Kosovo may have attained independence a year ago, writes the daily Postimees, but it is far from being truly independent: "The future of Kosovo is determined by international organisations, making true independence from foreign aid and a strong economy, not to mention accession to the EU, a distant dream. Of course all is not lost, but it's clear that ten years of UN administration and international negotiation attempts in the conflict between Serbs and Albanians leave much to be desired. Still, over 50 states have now recognised Kosovo's independence, among them 22 EU member states and the US. By contrast, Russia's attempt to use Kosovo as a precedent in attaining independence for South Ossetia and Abkhasia has only been recognised by certain of its more dubious friends." (17/02/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Russia, » Kosovo

Kosovo remains dependent for the most part, the Athens daily I Kathimerini writes: "The Albanians need the support of the international community and the Serbs live from the aid Belgrade sends them. … At the same time the leaders of Serbia and of the newly created state have once again highlighted the rift between the two. … Serb President Boris Tadic has said that January 17 was the day on which Pristina tried to illegally separate Kosovo from Serbia. … For his part the Kosovar Prime Minister Hasim Thaci has demanded that Serbia recognise Kosovo's independence. Meanwhile the invisible protagonists of this story are the Kosovo Albanians and the Serbs who have become so used to living with the social marginalisation, poverty and unemployment that affects 40 percent of the population." (17/02/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Domestic Policy, » Kosovo
All available articles from » Apostolis Fotiadis

The Financial Times comments on the role of the EU in the development of Kosovo: "The EU must focus on piecemeal progress. On the diplomatic front, this must include securing Kosovo's oft-debated admission to the International Monetary Fund. On the ground in Kosovo, one priority should be establishing the EU mission's authority. Another must be to push ahead with energy, water and road schemes that will improve living standards. Economic advances alone will not bring Kosovo political stability but they can help prepare for a day when this stability could be secured – perhaps in a future deal in which Kosovo and Serbia join the EU. ... With so much else on the global agenda, it would be tempting to forget about the western Balkans. But the EU must not. Without stability in the region, there cannot be complete stability in Europe." (17/02/2009)

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

One year after attaining independence Kosovo is still struggling with widespread discrimination of women, sweeping unemployment and a high crime rate, writes the daily Dagens Nyheter: "The absence of armed conflicts does not mean that Kosovo is ready for EU membership. The EU would do better to support the young state on its path to stability - for example by bolstering legal security - than to welcome it all too quickly into the Union. When Sweden takes over the EU Council presidency this summer we should seek to act as a pioneer in furthering equal rights and heightening the legal awareness of girls and women in Kosovo." (17/02/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU Policy, » Sweden, » Europe, » Kosovo
All available articles from » Lisa Bjurwald

The Romanian daily Gandul writes on the Italian government's proposal that Romanian rapists in the country should be castrated: "The daily tensions between Romanians and Italians and between the two countries' authorities have triggered a vicious circle from which no one can or wants to break out. The Italian press bombards us daily with news of Romanian rapists, the government promises to introduce further, harsher measures, and Italy's gangs go onto the streets to impose their own idea of justice. ... Only they don't distinguish on the basis of skin colour or ethnic origin, but according to nationality. If you're Romanian, you're guilty. ... Even if the government's proposal sparks off a public debate, the chances of it being applied are minimal. Italy's politicians can't afford not to take advantage of scapegoats like Romanian law breakers." (17/02/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Domestic Policy, » Italy, » Romania
All available articles from » Eliza Francu

Commenting on the recent remarks made by Wladyslaw Bartoszewski, Poland's special representative for relations with Germany, on the possibility of Expellee President Erika Steinbach being appointed to the board of the Center against Expulsions the left-liberal daily Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: "[German Chancellor] Angela Merkel, German President Horst Köhler, the former state premier Bernhard Vogel, the President of the Central Committee of German Catholics Hans Maier and many others have tried time and again to make it clear to Bartoszewski that the Association of Expellees is no longer bringing a lawsuit or making any demands on Poland. … Now Bartoszewski has equated Erika Steinbach, who began her political career on German-Israeli and Christian-Jewish committees, with Holocaust denier [Richard Williamson]. This has left his old friends speechless. Bartoszewski has gone in the entirely wrong direction – and precisely because of all he has achieved this is something of a tragedy." (17/02/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Exhibitions / Museums, » History, » Germany, » Poland
All available articles from » Thomas Urban

In a referendum held in Venezuela 54 percent of the country's electorate voted for the abolishment of presidential term limits, paving the way for President Hugo Chávez to be re-elected indefinitely. His political success however depends on the price of crude oil and is therefore not stable, writes the daily Diário de Notícias. "It's no secret that Chávez loves power. However he does not behave like a dictator. Venezuela's president has always insisted on elections and now 54 percent of Venezuelans supported him on the question of abolishing the limit of two terms in office. … He owes his success to his social policy and the latter depends on the state of his country's finances which rely for the most part on sales of crude oil. If oil prices go down Chávez risks a loss of popularity. He can change the constitution as much as he likes but his power is as unstable as the price of crude oil." (17/02/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Economic Policy, » Latin Amerika

The economic crisis heralds Europe's political demise, political expert and historian Gian Enrico Rusconi writes in the liberal daily La Stampa: "In truth the crisis has only torn the thin veil of pro-European rhetoric that was carefully spun in the past few years, while reality headed in the opposite direction. … Germany's Constitutional Court must now rule on whether the EU reform treaty is unconstitutional – a difficult decision, particularly given that in doing so the court will decide on its own competences within Europe, which in the event of a ruling in favour of constitutionality will be transferred to the European Court of Justice. No one expects the Federal Constitutional Court to simply declare the treaty illegal. But it is certain to voice many reservations that will have unforeseeable consequences. … We can only hope that in the economic crisis there will be a reversal in the current trend and that in a sudden burst of pride political Europe will decide in favour of a joint and binding approach." (17/02/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » EU Constitution, » Germany, » Europe
All available articles from » Gian Enrico Rusconi

Writing in Le Monde, the Socialist deputy Ségolène Royal criticises France's rapprochement to Nato: "With its return to Nato's integrated military command, France is signalling a retreat into the Western sphere that runs counter to Barack Obama's strategy of openness. This decision, taken when George W. Bush was still in office, does not betoken a new relationship with the US, which is increasingly reliant on a politically strong and independent Europe. This retreat signals a threefold contradiction: regarding the evolution of the world today, regarding the role of France and Europe in international relations, and regarding guarantees for our collective security. ... Are we not running the risk of isolating ourselves in an outdated defensive logic at a time when the world is radically changing? Are we not sealing ourselves off, whereas we should be opening up to the world?" (16/02/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » France
All available articles from » Ségolène Royal

Political scientist Fania Oz-Salzberger writes in the Times of Malta that Israel's basic problem is its splintered political landscape, arguing for a system with fewer parties: "Israel must learn to speak in fewer political tongues. It's the only way out of a dangerous impasse at a dangerous historical moment. Its democracy would not grow weaker by becoming tidier: rather, it would grow up. Fewer choices are sometimes the hallmark of maturity, and not only in politics. Is it doable? Yes. Plans for constitutional reform are already on the table. The bigger parties must ignore the vested interests of their junior partners, go back to the drawing board, and raise the Knesset entry-level substantially. Voters will learn to compromise, replacing tailor-made niche-parties with a couple of solid off-the-shelf options. Prime ministers will be able to rule full-term with comfortable majorities. Difficult decisions will at last be made, rather than quirkily postponed: on the peace with the Palestinians and with Syria, on the economy, on social justice, on education. Only then would Israel be able to speak to the world, especially to its Arab neighbours, in a clear and practical voice. I hope, but cannot promise, that it would be the well-tempered voice of Middle Israel." (17/02/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Israel
All available articles from » Fania Oz-Salzberger

In a commentary for the weekly Kultura, Ivaylo Dichev attempts to analyse the mechanisms that underlie the crisis and what makes them so immovable. "The economy is the only sphere from which we draw rationality. And the economy entails interests and egoism. In times gone by irrational causes such as concern about the immortality of the soul, glory or the future of our children served as a counterbalance to economic reality. … I don't know whether you have noticed this but egoists are unhappy, oppressed people. Their horizon is constructed in such a way that they become poorer and poorer because life is a constant movement towards ultimate catastrophe or the loss of everything. Thus, a civilisation without transcendence is doomed to be transfixed by its inevitable end. To break with the vicious circle of 'crisis-depression-crisis' requires powerful groups who shift their focus in life to a realm beyond the confined economic sphere. This is why time and again we fight for justice, against terror and against climate change. But soon it all reverts to the normalising machine for producing rationality: to growth, profit and macro-economic parameters. Such an attitude makes us much more vulnerable to economic difficulties because we get stuck on a one-way track. And if we don't win, we lose everything." (17/02/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Economic Policy, » Global
All available articles from » Ivailo Dichev

Up to now the homepage of the Danish ministry of labour, which advertises work in Denmark abroad, was published in Danish, Polish and English. Now it is also to be translated into German. According to the Flensborg Avis, the daily newspaper for the Danish minority in Germany, this move comes not only at an unpropitious moment given the current economic crisis but also far too late in view of the influx of Germans into the country. "In the past few years the number of German workers at Danish companies inside and outside South Jutland has pretty much exploded. In northern Germany the number of north-south commuters has risen from just under 3,000 to 15,000. But this is hardly because German workers read the ministry of labour's homepage. … From a constructive point of view it is of course gratifying to see that the ministry of labour has finally discovered where most of its foreign workers come from. We can only hope that the ministry bears this in mind when the crisis is replaced by the next economic boom in Denmark." (17/02/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Germany, » Poland, » Denmark

El País writes that Japan faces its worst economic crisis since World War II, commenting: "In addition, tensions between the government and opposition are hindering the introduction of an economic stimulus plan similar to that passed by the United States. But such a plan is necessary - despite the country's high national debt. Just as necessary is that the Bank of Japan should make money available, despite the low key interest rate. And not only Japan must stimulate its enconomy, so must the other countries. The best approach would be to take concerted action. Europe should prick up its ears, and so should Spain, of course." (17/02/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Fiscal Policy, » Economic Policy, » Asia

Gerhard Maria Wagner, an auxiliary bishop in the Austrian city of Linz whose remarks on homosexuality have stirred controversy, resigned on Sunday. Der Standard newspaper writes: "What has not changed, however, is the flaw in the system. The Roman Catholic Church is burgeoning with ignorance, and this guarantees that fresh problems will arise in the future. Rome has stripped the cardinal and his bishops of their authority. Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, the Archbishop of Vienna, must now firmly demand that one of the basic tenets of the Second Vatican Council should be respected: the involvement of the eastern churches, especially in questions of personnel. Failing this, the idea that the cardinal and his bishops form an isolated authority content to represent the will of the Vatican will only be strengthened in people's minds. Ideal, however would be Church leaders who are open to suggestions and objections from the priesthood and laity." (17/02/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Religion, » Austria, » Europe, » Global
All available articles from » Markus Rohrhofer

The Darwin Year 2009 marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin should be used to promote the teaching of his theories of evolution in university courses such as philosophy, medicine or environmental sciences, writes Hans van Dyck, professor of behavioural biology at the University of Leuven, in the daily De Standaard: "The omnipresence of Darwin in the media in recent days stands in stark contrast to the absence of evolutionary biology on many study programmes at universities and institutes of higher education. … 150 years after it was published there is still a substantial gap where evolutionary biology and evolutionary thinking should be as a basic scientific discipline for a wide range of courses of study. … The significance of evolutionary thought reaches far beyond the field of biology." (17/02/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Science / Research, » Belgium
All available articles from » Hans van Dyck