The fact that the Greek party leaders still haven't reached complete agreement on the austerity package prompts the business paper Cinco Días to compare the country with a stubborn patient: "The situation in Greece brings to mind a patient who has been diagnosed by the doctors and urgently prescribed a course of treatment. They explain to the patient what will happen if he doesn't take the medicine or refuses to undergo an operation, but the patient still won't be hurried into anything and insists on taking time to make his own decision about what to do or not to do. The catch here is that Greece is not an isolated case but extremely contagious. And its lack of discipline poses a threat not just to a couple of neighbours but the entire community. … The potential disorderly bankruptcy about which there has been so much speculation and an exit from the monetary union would have unforeseeable consequences for Europe, which is stumbling along as if caught in a sandstorm." (09/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Fiscal Policy, » Economic Policy, » Greece, » Europe

The constant delays of the Greek politicians are irresponsible and dishonest, the left-liberal daily Süddeutsche Zeitung complains: "There are no words for how irresponsible this behaviour is towards their own people and also their partners in the Union. … Transparency and candidness are the virtues needed right now, but instead the Greek party machinery is caught up in murky interest games and spreading half-truths about the real state of the country and the role of the rescuers. This type of communication in such an emergency situation leads to only one conclusion: … We urgently need a bad guy who finally voices the ugly word 'insolvency'. The creditors are provoking Greece (with threats like the idea of deploying supervisors from Brussels). And the Greek politicians are provoking with their annoying couldn't-care-less attitude. The result: on both sides the aggression is intensifying." (09/02/2012)

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

Because Athens will not cut pension supplements it must present the troika with alternative proposals within 15 days for how to cut its spending by the demanded 300 million euros. But economising is a German one-way street, writes the business paper Il Sole 24 Ore: "The European answer to the mismanagement in Athens remains one-sided: economise, economise, economise - along with brutal enforced reforms. This punitive ideology could sooner or later produce a violent backlash - both at a political and a social level. This reaction could spread like wildfire to other Eurozone countries subjected to similarly harsh austerity measures. The one-way street recipe which demands great sacrifices without offering prospects of development or the hope of rapid improvement could lead to a disastrous short circuit in the Eurozone, which has fallen victim to Germany's one-sided perspective."  (09/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Fiscal Policy, » Germany, » Greece
All available articles from » Adriana Cerretelli

The austerity measures enacted in Greece have led to shrinking incomes and social problems, writes the left-liberal daily De Morgen and warns Europe not to drive the country into misery: "In just a few months Greece has slipped to the level of a fourth-world country. … The Greek austerity plan is partly based on extra taxes for the workers who no longer have any leeway, never mind the strength to boost the economy. … The European project grew out of the idea that solidarity and cooperation are far better than rivalry and war. What we are now seeing in Greece has little to do with the European dream. … If Europe wants to prove that it is a truly great project then the moment has come to do so, not by holding a knife to the citizens' throats but by offering them clever and caring support." (09/02/2012)

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

The Prime Minister designate of Romania, Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu, has named his new cabinet without including a single minister under former prime minister Emil Boc. The parliament will vote on the new government today, Thursday. Commenting on the blog portal Hydepark.ro Mircean Marian is satisfied with the new cabinet: "It's a good thing that the [governing party] PDL has distanced itself from the team under Boc and taken the time to form a cabinet comprising young people who have  no problems with the Anti-Corruption Directorate DNA or the National Integrity Agency ANI. In some cases, like Interior and Finance posts, the differences with the predecessors are immediately obvious. However certain other names can only be viewed with extreme scepticism. ... Some of the new ministers have no experience whatsoever in the area of competence they are now responsible for, and it will take months before they can take the initiative. Nevertheless this cabinet is certainly an improvement on Boc's government." (09/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Romania
All available articles from » Mircea Marian

In its semi-annual report on Bulgaria published on Wednesday the EU Commission pointed to serious shortcomings in the judicial reform and lacking success in the fight against corruption and organised crime. Worse than the criticism from Brussels, however, is the government's reaction, writes the daily Kapital: "The interim report doesn't tell the Bulgarians anything new. They have daily experience of the lack of professionalism on the part of the prosecution and the police, as well as the unscrupulousness and lack of transparency of the highest courts regarding personnel decisions. But much more surprising was the government's reaction. Prime Minister Borisov blamed the NGOs and opposition for the unpleasant criticism from the Eurocrats. Their favourite pastime, he said, was to send letters of complaint to Brussels and put their country in a bad light. Yet Borisov neither criticised nor refuted the progress report's conclusions in his statement. The question remains as to who bears the blame: those who create the problems or those who complain about them?" (08/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » EU Policy, » Justice, » Bulgaria

The President of the Czech Republic will in future be elected directly by the people. Following the house of representatives the senate, the country's second chamber of parliament, voted on Wednesday in favour of a corresponding change to the constitution. The business paper Hospodářské noviny says the decision marks a turning point for voters: "The fears of the opponents of direct elections, namely that the people could elect some superstar or another, failed to sway the senators who are themselves directly elected. The parliamentarians wanted first and foremost to give the people what they want, as voters have been calling for direct elections for some time. The powers of [President] Václav Klaus' successor will neither be stronger nor weaker than the those of Klaus himself. Nevertheless the people have yet another opportunity to go to the polls, and the presidential elections will at least be among the most entertaining." (09/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » Czech Republic
All available articles from » Martin Jašminský

The heads of government of the Baltic and Scandinavian countries as well as the UK convened for two-day talks in Stockholm on Wednesday. At the Northern Future Forum they are discussing how to face mutual challenges in the future. The meeting should not be allowed to increase the rift in Europe, the liberal daily Dagens Nyheter warns: "There is a danger that David Cameron is challenging Brussels with this cooperation. The UK rejected the EU's new fiscal compact. Sweden and other countries that rely on free trade and minimum regulation need the British by their side to defend and expand the single market. Europe would be better served if it managed to maintain its unity. … We can only hope that today's summit won't deepen the divide within Europe." (09/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » United Kingdom, » Europe
Who's saying what » Europe's speed

The right-wing conservative Republican Rick Santorum emerged the clear winner from the primaries in the US states of Missouri, Minnesota and Colorado on Tuesday. His competitor Mitt Romney nevertheless remains favourite, writes the liberal daily The Irish Times: "With Iowa, taken by a hair's breadth only after a recount, Santorum, a conservative Catholic who has made his name campaigning against abortion and gay marriage, now has won four states ... to Romney's three. Like [rival] Gingrich before his recent ascent, he has not yet, however, been the subject of the sort of media scrutiny or negative ads that have been thrown at ... each of the conservative frontrunners in turn. His turn will come. Santorum's challenge will now be quickly to turn the fair wind of his surge into cash and organisation on the ground. On both counts he trails Romney badly. And yesterday a Reuters/Ipsos poll had Romney ahead in the race nationally with 29 per cent, with Santorum's support up five percentage points in the past month, to 18 per cent. It's still uphill all the way." (09/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » U.S.

Germany is divided over the Greek problem, columnist Giannis Politis concludes in the left-liberal daily Ta Nea, considering the mixed signals reaching Greece from Germany: "There are two Germanys and two recipes for saving Greece. The first we all know. It is advocated by Angela Merkel, her cronies in government and the banks. They treat us like protestant monks: first meting out harsh punishment and humiliations, then offering redemption. … But even the quasi-religious commitment with which the chancellor is pursuing her tough tactics has not borne fruit. Fortunately there is another Germany - that of Helmut Schmidt and his supporters, who are convinced of the European project. Together with important media, this Germany is calling for an end to the farce of the Greece rescue and proposes rebuilding the country with a new Mashall Plan instead. … It's obvious that the present leadership in Germany is not in possession of the only truth." (08/02/2012)

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

German businesses sold more goods abroad in 2011 than ever before. Less solvent countries should take Germany's sustainable policies as an example, writes the liberal-conservative daily Die Presse: "When the Germans guarantee the debts of insolvent states with packages running into the billions, their flag is burned in these very states and the alleged rescuers are vilified in the papers as 'goosestepping taskmasters'. When their soaring exports help pull Europe out of its economic slump, their country is denounced as a business-first steamroller. ... But the problem should really be the solution: Germany is in fact quite a good example for how high-wage countries can succeed on global markets. For example with reasonable unions and plausible wage agreements that keep hundreds of thousands of workers on the job. This model may be less likeable, but it is distinctly more sustainable than those of its critics who make the economy 'work' and create fictitious growth with borrowed money." (09/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Trade, » Economic Policy, » Economy, » Germany, » Europe
All available articles from » Franz Schellhorn

Rising wages in China and an increasingly strong yuan are driving many European companies back to Europe. Lithuania should take advantage of this opportunity, writes the business paper Verslo žinios: "The return of European companies from China opens up new prospect for cooperation for the Lithuanian economy and other economies in this region. We mustn't sit back now and let this chance go by, because the competition for the business of firms returning from China could soon become pretty fierce. Lithuania's strongest potential rival in this area is Poland, which is set on conquering the European market. … Representatives of the institutions responsible for investments should present foreign companies with arguments for why investing in Lithuania is worthwhile. … This opportunity must not be missed - the course we adopt now could considerably strengthen the foundations of our economy in a few years' time." (09/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Corporations, » Lithuania, » China

Slovenia's artists used the occasion of the awarding of the country's most prestigious culture prize on Prešeren Day, the Slovenian Cultural Holiday, to demonstrate against the new conservative government's scrapping of the Ministry of Culture. The left-liberal daily Delo says the protest is arrogant and highlights the rift between the artists and the rest of Slovenian society: "And what did we get for Prešeren Day this year? An ideological and cantankerous surprise, accompanied by a barrage of bellicose cultural statements. This was yet another confirmation of the fact that as we have long known the gap between 'us' and 'the others' is unfortunately an incorrigible and timeless phenomenon." (09/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Cultural Policy, » Culture, » Slovenia
All available articles from » Igor Bratoz

The Latvians will vote on 18 February on whether Russia should become a second official language in the country. The referendum was initiated by the national Bolshevist Vladimir Linderman and is widely regarded as an attack against Latvian culture. But the daily Neatkarīgā urges a relaxed approach to the matter: "Let's assume part of the Russian and other minorities don't want to intensify the climate of mutual distrust and won't join the battle against the Latvian language this time. This may not mean that they will vote against Russian, but at least they won't join in with the agitators and chauvinists. In other words many will stay at home on this February day, which has advantages and disadvantages. … The referendum is like an expensive shock therapy without precedent in Eastern Europe. All the Latvians and anyone who feels a bond with this country either with their hearts or through their roots must stick out this ordeal with self-respect and self-assurance - and without hysterics." (09/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Integration, » Minorities, » Languages, » Latvia

The organisers of the legendary Eleven Cities Tour cancelled the ice-skating race on Wednesday because the ice is too thin. The left-liberal daily De Volkskrant looks back at the last few days of collective hope that the ice would hold up: "It has been a long time since so many people in this country longed and hoped for the same thing so passionately. This proves that we are not such egocentric individualists as people think we are. We would like nothing better than to clear away the snow together and eagerly await the Eleven Cities Tour. If a government was able to garner even a tenth of the collective support for this tour of tours, we would emerge from the crisis tomorrow and our country would be an oasis of happy anticipation. … There is still some hope [of another period of frost]. We can continue waiting for the Eleven Cities Tour, just as Vladimir and Estragon waited for Godot. He'll be here tomorrow." (09/02/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Society, » Netherlands
All available articles from » Bert Wagendorp