The school shooting in Winnenden is not an isolated case, the Flemish daily Gazet van Antwerpen notes: "Not just bank shares are in the midst of a profound crisis; people's lives also seem to be worth less than 25 years ago. Above all the young are doing things to themselves and others that would have been unthinkable back then. The same phenomenon that shocked Germany and the rest of the world the day before yesterday also shook us a decade ago when two teenagers caused a bloodbath at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, ten years ago. The motive? We don't know because the perpetrators committed suicide. … There is a clear parallel between these cases of extreme violence: No one saw them coming. The perpetrators are often inconspicuous youths and the people around them would never think them capable of doing such a thing. What can we learn from this? Perhaps that we must observe more closely, talk more to the youths in our neighbourhood and above all become better at listening to them." (13/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Germany, » Belgium
All available articles from » Lex Molenaar

The Süddeutsche Zeitung asks how youths can become violent criminals: "Looked at objectively there is certainly a correlation between horror films, brutal computer games and violent criminals. But what if it's not the games that created the criminal? What if it were he who sought them out and got his kicks from them, having already discovered that violence is his thing? ... 'This is the day of the expanding man', sang the pop group Steely Dan thirty years ago in a song comprising the inner monologue of a homicidal gunman before his final encounter with the police. 'They got a name for the winners in the world / I, I want a name when I lose.' What is violence? Destroying the will of another person. And in his will to do this, the homicidal gunman behaves rationally, terribly rationally." (13/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Germany
All available articles from » Thomas Steinfeld

In the aftermath of the shooting spree in Winnenden the Spanish daily El País writes: "The use of weapons must of course be banned or more strictly controlled. It is hard to understand why the terror of aimless and senseless killing that can be explained in the US by the free sale of weapons has also infected the countries of Europe. But it's obvious that one explanation lies in the demon of weapons. Everything society does to prevent their use will serve to avert new crimes." (13/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Germany

The daily NRC Handelsblad wonders how a shooting spree like the one in Winnenden can be prevented: "Is this phenomenon a by-product of the disengaged society in which such impaired young people go unnoticed? What role is played by the innumerable sources of inspiration in the new media? Can one prevent such abhorrences? ... Intervention and therapy could be one solution. The best thing is to resort to the strategies for preventing teenage suicides. And of course restricting the ownership of firearms. The simple truth is that such murderous fantasies cannot be realised if weapons are in short supply. Firearms exert a huge attraction on youths. Gun possession is the most common offence among this group after fare dodging and vandalism. The Winnenden gunman took the weapon from his father's bedroom. Figures from 2005 show that in the Netherlands around 40,000 illegal weapons are in circulation. This evil must be remedied." (13/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Germany, » Netherlands

The daily Sydsvenska Dagbladet comments on how the school murders in Winnenden are being analysed: "The analyses fulfil a function: heightening understanding for the power of the psyche over depressed and perturbed individuals. But they fail to answer the question: how could this happen? And they give no answer to how pupils can be protected from such acts of violence in future. ... Society bears a large burden of responsibility for their security. That means schools must be given high priority, even in these economically difficult times. If no money is invested in schools the consequences will be even more drastic. Of course after the attack in Winnenden the calls for heightened security in schools are growing louder. Notwithstanding, surveillance cameras, identity controls and metal detectors are an unwelcome development. More important is the presence of increased numbers of adults in the schools: teachers, counsellors, school psychologists. Eyes to see and ears to hear." (13/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Germany, » Sweden

Latvia's former finance minister, Valdis Dombrovskis, is now the country's prime minister. The daily Latvijas Avize writes on the difficult tasks awaiting the new head of government: "Pity is number one on the list of emotions he arouses. Firstly because of our country's difficult economic situaton and the painful decisions he will have to make right from the start. And secondly because of the complicated make-up of the new coalition. But Dombrovskis will not be able to lead the country on the strength of pity alone, and it will not be enought just to hope that fortuitous events will improve things before the next parliamentary elections in 2010." (13/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Latvia
All available articles from » Māris Antonevičs

Following the anti-government demonstrations in Moscow the daily Corriere della Sera comments on the disappointment felt by the opposition in Russia: "In the first months after the elections [President Dmitry] Medvedev was regarded as a potential saviour of democratic Russia. … Now the opposition is disappointed because it believes Medvedev is simply an instrument in the hands of [Prime Minister Vladimir] Putin. … As if he had set out to confirm the views of his critics Medvedev has called on the Cossacks, the proud warriors of the tsar, to help quash the social unrest. At the same time the economic difficulties have ousted the Russian oligarchs from the top places on the international ranking list of the rich. There are rumours that some of them are willing to plan a political coup. They are extremely unhappy with the way the Medvedev-Putin duo is dealing with the crisis. Only the fear that the same fate as that of former head of Yukos oil company Mikhail Khodorkovsky could await them … deters them from attacking." (13/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Russia
All available articles from » Fabrizio Dragosei

The Bulgarian government has asked the EU to ensure "the constant presence of more EU "experts" at Bulgaria's major institutions. The daily Dnevnik comments ironically on this initiative: "Our government has thus confessed its inability to carry out its duties and is trying to saddle the EU with the responsibility. At least we should admit that the idea is not a bad one, although it brings to mind [the longstanding leader of the Bulgarian Communist Party] Todor Zhivkov and his plans to turn Bulgaria into the 16th Soviet republic. Because this idea is tantamount to a voluntary renunciation of sovereignty, the government should immediately step down. The European Commission should send a governor general to Bulgaria to replace it. Naturally the public prosecutor's office and the court should be led by EU experts. … Meanwhile readers in forums have started proposing that Bulgaria become a colony of Belgium." (13/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Bulgaria

The Czechs have three reasons to celebrate this year, Jiří Hanák points out in the leftist daily Právo: 20 years ago they overcame communism, 10 years ago they became a member of Nato and 5 years ago they joined the EU. "The first event put us back on the European stage; the second guaranteed our security and thanks to the third we experienced an economic boom, notwithstanding the current crisis. But amidst all the celebrations we should remember that we played a rather passive role in these happy events. The 'Velvet Revolution' fell into our lap because the Soviet empire collapsed economically. It certainly wasn't due to our military qualities that we became a member of Nato. And the EU's admission of eight poor post-communist countries into its fold was to a certain extent an act of charity. … We are earning our place in Nato with the deployment of our troops abroad, but things look less positive as far as our attitude towards the EU is concerned. Prime Minister [Mirek] Topolánek is basking in the glory of being the current holder of the EU presidency and even scoring points at home with this. But at the same time his conservative party is busy making sure we become a second-class member of the Community." (13/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » History, » Czech Republic
All available articles from » Jiří Hanák

In the liberal weekly 168 Óra journalist Endre Aczél reflects on the new catchword in US-Russian relations: "The catchword is the English word 'reset'. … Until recently it hadn't been used in a political context … but since [the new US Vice President] Joe Biden said at the Munich Security Conference in February that the time had come to press the 'reset' button in US-Russian relations 'reset' has become an international catchword. With his metaphorical formulation Biden admitted that American-Russian relations had reached freezing point. At the same time the US vice president also indirectly admitted that it would be necessary to revise the political course of the Bush Administration in order to bring about a thaw in those relations. … Biden's remarks were a breakthrough. Soon after, the Nato foreign ministers decided to bring back cooperation with Russia to its former, normal mode, or 'reset' it. So a political thaw is in the offing." (13/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Russia, » U.S.
All available articles from » Endre Aczél

The Times comments on the case of the New York stockbroker Bernard Madoff, said to have robbed his investors of an estimated 65 billion dollars: "The scale of the fraud was so audacious ... that even a world that thought it was beyond being shocked further was left blinking with disbelief. At a time when workers are losing their jobs, investors are losing their savings and banks are losing respect as they sink under the weight of foolhardy lending, Madoff's fraud has become a symbol of greed, deception and financial depravity. When the history of this recession is written, Madoff will command a chapter of his own. It would be heartening to think that a British Madoff would meet a similar fate. But given the way that Britain's financial regulators sometimes patrol the too hazy border between recklessness and criminality, it might be misguided." (13/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Financial Markets, » United Kingdom, » U.S.

Dziennik newspaper welcomes the valuation of the Polish zloty over the Swiss franc. Many Poles whose mortgages are in Swiss francs have benefited from the new exchange rate. "The zloty is still far from regaining its full strength. We have seen many different exchange rate fluctuations recently - but primarily the devaluation of the zloty against other currencies. ... The Swiss National Bank gave a clear sign yesterday by radically lowering its prime lending rate. This is good news for borrowers who must pay off their loans in Swiss francs. The bank also explained that by encouraging the sale of the Swiss franc a process had been set in motion that should weaken the currency, with the aim of strengthening Swiss exports and easing the sale of Swiss products abroad. For that reason one can indeed say that we will see a steady and prolongued weakening of the franc." (13/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Fiscal Policy, » Financial Markets, » Poland, » Switzerland
All available articles from » Marcin Piasecki

The daily Helsingen Sanomat writes that more summer jobs should be created for young people: "Youth unemployment has increased drastically in recent months and is up one third over last year. .. For young people a summer job is important in gaining experience about the working world. For employers the summer job is a good opportunity to introduce young people to the business and the profession. In the future employers will profit from good contacts to young graduates in the competition for the best workers. A summer job is also hugely important for the growing number of youths whose parents have been laid off. We must get a clear idea of how summer jobs and work productivity can be harmonised. The last recession showed that a high price is paid for high youth unemployment." (13/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Economic Policy, » Finland

Following the elimination of France's football champion team Olympique Lyon from the EUFA Champions League the daily Les Echos examines the current economic crisis in French football. "Should a football club earn money? … If we take a look at the budgets published by French clubs this year this question acquires a certain relevance. In 2008 the 40 clubs in the first and second divisions made only half as much net profit as last year. … The reason? Inflation of their personnel costs, particularly as a result of the players' administration fees. … French football [also] lacks the stars necessary to triumph at a European level because it doesn't pay enough to either keep or attract the players it wants. … For want of a charismatic champion it can neither fill its own stadiums nor give its championship the kick that would secure it hundreds of millions of euros in TV broadcasting rights in the long run." (13/03/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Sport, » France
All available articles from » Daniel Fortin