UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon's appeal to the international community is urgently needed because the war in Syria is on the verge of spreading to other countries, writes the liberal-conservative business paper Il Sole 24 Ore : "In Aleppo in northern Syria, near the Turkish border, the civil war could take on international dimensions - particularly since the war in Syria is already a conflict by proxy in which the Arab-Sunni monarchies, with concrete support from Turkey, the US and France, are fighting the Shiite alliance consisting of Syria, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah. In the north of Syria Assad's opponents could be tempted to resort to using special task forces and secret services - less to prevent a blood bath than to prevent the conflict from spreading to Lebanon or Iraq. … After all the West's vehement promises that Syria is no Libya, any intervention in Syria, no matter how indirect, would be a worrying prospect for Putin's Russia, which although it warned Damascus yesterday not to use chemical weapons at the same time scolded the US for supporting terrorism." (26/07/2012)

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All available articles from » Alberto Negri
Who's saying what » Civil war raging in Syria

The West must intervene in Syria to prevent a power vacuum, warns the left-liberal daily El País, and points out that the conflict in Syria is increasingly turning into a war between religious communities: "The danger is not only that the escalation of this sectarian war spreads to the neighbouring countries. The massive exodus of refugees could also have unforeseen consequences. The arsenal of chemical and biological weapons, which Damascus confirmed possession of this week, is a further factor that will weigh on the decision of the Western powers and neighbouring Israel. ... The situation forces the democratic powers and the affected Arab states to create a political framework to prevent Syria from becoming a ticking time bomb for the region. In the worst of all cases it would give rise to a power vacuum in a country entirely lacking structures, but full of weapons and people who until recently saw themselves as Syrians but all of a sudden now regard themselves as first and foremost Sunnis, Alevi, Druses or Christians." (26/07/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Crises / War, » Syria
Who's saying what » Civil war raging in Syria

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad should recognise that he cannot hold onto power and start talks about stepping down, as the US has suggested, according to left-liberal The Independent: "The only other realistic course would be for the outside world to arm and train the opposition. This may already be happening in a modest way, which could be one reason why the opposition appears to be growing stronger. But the perception that, after last week's attack on the security ministry, anti-Assad forces are in the ascendancy may offer the hint of another solution. In Libya, Muammar Gaddafi never seemed to acknowledge that his regime was doomed, and the West's messages about his future were mixed. As the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, said pointedly this week, there is still time for President Assad to negotiate his departure. That time is short, but such an outcome would be infinitely better than a protracted civil war, and the crux is that no transition can begin until Mr Assad is gone." (26/07/2012)

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Who's saying what » Civil war raging in Syria

The civil war in Syria is a catastrophe and Russia is only making it worse, writes liberal daily Lietuvos rytas: "Syria this week was even careless enough to admit that it has chemical weapons and is prepared to use them. And Moscow is prepared to support such a state. To what extent is still unclear. In the meantime the EU stepped up sanctions against Syria this week. The compulsory inspections for suspect ships can also be extended to Russian ships transporting weapons for the Syrian regime. If a EU state were to decide to inspect these ships we would not have to wait long for a Russian outburst. ... Perhaps it's no coincidence that some experts are starting to talk about the current situation in Syria in terms of a domino effect that put an end to the carefree summers of 1914 and 1939. We can only hope that these harbingers of doom are exaggerating." (26/07/2012)

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Who's saying what » Civil war raging in Syria

According to reports in the press the Eurozone countries are considering using the EFSF bailout fund to buy Spanish bonds from private banks in a bid to lower persistently high interest rates. But irrespective of the increasingly critical situation on the credit market the Spanish government is still insisting it will not seek a total bailout. But Madrid's room for manoeuvre is shrinking, the daily Jornal I warns: "In recent weeks Spain has taken over Greece's starring role in the euro crisis. Spain's problems have multiplied: first it was the banks and now it's the regions that urgently need help. The likelihood of Spain having to seek international assistance is growing. This help could take two forms: either Madrid demands that the bailout fund buy Spanish bonds or it applies for a total bailout as Portugal has done. The increasingly high risk premiums on Spanish bonds are leaving our neighbour's government hardly any room for manoeuvre." (26/07/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Fiscal Policy, » Economic Policy, » Portugal
All available articles from » Pedro Braz Teixeira
Who's saying what » Spain in the banking crisis

The impeachment proceedings against President Traian Băsescu are dividing Romania and its society. Supporters and opponents of the president are spending hours engaged in verbal battles on television. Sunday's referendum on the impeachment could mean a new start for the country's political culture, Ioan Stanomir, an expert on constitutional law writes on the blog platform contributors.ro: "You can't build a fortress on the basis of media-generated hatred. The news channels can't be the nation's tutors - political dialogue is far more complex than the daily debates that are whipping the nation into a state of hysteria would seem to indicate. … July 29 won't be the end, it must be regarded as a new beginning. The energy of those courageous citizens who reject fanaticism; the persistence of people who believe in institutional moderation as an alternative to barbarism; the opposition by people who reject passion in the name of the critical spirit: these are the foundations on which a new future can be built."  (26/07/2012)

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All available articles from » Ioan Stanomir
Who's saying what » Power struggle in Romania

The main reason behind the debt crisis is the lack of mutual trust between European countries, the conservative daily the Irish Independent writes: "When you look at the lack of any permanent solution for the eurozone it does come down to what seems to be a total breakdown in trust between the creditor and debtor countries. The creditor countries ... don't believe that the debtor countries will stick to their word. ... From the perspective of the peripheral countries, there is a real grievance that the creditor countries don't appear willing to accept their responsibility for careless lending in the boom. Someone needs to knock heads together. The euro's economic problem is recession and no growth; its financial problem is too much debt; and its political problem is that there's no one to knock heads together." (26/07/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Fiscal Policy, » Financial Markets, » Europe
All available articles from » David McWilliams
Who's saying what » Ways out of the debt crisis

The French government on Wednesday presented a new strategy for the automotive industry aimed at promoting sales of more environmentally friendly cars and easing the sector's access to loans. The liberal business paper Les Echos approves: "The new plan for boosting the car sector demonstrates a strong sense of realism. … For the first time in years the government is dispensing with scrapping bonuses. … Instead of trying to create artificial demand it has decided to encourage makers of electric and hybrid cars to provide innovative alternatives. The government is also proving its pragmatism by tailoring incentives to the available financial resources. … But the deafening silence at the [Peugeot-Citroën] plant in Aulnay-sous-Bois is what really reflects reality. The most revealing aspect of the plan is that it now officially approves the closure of the plant after all the polemics triggered when this was first announced." (26/07/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Economic Policy, » Economy, » France
All available articles from » Daniel Fortin

The heirs to Polish tycoon Andrzej Chowańczak have won a victory before the second highest court of appeal in their battle for compensation for a piece of land. Because the communist authorities expropriated their relatives of the plot of land where the National Stadium now stands they can reckon with damages to the tune of at least 250 million euros. The liberal daily Gazeta Wyborcza warns that Poland may have to pay huge sums to the descendants of citizens who were expropriated by the communists: "Unfortunately we must assume that there will be a number of such cases, because back then the People's Republic of Poland robbed its citizens and for 23 years no government in free Poland has been in a position to compensate the former owners and their heirs for their losses [through a corresponding law]. … The Chowańczak case demonstrates that the problem of compensation for reprivatisation can't simply be swept under the carpet. Poland is facing gigantic compensation payments ordered by the courts. The Treasury was talking about 36 billion zloty [around 8.5 billion euros] a few years ago." (26/07/2012)

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All available articles from » Marek Wielgo

Ever more Russian and international artists are declaring solidarity with the punk band Pussy Riot, whose members are facing a prison sentence of up to seven years. The three women sung "Mother of God, blessed Virgin, oust Putin!" in a Moscow cathedral. Silviu Mihai condemns the hypocrisy of the Church in the blog Mädchenmannschaft: "Patriarch Kyrill, who publicly supported Putin in the last dubious presidential elections ..., is claiming to be outraged. In Russia the divide between church and state exists on paper but the Church is almost 100 percent dependent on state funding. A number of employees of the Church have told the public prosecutor's office that they are 'deeply insulted' and that will play into the hands of the prosecution because 'insult', of course, is essential to what constitutes the offence 'serious violation of public order' of which the activists are accused. But Pussy Riot has done nothing but tell the truth: 'The Church is paying homage to the rotten leader. ... Whore, you should believe in God', the song says." (26/07/2012)

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All available articles from » Silviu Mihai

The Swedish National Institute of Public Health is considering introducing the smoking ban for outdoor areas such as street restaurants, parks and beaches. Even now tobacco consumption is generally frowned upon in Sweden, where only 16 percent of the population still smokes. For the liberal daily Dagens Nyheter the current health drive is going too far: "A ban in certain public spaces would be acceptable in cases where smoking poses a risk to the health of non-smokers. At the same time well informed adults must have the freedom to decide for themselves which risks they want to take in their lifestyle choices - that goes for tobacco as well as alcohol. This means that a smoking ban is only acceptable if it stems from concern for other people's health rather than moralistic grounds. For this reason smoking outdoors should continue to be permitted." (26/07/2012)

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According to a study published on Wednesday, in 2010 around 28,000 highly trained young Belgians left their country, 70 percent more than in the previous year. This migration trend among the elite need not necessarily drain the country of its brains, the left-liberal daily De Morgen writes: "People can also return. Then the brain drain could become brain circulation and knowledge transfer. In order that wealth continues to be generated here in Belgium it will become increasingly vital to lure back our most talented people and also attract foreign talent. … But for both groups it's not just financial arguments that count; quality of life also plays an important role. It's also about education. Not for nothing are international schools being established in Ghent and Löwen. And it's also about living in a decent, tolerant society. Because it's unlikely that you'll be able to attract well educated people to a country where for instance homosexuals are harassed or beaten up." (26/07/2012)

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All available articles from » Steven Samyn

The Greek triple jumper Paraskevi Papachristou has been barred from participating in the Olympic Games in London after posting a racist comment on Twitter. Papachristou was suspended by her team manager after she made offensive remarks about African immigrants in Greece. The left-liberal paper To Vima welcomes the decision: "It is symbolic and fair. ... It is not right that someone in a position as prominent as that of an Olympic athlete should get away with spreading racist views in a public dialogue with people from around the world. ... Her disqualification shows that the rhetoric of hatred is punishable and has no place among the values with which we want to rebuild our country. It is no longer acceptable to tolerate racism. This decision also reveals the boundaries being set for the right-wing ideology which is forcing its way into the mainstream. On the other side of this boundary, a person is no longer conservative, but fascist." (25/07/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Sport, » Weltanschauung, » Ethics, » Olympics, » Society, » Greece, » Europe, » Global
All available articles from » Vaios Papanagnou

The Olympic Games 2012 open tomorrow in London. For Polish columnist Jaroslaw Giziński in the conservative weekly Heti Válasz, Britain has every reason for preparing for these games as if for war. "The city is surrounded by 17,000 troops, several dozen fighter jets and helicopters are ready to spring into action at any time, several air defence missiles are lined up, not to mention the several thousand police and secret agents who are being deployed in the inner city. ... London has every reason to be on guard. In recent years British troops have been deployed everywhere where al-Qaeda is fighting its holy war against the faithless West - from Iraq to Afghanistan. ... So it is no surprise that Britain's anti-terror units have been on red alert for weeks." (26/07/2012)

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All available articles from » Jarosław Giziński