The desire of the Greeks to remain part of Europe was decisive in the parliamentary election, explains the left-liberal online paper To Vima: "Most Greeks are relieved. They feel that they have emerged from a major escapade and banished the threat of a sudden death of the Greek economy. The voters have given the so-called system forces one more chance and a little more time. They don't want to sacrifice their European status in the blink of an eye. They know that it was hard fought for and shouldn't be thrown away when the first problems emerge. The Greeks don't want to lose their contact with Europe and its institutions. Mr Tsipras and his party underestimated this desire among the Greek people. But it shaped their voting behaviour."  (18/06/2012)

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All available articles from » Antonis Karakousis
Who's saying what » Greece puts the Eurozone to the test

The generous aid for Spain's banks and the influence of the French Socialists on European policy have had a positive impact on the election outcome in Greece, observes the liberal daily La Vanguardia: "A few rays of light appeared on Greece's dark horizon when the Socialist François Hollande - an advocate of growth incentives to complement the austerity policy - won the presidency in France and rounded off his victory with an absolute majority in the parliamentary elections yesterday. At the same time the 100 billion bailout for the Spanish banks signalled an important change in European policy vis-à-vis beleaguered states. Both Hollande and the bailout for Spain have helped Antonis Samaras to give the depressed Greeks a little hope. And this no doubt contributed to common sense prevailing in the elections." (18/06/2012)

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Who's saying what » Greece puts the Eurozone to the test

The conservative Nea Dimokratia (ND) has emerged as the strongest party from the parliamentary election. But a government led by party leader Antonis Samaras might not last for long, the left-liberal daily Süddeutsche Zeitung surmises: "Tsipras will be quite happy with the second place because now he won't have to try and square the circle by trying to stay in the Eurozone while casting the terms of the creditors to the wind. … Greek media are already speculating that a government led by Samaras won't last for long in view of the unfortunate state of the country, which didn't improve one bit with election day. Once Samaras' governing skills have come to an end Tsipras will still be there, a fresh alternative who promises to let the Greeks keep on dreaming. Or get used to the return of the drachma. That's why the shrewd politician Evangelos Venizelos, leader of the Pasok Socialists, is calling for Tsipras to be involved in the new government - whatever form this may take. The games will go on." (18/06/2012)

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All available articles from » Christiane Schlötzer
Who's saying what » Greece puts the Eurozone to the test

After the parliamentary elections in Greece nothing points to a governing coalition led by Nea Dimokratia being able to lead the country out of the crisis, the conservative daily Lidové noviny writes: "The Greeks have irrationally said: Let us keep the euro but don't tell us that we're living beyond our means. … The citizens had the choice between young radicals and the old school that landed the country in its present mess. A coalition under the conservatives' leadership will be weak. Nothing points to them managing the country any better that it has been managed in the past twenty years. The second cause for uncertainty is foreign opinion. Germany must decide whether it wants to keep Greece in the Eurozone. … As long as this remains unclear the Greeks may as well hold new elections every six months." (18/06/2012)

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All available articles from » Martin Weiss
Who's saying what » Greece puts the Eurozone to the test

The elections in Greece have exposed the divisions within the country, writes the left-liberal daily De Morgen: "The Greek crisis is taking place in an explosive atmosphere of confrontation. Many fear tensions and violence in the country. … This atmosphere is creating an emotional climate in which politicians, stock traders and citizens tend to be tempted to commit foolish deeds. To overcome this crisis the confrontation must be ended. It must cool down. This won't be easy, but there are more than enough common interests with which to begin a fruitful dialogue. All the major Greek parties are against exiting the euro and also basically agree that the imposed austerity measures should not be allowed to destroy the middle class. Yet precisely this is what is happening. … It's no use to anyone if the middle class collapses and the economy falls into a deep coma. In this respect the current austerity plan can be seen as a momentous error. It's time Merkel and Co. admitted this." (18/06/2012)

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All available articles from » Koen Vidal
Who's saying what » Greece puts the Eurozone to the test

The Socialists achieved an absolute majority in the French parliamentary elections on Sunday with around 315 seats.  writes the conservative daily Le Figaro: "The president now has full power to confront the unprecedented crisis that is sweeping over France and Europe. All will agree, the head of state's first goal is to ensure a return to growth. What remains to be decided is how. The public finances must be balanced, state expenditure cut and the use of public funds streamlined. Business costs must be reduced and those who have grown prosperous through working and saving must no longer be stigmatised. Entrepreneurs must not be discouraged and our ties with Germany must be renewed. Fiscal, budget and economic policies in the Eurozone must be harmonised. ... You've got your work cut out for you, Monsieur le Président!" (18/06/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Fiscal Policy, » Economic Policy, » Elections, » France
All available articles from » Etienne Mougeotte

The French Socialists led by François Hollande obtained an absolute majority in Sunday's parliamentary election. But the president still won't have an easy time getting his own way in domestic policy, the liberal business paper Handelsblatt comments: "In the coming months Hollande will have to deal with groups that have already eliminated other politicians: hundreds of thousands of civil servants and public sector employees who represent France's best organised workers and a force well versed in political destruction. He will only be able to balance the national budget if he emerges victorious from the confrontation with this force. But he can only reduce new debt if in addition to calling the shots on the central government budget he can also intervene in the finances of the regions, which have vigorously created new jobs in recent years while the central government was axing them. … He is still postponing the day when he will cease to be Europe's beneficiary, enthusing about an alternative path without major sacrifices, and turn into an energetic reformer in his own country. But he has to do this soon or he will fail entirely." (18/06/2012)

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All available articles from » Thomas Hanke

At the summit meeting that begins today, Monday, in Mexico, the group of the 20 most important industrial and emerging nations will focus above all on he euro crisis. But the G20 is hardly the right place for solving Europe's problems, writes the liberal-conservative daily Jyllands-Posten: "The G20 group has proved itself a reasonable forum for seeking solutions to regulate the financial industry, but it can neither solve Europe's home-made problems nor instil a dynamic that creates global growth and jobs. Some believe the G20 lacks legitimacy because it's not a 'real' international organisation. But that's an irrelevant academic discussion as long as other pressing challenges determine the agenda. And unfortunately the latter are dictated by the financial markets, not by the heads of state and government of the G20 countries." (18/06/2012)

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Who's saying what » Ways out of the debt crisis

Ceding further national sovereignty to the EU is the wrong way to bring Europe together, writes the liberal-conservative daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung, because now "part of Europe is moving away from its lively patchwork toward post-Soviet-style centralism. ... The Europeans are well versed in shaking off the orders that are imposed upon them. The EU succeeded where [the peace conferences in] Versailles and Potsdam failed. Voluntary federation pacified the continent and created a framework that was stable thanks to its diversity. This is the raison d'être of the Union, not redistribution at the expense of the North combined with the strict education of the Southern Europeans. The European elites are gambling with this heritage if they break with European traditions and decide in favour of fiscal uniformity and political unity. If too much is asked of people who insist on maintaining their independence, the end of the process won't bring integration, but division and disintegration." (16/06/2012)

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

On Tuesday the British government will receive the Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is making her first trip to Europe in 24 years. Although the conservative daily The Times sees Suu Kyi's international influence as limited, it honours her efforts towards liberalising Burma: "The symbolic honours heaped upon Ms Suu Kyi are a reminder that during her long years of house arrest, when years passed without any glimpse of her, she was herself essentially a symbol - of peaceful, adamantine resistance and polite but immovable determination. But earlier this year, after months of unexpected liberalisation by Burma's military-dominated Government, she made a crucial decision: to stand for election to the parliament that she had previously denounced as bogus. With this, she stepped down from her marble plinth and into the muddy pit of Burma's emerging democratic politics. ... Ms Suu Kyi will face challenges for which courage and symbolism in themselves will be of limited help." (18/06/2012)

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All available articles from » Richard Lloyd Parry

The UN observers' mission in Syria is about to end its work in the country owing to the escalating violence in the country. The West must skilfully increase pressure on Moscow, which so far has successfully hindered a UN resolution, writes historian Timothy Garton Ash in the left-liberal daily La Repubblica: "The Russian position on Syria is shocking, mendacious and indefensible. The Russians have repeatedly blocked efforts to get UN authority for stronger peace-making measures, using hypocritical arguments that barely conceal their own national interest in keeping their military, economic and political foothold in the Middle East. They trained the Syrian army that is killing civilians and now - if [US Secretary of State] Clinton is to be believed - they are supplying attack helicopters to help Assad's forces kill even more. Have they no shame? In the case of Putin's Russia, this question answers itself. Have they no other national interests, which might eventually outweigh this one? Now that's a question worth asking. If we are really serious about our commitment to stopping the slaughter in Syria, we in the West have to consider if there are any larger carrots and sticks we can still show Russia, even at some cost to ourselves. ... The road to Damascus goes through Moscow." (17/06/2012)

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All available articles from » Timothy Garton Ash
Who's saying what » Arabs fight for freedom

Since the 1990s Bulgaria has defined itself as a low-cost country, particularly abroad, laments the cultural anthropologist  Ivaylo Ditchev in the daily 24 Chasa: "If I had to define my homeland off the cuff I'd say: a place where everything is nice and cheap. ... I don't mean cheap in relation to the Bulgarian starvation wages, but to the world around us. The Bulgarian guest workers who take whole crates of cheese and sausages to Germany know what I'm talking about. ... This demeaning poor man mentality has become deeply entrenched in our state. Isn't it strange that we're proud that Ćevapi, prostitutes and bribes are cheapest here in Bulgaria? That we brag that we pay low taxes, meaning that our public sector is particularly cheap? That no one cleans the streets or catches the stray dogs? That our university professors, doctors and police only earn half as much as in neighbouring countries?" (16/06/2012)

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All available articles from » Ivaylo Ditchev

Exactly eight years ago the Romanian government gave the contract to construct the 400 kilometre stretch of the Transylvania motorway between Braşov and the Hungarian border near Borş to the US company Bechtel without a tender procedure. The contract was cancelled in August 2011 but remains officially in force until January 2013. The motorway is one of the biggest economic disasters the country has ever seen, the liberal-conservative daily Adevărul writes: "415 kilometres are supposed to be completed by December 2012, but so far it's just a paltry 52. Up to now the state has paid Bechtel 1.32 billion euros. ... And even after eight years of trickery the terms of the contract are being kept secret. Worse still: the new Transport Minister Ovidiu Silaghi announced last month that arrears of 240 million lei [roughly 54 million euros] have yet to be paid to Bechtel, but he's only got 98 million lei [roughly 22 million euros] in his budget. That means we will have to pay a penalty. And who's to blame? All the transport ministers. ... They should have made the dubious details of the contract public and at least guaranteed the financing." (18/06/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Infrastructure / Travel and Transport, » Economy, » Romania
All available articles from » Ovidiu Marincea

The phone-hacking scandal at the News of the World tabloid which was owned by media mogul Rupert Murdoch has rocked the entire media branch in the UK and also the country's political class, writes the liberal daily Hämeen Sanomat: "For an entire generation Murdoch provoked naked fear and admiration in political circles. … The phone-hacking scandal and the cross-examinations in the parliamentary committee [before which Prime Minister Cameron gave evidence last week] have somewhat loosened Murdoch's grip on power. In spring the inquiry noted in its report that Murdoch was "unfit" to run a media company. The phone-hacking scandal has cast a shadow on everyone, not just on Murdoch's media. Research methods and ties with politicians have been exposed in a shady light. It will be a long time before the credibility of the media and of the politicians is restored." (18/06/2012)

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The Euro 2012 co-host Poland was eliminated from the competition after it lost 0-1 to the Czech Republic in the group stage on Saturday. But the tournament has done much to boost the country's reputation, writes the liberal daily Gazeta Wyborcza: "Although Poland has been eliminated, this championship will certainly go down in history as one of the best and most emotional in recent decades. Poland has shown that is a good host and organiser. Euro 2012 has strengthened our national psyche, because organisation has never been one of our strong points. ... Dear fellow countrymen, please don't remove your red and white wing mirror flags. Continue to take pleasure in the championships, and cheer on those teams that are the most deserving. Please don't hold the elimination against the Polish team or Prime Minister Tusk, and leave Coach Smuda and Football Association President Lato in peace - at least for the duration of the championship." (18/06/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Sport, » Poland, » Europe
All available articles from » Jacek Pawlicki
Who's saying what » Kick-off in Eastern Europe