"All countries should keep a scrupulous watch over the behaviour of their soldiers. The scandal that has been triggered off in Germany, after the publication of photos in the daily paper 'Bild', indicates that neither the government, nor society are prepared to tolerate soldiers' excesses. This has been even more the case since the reunification of Germany and with the growing role played by the German military around the world", notes the daily in its editorial. "By taking in to account the role played by the army abroad and in Germany, and the feeble spending on matters of defence (1.4% of it's GDP), we can infer that the government has no intention of suppressing military service. The fact that it has one of the rare armies in Europe that is not entirely professional takes absolutely nothing away from the condemnable character of what took place in Afghanistan. New Germany is conscious that it must watch over the behaviour of its soldiers." (26/10/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Germany

Birgit Baumann points out that despite the disgust which these "repulsive photos" inspire, it's important to keep things in perspective: "The great majority of the 220,000 soldiers serving in the German army are not weirdos and are doing a good job both within Germany and abroad... Decades after the end of the Second World War, Germans soldiers are taking on the role of peacekeepers abroad – at least this is the picture the government in Berlin wants to convey. However, the image of soldiers as friendly and innocent peacekeepers in camouflage is often tarnished – this time with particular brutality. German soldiers also like to play perverse games. Welcome to the realities of war – and Germany is now part of that war." (27/10/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Germany
All available articles from » Birgit Baumann

Daniel Müller reflects on the soldiers who took the photos that have sparked a major scandal in Germany: "The pictures were taken by those who witness the misery of war on a daily basis, and this experience apparently deprives them of all sense of morality or respect: namely the often confused soldiers who keep these photos as a trophy – and at the same time as an expression of their power (or powerlessness)... Nowadays, in theory any soldier can capture his experiences with the aid of a digital camera or cell phone and broadcast them to the world... In this way soldiers are losing their anonymity. Their function as quasi-anonymous recipients of orders exists only on paper or in the heads of the military leaders. Back in 1994 the British photographer Val Williams noted in his art history text book 'Warworks' that we as a society know more about war correspondents in crisis areas than about the soldiers who fight the battles, but current events take the wind from his argument." (27/10/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Germany
All available articles from » Daniel Müller

The Hungarian political scientist Viktor Kiss examines the reasons behind the success of populist extreme right parties. "Most EU member states are experiencing the 'side-effects' of globalisation constantly emphasised by anti-globalisation activists. This makes it easy for populists to call for a 'supplement' to the trans-national, primarily economically-oriented EU and to claim that the EU is the arbitrator of globalisation because it treats everything that is abhorrent about the global world order as an unalterable doctrine. This is how right-wing populists across Europe portray the situation. They draw their strength from their ability to combine 'conservative' themes with what were traditionally 'social democratic' themes. They offer 'social security on a national basis' as an alternative to a 'neo-liberal Europe' and are therefore attracting groups of voters they would never have reached before." (27/10/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » EU Policy, » Europe
All available articles from » Viktor Kiss

In an interview with Gilles Anquetil, the Russian writer Andrei Guelassimov, author the book 'L'Annee du Mensonge' ['Year of the Lie'], describes a state of resignation that permeates Russian society. "In the west it is hard to comprehend the Russian indifference and lack of revolt facing tyranny. For fifteen years, Russians have been disgusted by politics. Now we are addicted to fatalism. ... Everybody in Russia is aware of the atrocities in Chechnya, the torture, the political assassinations. And yet people, and this is the paradox, are not afraid of moving towards a new fascism. ... Democracy is not a Russian idea. We have neither invented it nor applied it. It is a Greek and European idea. I am not saying this out of cynicism. Russia belongs to Europe geographically, but not mentally, psychologically, aesthetically or culturally." (27/10/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Demographics, » Russia
All available articles from » Andrei Guelassimov

A court in Arhus has delivered a verdict of not guilty in the case against the editors Carsten Juste and Flemming Rose of the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, who stood trial for publishing the notorious Muhammad cartoons. A group of seven Muslim organisations brought the action against the editors. The newspaper's editor-in-chief Erik Bjergager approves of the court's decision: "Although we distanced ourselves from the publication of the cartoons, one expects an open democracy like Denmark to provide as wide a scope as possible for what can be expressed and what can be the subject of satirical comment. Any other ruling would have been a catastrophe for freedom of speech. Danish Muslims must learn to accept that you can make jokes about religion – no matter how tasteless one may find them. This doesn't mean it's permissible to mock other people or their beliefs or make them look ridiculous, and the ruling also makes this clear. We have laws against slander, libel, defamation, racism and blasphemy. But there's plenty of leeway before the courts consider that the limits have been reached." (27/10/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » Print media, » Religion, » Weltanschauung, » Denmark
All available articles from » Erik Bjerager

Daniel Brössler points out that the international community's decision regarding Kosovo's status could have major repercussions for other conflicts involving separatist movements. "There are four areas within the region that are seeking independence: Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia, Transnistria in Moldavia and Mountain-Karabach, which Armenia and Azerbaijan both lay claim to... Kosovo could set a precedent which adds fuel to these conflicts. Vladimir Putin has said in a television appearance that he wants to prevent violence, yet the escalating conflict between Russia and Georgia has shown that Russia is still wavering between its role as a fire brigade and its role as an arsonist... This is a great obstacle in the Kosovo negotiations. Every decision against Serbia is interpreted as a carte blanche for Abkhazia and co. – although the situation in these areas is very different to that in the Balkans." (27/10/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » South East Europe, » Serbia
All available articles from » Daniel Brössler

In a commentary, Martin M. Simecka, the outgoing editor in chief of the Slovak newspaper Sme, criticises what he sees as a "paradigmatic change" in relations between Slovakia's political parties and the country's large Hungarian minority. "The Slovak politicians of both the government and the opposition have started a competition with the nationalist Jan Slota to see who's the more patriotic. And because in Slovakia a battle between patriots and nationalists is always won by the latter, it's just a matter of time before the entire nation falls prey to nationalism. For the first time since 1989, there is not a single politician in Slovakia who has any understanding for the difficult position of the Hungarian minority since the new government took power. Even the two opposition parties, the SDKU led by former Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda and the Christian Democrats, who once formed a coalition with the Hungarian party, are talking about defending national interests. This is not just cynical; it's also foolish and dangerous." (27/10/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Slovakia
All available articles from » Martin M. Šimečka

The weekly evaluates France's position in a global political context. "The French have invented a buzzword: declinism, summing up the belief that the country is unreformable. ... France matters. ... A permanent member of the UN Security Council and a declared nuclear power.It was a founder of today's European Union, a driving force behind the creation of the single currency and - despite French voters' rejection of the draft EU constitution in May 2005 - a longstanding promoter of deeper European integration. It is in part thanks to France's paralysis that the union is itself so uncertain of its direction. ... France is a place in which, for almost every weakness, it is possible to find a matching strength. The question is whether France can now build on these strengths by bringing in pro-competitive reforms ... If the next French president can push through the reforms needed to restore the country's competitiveness, France could rebound far more quickly than the déclinologues assert." (27/10/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU Policy, » France

A total no-show by Greek Cypriot politicians at an official event Tuesday, October 24th at the Ledra Palace to mark UN Day is confounding the diplomatic and public community. Reasons being pondered include the possible reluctance of Greek Cypriot leadership to share a cocktail with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat and the government's recent slamming of the UN for allegedly distributing American money to sway Greek Cypriots into voting for the Annan plan. The cyprus daily reacts strongly. "This type of meaningless grandstanding has become a Papadopoulos government trademark, with the president labouring under the illusion that these puerile antics would win him respect. ... All that Papadopoulos has achieved with these crude antics is to lead Cyprus deeper into isolation. In his three-and-a-half years in power he has managed to fall out with the European Commission, Greece, the US, the UK and the UN." (27/10/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Cyprus

The Polish energy company PKN Orlen acquired the Lithuanian oil refinery Mazeikiu Nafta earlier this year. Not long afterwards, the Russian state-owned company Transneft cut off the refinery's oil supplies for construction work on the pipeline. In an interview with Cezary Lazarewicz, Igor Chalupec, director of PKN Orlen, says Russia's image could suffer as a result: "If the oil supplies to Mazeikiu are not resumed soon, it will be the Russian companies who suffer most. They're not just losing money but also damaging their own reputation, and that of the state, because it owns Transneft, which in turn owns the pipeline." Chalupec defends the Polish company's takeover of the oil refinery: "The purchase of Mazeikiu was not a normal business transaction. This transaction will contribute to the security of energy supplies in this part of Europe." (27/10/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » Energy, » Trade, » Corporations, » Lithuania, » Russia

Even in communist times, smoked sprats from Riga were considered a delicacy in Russia and were always served at festive meals. Now Russia has banned the import of sprats from Latvia, claiming they contain high levels of pollutants. Juris Paiders says there may well be other reasons behind this ban. "Foodstuff regulations have been ignored for decades in Russia. No one really bothers about them and it's often impossible to comply with them, but they always resurface when the Russian government wants to exert political pressure on the country's trading partners. For example a year ago, stricter controls were introduced for Georgian wines, and now Latvia's sprats are in the line of fire. A conglomerate of fish-processing companies which will produce similar products to those sold by Latvia is being created in Kaliningrad – so Russia has chosen this moment to rid its market of Latvian sprats." (27/10/2006)

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All available articles from » Juris Paiders

In the light of Romania and Bulgaria's upcoming accession to the EU, Martin Kugler reflects on Austria's potential to play a leading role in Southeast Europe, noting that Greece and Turkey are also making bids to gain access to these new markets. "Greece has already made inroads in the banking sector: Greek institutions have a 15 percent market share. Next year Greece plans to focus on the energy sector. Athens is pulling all it strings to ensure that oil and gas supplies from the Black Sea region to the Mediterranean run through Greek territory... Austria has many historical ties with Southeast Europe, and unlike the Germans or the Americans, Austrians understand the mentality of these countries. But one shouldn't forget that Greece is also part of the Balkan region and that Turkey also played a leading historical role in the region – even more so than Austria." (27/10/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » Trade, » Greece, » Austria, » South East Europe, » Turkey
All available articles from » Martin Kugler

Following the violent riots that enflamed the outskirts of different French towns a year ago, the Swiss paper 'L'hebdo' chose to open up an office in Bondy, on the edge of Paris, in order to better get to know the reality of a fragile neighbourhood and to create a blog. Martin Buxant interviewed one of the journalists sent to Bondy, Michel Beuret, who criticises the work of the French media. "They don't go to the suburbs unless there is some bone to gnaw on, and even then, only if the bone is sensational. ... The media is interested in what is going wrong. But in the suburbs, nothing is ever going right, which ends up quite banal. When the suburbs cry out by setting things on fire, everybody suddenly pays attention. The message, however, why things are not alright, is totally inaccessible, because we are so out of touch with the suburbs. That is the lesson to be learned from the riots: the French media simply have not had a base in the suburbs." (27/10/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » Audiovisual Media, » Print media, » Online media, » Migration, » Integration, » France
All available articles from » Michel Beuret

The journalist Angelique Chrisafis responds to the recent eviction of artists from 'Le Barbizon', an early 20th century cinema converted into an artist's squat since 2003, "Like a dozen other illegal arts venues in Paris - empty factories, warehouses and parcel depots invaded and reclaimed by artists, designers and film-makers who can't afford the city's studio rents - 'Le Barbizon' was a fixture on the local arts scene. ...The raid on Le Barbizon and the threat of a string of other police evictions of squats artisques has panicked culture officials at Paris's city hall, who believe the capital's long tradition of squats and illegally occupied buildings are crucial to breathe life into its stultified arts scene. So integral are squats to Paris's cultural infrastructure that four years ago the city hall paid 7m euros to buy and renovate the most conspicuous one, 59 rue de Rivoli, a former bank not far from the Louvre..." (27/10/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » Cultural Policy, » France
All available articles from » Angelique Chrisafis

On Thursday, October 26th, around fifty bookshops launched a 'blank window display' operation to draw public attention to the fact that they may face extinction for lack of book price regulation. "Disarmed by the cut prices of big chain stores, 51 bookshops have been shut down in French-speaking Switzerland since 2001 and around twenty in German-speaking Switzerland", explains Anne Pitteloud. "The closing down of independent bookshops is threatening cultural diversity. With the erosion of sales points, French-speaking Swiss publishers will have lost a third of their sales figures. In these conditions it is becoming increasingly dangerous to take literary risks, consumerist logic advising that only best-sellers should be published... Ultimately that means the death of literature. ... Contrary to other commercial sectors, publishing responds not to demand, but to what is on offer." (26/10/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » Literature, » Publishing houses, » Trade, » Switzerland
All available articles from » Anne Pitteloud

Thomas Bécart is amused by the discovery on the internet of a version of the on-line encyclopaedia Wikipedia "in 'simplified English', a language that is not quite a language, although it has more than 11,000 articles. A form of English that, as its name indicates, is more accessible, preferably comprised of less than 1,000 words .... The use of a simplified language is nothing new. As far as English is concerned, several versions actually exist: 'simplified English', developed for the needs of the aeronautical industry; plain English ( a form of English that goes straight to the point, promoted by American administration); 'Globish', contraction of 'global' and 'English', simplified, but not formalised; 'Voice of America English' (practiced on the American radio station of the same name) and finally 'basic English', introduced in 1930 by the linguist Charles K. Odgen who had a universalistic ambition, seeking to take into account any semantic contents with .... 850 words!" (27/10/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » Public Culture, » United Kingdom