New legislation governing the right to assembly allows the Russian state to take tougher action against demonstrators. The liberal business paper Financial Times Deutschland warns of the consequences of these scare tactics: "Those who oppose the president are mainly young, educated people who - at least up to now - have wanted evolutionary rather than revolutionary change in Russia. … But it's becoming clear that anyone who doesn't belong to Putin's United Russia party has a hard time making themselves heard - for example in the censored media. Ever since the presidential election in March, in the run-up to which Putin had adopted a relatively docile stance, he has been cranking up the pressure. … But it's not unlikely that Putin's bullying will produce a radical change in the Russians' protest culture - with people from the educated middle class turning to violence. If these youths are characterised as Russia's version of the political movement of 1968, it could be that a splinter movement forms, a kind of Red Army Fraction [terrorist movement] - with all the consequences which Germany still recalls with such horror." (13/06/2012)

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The protests against Vladimir Putin in Russia are coming to a head and no one knows how the long-term ruler will behave in future, writes the liberal daily Público: "The mass protests against Putin (who has been clinging to power either as prime minister or as president for more than 13 years) that have gone on for a year now can be interpreted as the creation reacting to the creator. Those who oppose him so staunchly today are the same who grew up in his shadow during the post-Yeltsin era and became Moscow's middle and upper class. But what until now was a challenge without further consequences is gradually turning into a serious confrontation. Putin attacks everything that 'weakens or divides' the Russians while the apartments of opponents are being searched at the Kremlin's behest. The protesters are comparing Putin with Stalin. … Putin is, of course, no Stalin, but right now no one knows what he will become as time passes." (13/06/2012)

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President Vladimir Putin needn't lose any sleep over the slogans of the Russian government opponents at the demonstration in Moscow, the conservative daily Lidové noviny concludes: "According to Putin, 'what weakens the country and divides its society is unacceptable'. But Russia's problem is not that the opposition is dividing society. The problem is that there is no viable opposition. What alternatives does the opposition offer to the demonstrations? 'We are trying to peacefully free Russia of the usurper who wants to go on robbing the country forever', is what we are told not by any old bus driver, but by former deputy prime minister [Boris] Nemtsov [under Boris Yeltsin]. … Can you fight against the autocrats by claiming that Putin steals? … No, this is not the way to beat Putin." (13/06/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Social movements, » Human rights, » Russia
All available articles from » Zbyněk Petráček

According to UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping, Hervé Ladsous, the 15-month uprising in Syria has now turned into a full-blown civil war. Syria is sinking into savagery while the international community looks on passively, complains the liberal-conservative business paper Il Sole 24 Ore: "Can international diplomacy, which from Moscow to Washington is frantically putting together a list of invitees to a new major Syria conference, continue to look on impassively faced with the tragedy unfolding and the eye-witness accounts [of child soldiers]? … When they fall, authoritarian regimes drag down with them not just political systems - in the case of Syria the president's Alawite clan and the Ba'ath Party - but also annul the rules that govern human coexistence. … This is precisely what is happening now in Assad's Syria, where perhaps all solutions for ending the bloody anarchy come too late. … The UN peace plan is increasingly being exposed as a useless diplomatic gesture."  (13/06/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Crises / War, » Syria
All available articles from » Alberto Negri
Who's saying what » Arabs fight for freedom

Torsten Albig (of the social democratic SPD) is the new premier of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein after a coalition made up of the SPD, the Greens and the Südschleswigschem Wählerverband (SSW) elected him by 37 votes out of 69. For the Germany daily in Denmark, the Nordschleswiger, this was a very special occasion: "It was a historical date for the Danish minority and its party, the SSW, because with Anke Spoorendonk for the first time a representative of the Danish minority takes a seat in government with the justice, culture and Europe portfolio. … There are high expectations for the new minister. … Now we shouldn't expect too much of the dear lady. She's not a Danish miracle-worker. Her task is to take account of the economic realities, which will confront the new government with unanticipated challenges, amidst the tough day-to-day business of politics." (13/06/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Elections, » Germany, » Denmark
All available articles from » Siegfried Matlok

According to recent surveys by Hungarian polling institutes the right-wing conservative governing party Fidesz is fast losing its electoral base. In fact Viktor Orbán's government hasn't been as unpopular as it is now since it first took office, writes political scientist Gábor Török in his blog Torokgaborelemez: "Despite the many imponderables one thing's for sure: although Fidesz is still ahead in the polls, there can be no doubt that it is heading for an electoral defeat. The trend is clear: Fidesz is losing voter support, and the opposition Socialist Party (MSZP) is gaining ground. If this trend continues it is as good as certain that today's opposition will win the parliamentary elections in 2014. ... Of course, you've got to be either a dilettante or a propagandist to try and anticipate the results of the 2014 elections today. An analyst can only say two things: 1. An election defeat for Fidesz in 2014 has never been as likely as it is today. 2. To avoid defeat the government must fundamentally change its programme." (12/06/2012)

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All available articles from » Gábor Török

The Romanian parliament announced on Tuesday that Prime Minister Victor Ponta will travel to Brussels for the next EU summit meeting at the end of June. Since Romania joined the EU in 2007 it has always been represented by President Traian Băsescu, who is now calling for a legal ruling on the matter. The blog portal Contributors questions whether there is sufficient reason to change accepted practice: "Ponta should really have said that on certain points his opinion differs entirely from that of the president, and that he believes Băsescu is harming the country. ... If the policies of the two clearly differ in their content, and if Ponta believes Băsescu is making mistakes in Romania's name, then this conflict is certainly called for. But there's no reason to change standard practice just because the two interpret the constitution in different ways. According to the constitution, both Ponta and Băsescu could travel to Brussels. ... Traditionally however only Băsescu has travelled to summit meetings. And you need a very good reason indeed to change this arrangement." (13/06/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Domestic Policy, » Romania
All available articles from » Cristian Ghinea

The EU must strengthen ties with with Russia, Turkey and Ukraine, writes the former EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana in the left-liberal daily El País: "Of course I don't doubt that the Eurozone will overcome the current debt crisis and that Europe will emerge more integrated and efficient from the process. But to achieve this better Europe it's not enough to solve the debt crisis. Relations with three of the most important countries in Eastern Europe - Turkey, Russia and Ukraine - must be put on a more solid basis. My generation witnessed the transition from dictatorship to democracy in Spain four decades ago. For us the European Union was a dream. In fact we used to quote Ortega y Gasset back then: 'Spain is the problem, Europe the solution.' … Europe's soft power has changed many things in many countries in the past two decades. Politicians and citizens had the incentive to reform their economies and adopt or strengthen democratic values and institutions. This process can be continued in Turkey, Russia and Ukraine. Otherwise Europe could end up losing credibility, influence and economic opportunities as a result of inattentiveness and inaction." (13/06/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » EU neighbourhood policy, » Ukraine, » Russia, » Turkey
All available articles from » Javier Solana

Cyprus needs around 1.8 billion euros to help the tottering Cyprus Popular Bank, the second-largest bank in the country, and may soon apply for EU help. Vasos Siarlis, the country's finance minister, has pointed out that not just the banks are the problem but the entire financial sector. The conservative-liberal daily Alitheia agrees: "The government has repeatedly stressed that it is just a problem of the banks and doesn't want to admit that it is also to blame for the current economic situation. During election campaign periods like the current one [ahead of the presidential election in 2013] such explanations are naturally appealing. Whom should the average citizen believe? The finance minister, who - as President Dimitris Christofias stressed - has technocratic knowledge but lacks political experience? Or the government and Mr Christofias himself, who tackles problems from a political perspective? … The answer is easy for any intelligent citizen: as far as Cyprus' financial needs are concerned the finance minister is far better informed than anyone else in government." (12/06/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Fiscal Policy, » Banks, » Cyprus

Austria's Finance Minister Maria Fekter on Monday evening fed speculation that Italy will need to apply for European financial assistance. The Italian government needs support from Berlin because even in its eagerness to introduce reforms it cannot solve the crisis on its own, writes the left-leaning daily taz: "The bureaucracy is as unwieldy as ever, state funds are being wasted on infrastructure projects and the health system, while the judiciary works at a snail's pace. However on this front the problems for [Prime Minister Mario] Monti are almost insurmountable: in these sectors it takes years for policy to bear fruit. And even if reforms are carried out: will the markets react positively? Italy should considerably loosen job protection regulations, as Monti never stops hearing. This is exactly what Spain has done - yet it is still open to attacks from the markets. Monti's problem isn't the bickering majority in parliament on whose support he relies. Nor is it the gathering headwind from the employers' association about which he complains. It is also not whether this government will still be in power for five or ten months. The crisis must be solved in Berlin: with comprehensive guarantees for the euro." (13/06/2012)

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All available articles from » Michael Braun
Who's saying what » Ways out of the debt crisis

A second injection of EU financing could do much to get crisis-ridden Ireland back on its feet in the long term, writes the left-liberal daily The Irish Times with an eye to the bailout for Spain's banks: "If it turns out that another bailout is necessary this should not be seen as an admission of defeat by the Government, especially since the determining factors to a large extent are beyond Ireland's control. It could also offer opportunities. Unfortunately ... some further austerity will be required if Ireland is to achieve a sustainable debt position. But equally, alleviating the debt burden - the part missing from the current deal - may also prove essential. These two elements are the key ingredients for restoring Ireland's creditworthiness in a lasting way. A second bailout could help to bring this about." (13/06/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Fiscal Policy, » Economy, » Ireland

According to reports in the media, residents of Athens' problem districts call members of the fascist Chrysi Avgi party for help more often than they call the police. According to blogger Pitsirikos this is hardly surprising because the members of the party have close links with the police: "It should come as no surprise to learn that citizens are calling Chrysi Avgi instead of the police. The police and the neo-Nazis basically amount to one and the same thing. … We learned about the very harmonious and fraternal relations between the two from the polling stations where police officers vote [and half of them voted for Chrysi Avgi]. So when you call Chrysi Avgi and no one answers, just call the police. And if the police can't come they will get in touch with the neo-Nazis directly. Or the police will turn up once they've finished their shift wearing civilian clothes - and armed with axes and truncheons." (12/06/2012)

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All available articles from » Blogger Pitsirikos

The partner of the French President François Hollande, Valérie Trierweiler, spoke out yesterday on Twitter against the Socialist politician Ségolène Royal, who is running in the second round of the French parliamentary elections. Royal is Hollande's ex-partner and the mother of his four children. Such behaviour is sad indeed, writes the left-liberal daily Libération: "Should we laugh and call it all vaudeville theatre? Not really. In fact this is all rather sobering. The tweet of support that Valérie Trierweiler sent to the dissident Socialist candidate who is running against Royal is depressing. It brings back certain Sarkozyist confusions in which private life and public office became embroiled by the social networks. ... The message sent by the head of state's partner is not 'political' in nature, according to his entourage. ... Nor, as his staff at the Elysée is quick to clarify, was it a gesture of defiance toward Ségolène Royal. Neither political nor personal? Really? Then what is it? 'A gesture of loyalty to a friend' who is being publicly condemned. Be that as it may." (13/06/2012)

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All available articles from » Paul Quinio

The Bulgarian seaside resort Sunny Beach on the Black Sea coast has become a favourite destination for so-called booze tourists because alcohol is so cheap in Bulgaria. Hotel owners complain of the racket made by drunken youths and are demanding a 10 o'clock curfew. The daily Novinar understands their concerns but finds their demands unrealistic: "The Russian, British, German and other booze tourists have only one thing on their minds when on holiday: Getting stoned drunk day and night and acting in a way they'd never get away with at home. For our holiday regions that is more an insult than an accolade. Like most sensible plans in Bulgaria, however, the calls from the hotel managers are ill considered. No one can prevent stores from selling alcohol at night, and they simply happen to be the major suppliers and main attraction for booze tourists. The latter, in turn, are creative enough to find a loophole in every ban." (12/06/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Tourism, » Bulgaria
All available articles from » Lilia Gyurova