"Ethnocentrism and the syndrome of victimisation that has been weighing upon Serbs for a long time have once again been flung in to the foreground", notes François Delisse, correspondent in Belgrade. "By describing Kosovo as an inalienable part of Serbia, in the run-up to the new Constitution, the Serbian government is in fact encouraging the frustration that will occur the day the province gains independence. An independence that nonetheless is hardly doubted in the country and that will be experienced painfully. This is because the past and mythology, two permanent features of Serbian identity, continue to be shrewdly fostered by those members of society who qualify the notions of territory and ethnicity as models. Thus the departure this year of brother Montenegro and the imminent departure of Kosovo, 'historical cradle of the Serb people', are providing an opportunity for Serbia to return to the forefront standing alone, pitted against the others." (30/10/2006)

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In an interview with Marc Hoch, Franz-Lothar Altmann, an expert on the Balkans, says the future status of Kosovo will be decided after the parliamentary and presidential elections in december and by the UN Security Council. According to Altmann, the low turnout in the constitutional referendum is evidence of "the growing understanding among the people of the country that Kosovo has been lost. The Serbs accept the politicians' continual arguments that Kosovo should remain a Serbian province, but this no longer the major political issue for them. For the people of Serbia the important questions now are how to improve their living standards and how to achieve EU membership. Kosovo is more of an obstacle than anything else in resolving these issues." (30/10/2006)

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The Historian and Balkan specialist Serge Métais wishes that the European Union would defend the independence of Kosovo more actively. "Populated by around 2 million inhabitants, with more than 90 % Albanians, its currency, like in Montenegro is already the Euro. Attached to Serbia in a Yugoslavia that no longer exists, it has, de facto, been a state that has not been dependant on Belgrade for the last seven years. It is democracy with a majority and an opposition, a parliament, a government and a president. Everybody agrees that Kosovo's current status has gone on for too long. It is blocking reforms and has numerous perverse effects. Different views have been exchanged. It is time for the European Union to express its will. It should say that it is prepared to recognise the independence of Kosovo. It should also say that this State is dedicated to join it." (30/10/2006)

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The German political scientist Kai-Olaf Lang of the Berlin Foundation for Science and Policy examines why the long process of German-Polish reconciliation, which functioned well for many years, has now began to falter. "The German and Polish governments took an interesting approach to dealing with the past: they agreed to disagree. They avoided dealing with concrete issues and hoped that they would somehow sort themselves out. The second recipe for success was the de-politicisation of relations. As a result, the quality of German-Polish relations went up and down depending on the orientation of the government in the other country. Thirdly, both countries 'Europeanised' their relations. Bilateral issues were dealt with within a multilateral context. However, since 2002 we can see that these three strategies are no longer working. It's becoming increasingly clear that the fact that both countries now belong to the EU doesn't solve the problems, but is rather having the effect of aggravating them." (30/10/2006)

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The Dutch writer Ian Buruma, author of 'Murder in Amsterdam: The Death of Theo van Gogh and the Limits of Tolerance' considers that Dutch 'tolerance' does not permit good integration of immigrants. "In Dutch society, it is difficult for an immigrant to be accepted as a citizen on an equal par with the Dutch, not because the latter are intolerant, but because Dutch society comes across as an exclusive club. ... The difference with French or American republicanism is that everything is cultural, tacit and not codified by law. ... The Dutch, like many Europeans, continue to see integration as a question of culture and not of laws and institutions. We can still save what is best in multiculturalism, but only if we go beyond simple tolerance in order to become real cosmopolitans" (25/10/2006)

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Whenever the right to freedom of speech has been exercised in a responsible manner, it has set its own limits, explains Ralf Dahrendorf, in an article published by the association Project syndicate. However, he points out that at present the right to exercise freedom of speech is being restricted by those who oppose it. "The kind of reaction we have seen recently to expressions of views that are offensive to some does not bode well for the future of liberty. It's as if a new wave of counter-enlightenment is sweeping the world, with the most restrictive views dominating the scene. Against such reactions, enlightened views must be reasserted with vehemence. Defending the right of all people to say things even if one detests their views is one of the first principles of liberty. Thus, 'Idomeneo' must be performed, and Salman Rushdie must be published. Whether an editor publishes cartoons offensive to believers in Muhammad (or Christ, for that matter) is a matter of judgment, almost of taste. I might not do it, but I would nevertheless defend the right of someone who decides otherwise." (30/10/2006)

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According to Franco Frattini, Vice President of the European Commission, Slovenia is the only new EU member state that fulfils the criteria for becoming part of the Schengen zone. However, in his commentary on these remarks made by Frattini before the European Parliament, Novica Mihajlovic points out that there is still disagreement between Slovenia and Croatia regarding where exactly a section of the border between the two countries lies. "There's no doubt Mr. Frattini knows what he's talking about and that Slovenia fulfils the European Union's bureaucratic criteria. However, I wonder whether he is aware how full of holes the border he wants to hand over to his model pupil is... Non-intervention in bilateral disputes between member states is one of the mainstays of EU policy. However, if Europe hands over control of a section of its outer border to Slovenia before the latter has defined its border with Croatia it would be like putting its security in the hands of a blind customs officer." (30/10/2006)

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Analysing the situation of French suburbs, the daily considers that problems of integration could be resolved by controlling immigration. "Limiting immigration accelerates integration. This favours calm in poor areas. This is also what emerges from American experience. A society needs time to allow the integration of large groups of new arrivals. The limitation of immigration renders more effective, social investments, employment policies and the struggle against discrimination. This goes for the Netherlands and the larger European cities where problems in the suburbs occur to a lesser degree. The tens of thousands of new immigrants can travel freely from Spain to Italy or from France to the Netherlands. Suburbs are a European phenomenon. This is why immigration policy should also be European, from Rotterdam to Tenerife." (28/10/2006)

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Konrad Schuller reports that the "Norwegian model" sets the golden standard in the current debate about Ukraine's status. "We must take quick action if we want to avoid losing the region between Galicia and Donbass, with its important transit routes for Russian and Central Asian oil and gas to Europe. So if EU membership for Ukraine is out of the question for now, we must at least provide it with a cosy waiting room where it will feel comfortable for a couple of decades and which has an open door to the main salon. This is where 'Norway' comes in. Norway is not an EU member, but it's almost as if it were. Under the auspices of the European Economic Area (EEA) it has very close ties with the EU's domestic market and it even forms part of the free border control agreement under the Schengen Agreement... For Poland, which, if it could, would open all doors immediately, this model doesn't go far enough. The French, on the other hand, would block the entrance with mines and ferocious guard dogs if they could. And the Germans, anxious not to take sides with anyone, say: Yes, that might work." (30/10/2006)

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Following the Czech Republic's regional and Senate elections the search for a solution to the government crisis is once again the main focus of attention. Czech President Vaclav Klaus wants to appoint a Conservative to form an interim government that will pave the way for new parliamentary elections. Robert Casensky, the newspaper's editor in chief, urges politicians to find a solution as quickly as possible: "Although the country still doesn't have a government five months after the elections, everything seems to be going well. The economy is functioning and foreign newspapers are joking that the Czech Republic doesn't need a government. However, this prolonged state of political uncertainty could be very detrimental to the country. The Czech Republic is already being labelled as one of the countries of the 'wild East'. Foreign investors are getting nervous and Czech companies need an answer to the question of when the country will convert to the euro. Foreign policy decisions, such as the issue of the setting up of a US military base here, also need to be made." (30/10/2006)

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"One year on from the riots in French immigrant suburbs little has been done to remove the socio-economic and cultural conditions that gave rise to them", comments the Irish daily. "Demands for change in social and economic conditions coming from the communities have a practical focus implying a desire to participate more equally in French society. They complain about employment discrimination based on their postal addresses, about the lack of transport to bring them to available jobs and the need for employment and educational quotas to provide a boost out of poverty. The majority of young people willing to make an effort emphasizes that those resorting to violence are a small minority. Media sensationalism is widely blamed for fanning inter-community tension. It can suit right-wing political agendas to overlook such hopeful signs and concentrate rather on security and fear as ways to rally political support." (30/10/2006)

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The Estonian minister for economic affairs, Edgar Savisaar, has proposed holding a referendum on whether Estonia should participate in the project to build the new Ignalina nuclear power station in Lithuania. According to Sigrid Koiv, the idea is nothing new and she speculates on why this initiative is being taken up now. "There's basically no difference between the question of whether Estonia participates in the construction of a nuclear power station in Lithuania and whether the Estonian energy company Eesti Energia makes a large investment. If, for example, the Estonian postal services were to expand into Kazakhstan, would a referendum be held ? Of course, there's a difference between a nuclear power station and postal services, and a referendum could be justified on the grounds of the long-term impact of such a project. And this is what's at the heart of the matter: the elections are just around the corner and up to now environmental issues have hardly been addressed... Nonetheless, it would be a good thing if the subject of Ignalina gets environmental issues back on the agenda." (30/10/2006)

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"Ever since Government declared the aim of adopting the euro by January 1, 2008, the Malta Labour Party and its leader, Dr Alfred Sant [former Prime minister] in particular, have maintained that this is too soon," writes the political economist Stefano Mallia. "The argument went, and still goes, that we should first aim at achieving a stronger economic growth before actually joining the Eurozone. ... Now it is clear that by May or June of next year some unequivocal signals will emerge from the EU Commission as to whether Malta will indeed be in a position to adopt the euro by January 1 of the following year. ... The adoption of the euro should be seen for what it is, a step further towards integrating our economy with that of most of Europe's key economies. It should also be seen as a measure that will assist us in creating the necessary sustainable fundamentals for the creation of a more competitive economy." (30/10/2006)

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The daily observes the use of Latin in Europe, pointing out "Google's little-known Latin search engine to not only get a translation but also to find a little more about the way Latin is re-surfacing ... We should be unsurprised that the Vatican is easing restrictions on the Tridentine or Latin Mass by enabling it to be celebrated without special permission or that the Vatican newspaper should suggest (as it has) that Latin should be the official language of the EU. They would, wouldn't they ? But these are only symptoms of a deeper trend. Finland, which holds the current presidency of the EU, broadcasts the news in Latin on national radio to a claimed 75,000 listeners, which on a per capita basis is reported to be more than some BBC Radio 4 programmes get. ... The Finnish presidency also publishes a regular news in brief column in Latin. ...It ought also to remind us that Latin was once the nearest to a common language Europe is ever likely to get." (30/10/2006)

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American film director Quentin Tarantino was inspired by subject matter of Hungarian director Krisztina Goda's film "Freedom, Love" about the 1956 Revolution and co-produced the film. The film tells the story of a love affair against the background of the revolution. Viki, a student, fights on Budapest's streets while Karcsi, a member of Hungary's national water polo team, flies to the Olympic Games in Melbourne and the team wins the gold medal against the Soviet Union. Film critic György Báron says the film's historical perspective is too black-and-white. "It doesn't try to establish a dialogue or reconciliation but tells a story of good against evil. The Hungarians are the goodies and the Russians are the baddies. The film does precisely what it shouldn't do: it combines sport and politics, the battle of the athlete in the swimming pool and the battles on the streets of Budapest... It's a lame love story and a badly-put-together action film. As Mallarmé would put it: Does everything in the real world happen only so it can be used for a Hollywood blockbuster later on?" (27/10/2006)

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The British art historian William Curtis gave a conference connected to the presentation in Madrid of the New York MoMA exhibition, 'On-site', dedicated to modern Spanish architecture. In an interview with Juan Hernandez de Leon, he regrets that the exhibition "mixes together both Spanish architecture and architecture in Spain [represented by such big names as Rem Koolhaas, Zaha Hadid, Jean Nouvel], as if it were all the same. It is an international vision, very MoMA-oriented', a very strange way of talking about Spain. ... The Spanish quality architecture is very much based on dialogue with society, with context, with the physical dimension of a town and its iconography. This is lacking in the exhibition, as is a sense of history and the existence of a very profound continuity between generations of Spanish architects." (30/10/2006)

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More from the press review on the subject » Architecture / Cities, » Exhibitions / Museums, » Spain

Thomas Vieregge went to see the premiere of Elfriede Jelinek's new play "Ulrike Maria Stuart" in Hamburg and was impressed. The play is about the myth of the foundation of the terrorist organisation, the Red Army Faction (RAF). Jelinek's premiere specialist Nicolas Stemann "has managed to create a brilliant piece of very up-to-date, contemporary pop theatre: funny and entertaining – an RAF terror picture show and a political comedy that manages to steer a fine course between slapstick and cabaret. Instead of getting bogged down in dogmatism, the serious subject of political radicalisation is approached light-heartedly. The director uncovers the empty pathos of the revolutionary rhetoric that sounds so alien today. He portrays his main characters Ulrike Meinhof (Susanne Wolff) and Gudrun Ensslin (Judith Rosmair, who stands out among this brilliant cast) as tragic figures to the point of satire, with references to Friedrich Schiller's Maria Stuart and Elizabeth in his play 'Maria Stuart,' which Jelinek used as the historical background for her play. However, the author's intention to pay homage to Schiller isn't quite realised and this element seems non-essential anyway - this is a defect in the production's design and its only weakness." (30/10/2006)

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