools for their children, the hospials and streets - everything which is important for a good life, that is. ... The fact is that Romania is simply not a pleasant place to live right now. It's up to us to make it one." (06/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Demographics, » Society, » Romania
All available articles from » Ovidiu Nahoi

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Friday put off signing the Anti-Counterfeit Trading Agreement Acta and invited anti-Acta activists to a meeting on Monday. The liberal daily Gazeta Wyborcza sees the invitation as an expression of weak leadership: "With this move the prime minister has put his authority on the line. Because either he made a premature decision when he signed Acta or he has changed his mind since then and let himself be influenced by the protests on the street. That's a bad sign for a government that plans to introduce reforms - including a raise in the retirement age for men and women. This is an economically and demographically difficult but necessary reform. Not only the opposition but also part of the general public is against it. The national conservative Law and Justice party PiS and the Solidarność union are even demanding a referendum on the issue, the results of which would certainly be negative for the government." (06/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Online media, » Social movements, » Poland
All available articles from » Krystyna Naszkowska

The foreign affairs committee of the Latvian parliament, the Saeima, discussed with experts last Wednesday the international Anti-Counterfeit Trade Agreement (Acta) with which states hope to combat pirate products and copyright infringements. The liberal daily Diena finds the legislation too rigid and out of touch with reality: "One would like to believe that those who claim that all the fuss about Acta is exaggerated and that it won't affect citizens' lives in any way are right. Notwithstanding that, it is possible that these people are overlooking the fact that we infringe copyrights every day without even realising it. We're not talking about the downloading of films here but for example passing on emails without the author being informed. Therefore we should not be working on developing a new repressive mechanism but on producing a fundamental revision of the copyright concept that is more in accordance with reality." (04/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Consumers, » Economic Policy, » Services, » Latvia