Despite its positive impulse Prague's Yes to the Treaty of Lisbon it is still not a victory for the EU, writes Der Standard newspaper: "The German Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe should rule on whether the Lisbon Treaty is compatible with the German Basic Law even before the European Elections at the beginning of June. Meanwhile in Poland President Lech Kaczyński's signature is still pending. And lastly there is still to be a second referendum in Ireland which will also have direct consequences for the UK. If the ratification process drags on, the Tories could win the election slated for spring of 2010 at the latest and - as they have already announced - once more call the British ratification into question. For this reason the dynamic from Prague must now be put to good use. Only when Lisbon is done and dusted will Europe have gained an undeniable advantage that its critics on the Left and the Right will not be able to gainsay." (07/05/2009)

» more information (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » EU Constitution, » Czech Republic, » Europe
All available articles from » Christoph Prantner

The daily Delo sees the vote for the Treaty of Lisbon as a defeat for Czech President Vaclav Klaus. "The Czech Republic … will not be the country that buries the treaty. President Klaus can still hope that Germany's Federal Constitution Court or another negative referendum in Ireland will put an end to it, and the Czech constitutional judges will perhaps comply with the demands of the dissatisfied eurosceptics and examine those parts of the Lisbon Treaty they have not yet scrutinised. But if they didn't have any objections the first time round they're unlikely to have any this time. In the struggle between the two leading politicians of the conservative Civic Democratic Party [ODS] who went their different ways because of the European issue among other questions the score is now 1:1 - Topolanek is no longer in office because of Klaus but even so Klaus has failed to reach his goal." (07/05/2009)

» more information (external link, Slovenian)
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » EU Constitution, » Czech Republic, » Europe
All available articles from » Barbara Kramzar

Even though the Treaty of Lisbon poses not the slightest threat to the Czech Republic the fight over it rages on, writes the liberal daily Mladá fronta Dnes: "Senators of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) will appeal to the Constitutional Court and President Václav Klaus is already planning his counter-attack. Fears of the alleged dictates from Lisbon may split the ODS and influence the outcome of the October elections. However true these facts may be, they remain local issues. The crucial consideration is that Lisbon will do no harm to the Czech Republic. On the contrary: thanks to the treaty's approval our country remains in the mainstream of European politics and has confirmed its renewed adherence to Western civilisation." (07/05/2009)

» more information (external link, Czech)
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » EU Constitution, » Czech Republic, » Europe
All available articles from » Martin Komárek

Now that the Czechs have approved the EU Reform Treaty the onus lies on Ireland, writes the Süddeutsche Zeitung: "All the other countries have given their political approval to the treaty, meaning that Ireland is faced with a difficult decision. ... The other member states of the EU must now not only make promises to the Irish, but also force them to chart out a roadmap. The EU cannot wait until Judgement Day. The way things stand the treaty must be accepted and deposited by the end of October, because that is the end of the Commission's mandate, and for complex political and contractual reasons the new Commission must be convened according to the new treaty. So the Irish must hold a new referendum by mid-October at the very latest. If not the reform will be postponed again, for at least another five years. And that could be the end of it." (07/05/2009)

» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » EU Constitution, » Ireland, » Czech Republic, » Europe
All available articles from » Martin Winter

The daily Le Monde praises the recommendations on artifical insemination published this week by the French Council of State: "Without giving in to trends seen in other European countries which are often more liberal, the Council has wanted to show pragmatism and not put a brake on the evolution or the expectations of medical research. ... In matters of bioethics, its aim is to ban manipulations that can lead to the objectification and marketing of embryos. In the interests of children the Council of State has rejected medical aid to in vitro fertilisation for single and homosexual women. ... Equally, the Council rejects the legalisation of surrogate motherhood on the grounds that it can be hazardous for the surrogate mother, and that a child must not be made the object of a transaction. ... Certain people will find the Council too fainthearted. At this stage of the debate it strikes us as wise." (07/05/2009)

» full article (external link, French)
More from the press review on the subject » Science / Research, » France

Today the founding summit for the EU's "Eastern Partnership" with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Molodova, Ukraine and Belarus begins in Prague. The partnership is aimed at promoting democratic and economic reforms in those countries. The conservative daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung comments: "There is little that's really new about this. Basically it's just a repackaged version of the Neighbourhood Policy Europe launched after the enlargement of 2004. That Russia has criticised the new partnership calling it an attack on the Kremlin's sphere of interests can be ignored. For one thing the EU is also negotiating a new treaty with Moscow to serve as a basis for closer political, economic and scientific-cultural cooperation. And for another Russia has lost influence in its former sphere of control not least because it offered them little apart from arrogant paternalism." (07/05/2009)

» more information (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » EU neighbourhood policy, » Czech Republic, » Ukraine, » Georgian Republic, » Armenia, » Azerbaijan
All available articles from » Horst Bacia

The most recent military exercise in Georgia has strained relations between Russia and the West, the left-wing daily Népszava writes, and explores the reasons for the tensions. "Since the beginning of April the opposition in Georgia has been calling for head of state Mikheil Saakashvili to resign. … The mass demonstrations against the Georgian head of state were allegedly accompanied by a military uprising. Saakashvili called the military's rebellion a conspiracy against the government. And he also went as far as to accuse Russia of having actively supported the rebellion and planned to invade the Georgian capital Tiflis. … Russian diplomats described the accusations as preposterous and the Georgian opposition also talked of a circus. … Saakashvili is clearly playing a tactical game. To maintain his hold on power he has no qualms about causing tensions between Nato and Russia." (07/05/2009)

» full article (external link, Hungarian)
More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Russia, » Global, » Georgian Republic
All available articles from » Péter Barabás

The celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the first partially free elections in Poland may take place in the city of Kraków and not in Gdańsk, as planned. The reason: the Gdańsk shipyard workers have threatened to disrupt the event in protest at the restructuring of Poland's shipyards. For Piotr Gabryel of the conservative paper Rzeczpospolita, this is a defeat for Polish prime minister Donald Tusk: "He has left Poland in the hands of the shipyard workers ... who have announced their protest for June 4 during the celebrations. A meeting of the leaders of many states - among them German chancellor Angela Merkel - had been planned for this day at the Monument to the Fallen Shipyard Workers in Gdańsk. Now the Solidarność unionists have announced a demonstration to protect the shipyards for the same day. ... Donald Tusk stated on television: 'The celebrations marking the fall of communism planned for June 4 will be ineffectual if they are disrupted by the unionists." (07/05/2009)

» full article (external link, Polish)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Poland
All available articles from » Piotr Gabryel

The most recent parliamentary elections last autumn left many Romanians frustrated because the politicians and parties have failed to keep their promises. Stelian Tanase writes in the daily Adevărul about the connection between national and European elections: "I believe the reason [for the indifference of the voters] is not just that Brussels is so far away; it's also what happened in the last elections. … I detect a certain carelessness in the repetition of the same old techniques that almost everyone recognises. I'm not sure whether the 'promise everyone everything' formula will work this time. … June 7 will basically be a test of how voters react to the tricks of the politicians. Have they learned their lesson from the bluff last autumn or can they forgive and forget this quickly? Abstention will be the rule, but the direction the vote takes will tell us something about the collective short-term memory." (07/05/2009)

» full article (external link, Romanian)
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Elections, » Romania
All available articles from » Stelian Tănase

Examining the Portuguese candidates for election to the European Parliament the daily Diário de Notícias bemoans their lack of concrete proposals on EU policy issues: "The streets are already teeming with election posters, some of them in very bad taste. On television there are a few debates between the candidates of parties who are already in the EU Parliament and representatives of those who want to get in. But the truth is: When it comes to EU policy, which is the real point of all the candidatures and for the sake of which 22 Portuguese will be elected to represent their country, there are no concrete proposals. This is very bad, … particularly seen as the Lisbon treaty (which will enter force sooner or later) will give MEPs more power than they have had so far." (07/05/2009)

» full article (external link, Portuguese)
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Elections, » Portugal, » Europe

Historian Fernando García Sanz writes in the daily La Vanguardia that meaning of the term "Italianisation" as used in the Spanish language has changed over time: "For a long time the term Italianisation or Italianising essentially had a descriptive meaning, although it's true that in many cases it carried a positive and prestigious connotation in Spain because it referred to the imitation of a canon or a predominant model: in painting, sculpture, a certain literary trend or even the façade of a building or a palace could be Italianised. And of course music, too: for a long time there was a tendency among musicians, and above all singers, to Italianise names and surnames in order to be successful, … . Since then, however, the term has acquired connotations that are not only negative but also pejorative in everyday usage (and even, or above all, in political circles): the worst thing you can do is act like the Italians. Even before this term gained currency in a socio-political context the great majority of Spaniards already knew that when they heard in a sports report that a certain team was 'Italianising' a game, what was meant was that the team in question was trying to obstruct the game of its opponent by using dilatory tactics or provoking incidents, or in other words playing dirty." (07/05/2009)

» more information (external link, Spanish)
More from the press review on the subject » Architecture / Cities, » History, » Sport, » Languages, » Italy, » Spain
All available articles from » Fernando García Sanz

US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner has presented a report this week revealing how much money has been lost by US banks in the economic crisis. The Financial Times welcomes the report, arguing that the Eurozone and the UK should take a similar step: "By the end of Thursday, the US will have revealed a great deal more about its banks than any other country. Even if investors are not convinced, applying a single standard to all banks and publishing detailed results will provide the market with useful information. This is all in striking contrast to Europe's reluctance to act. According to the International Monetary Fund, the US banks have another 550 billion dollars of writedowns to come; the equivalent figure for the eurozone and UK is 950 billion. The real information gap lies not in Mr Geithner's stress tests, but in Europe's unwillingness to match them." (07/05/2009)

» full article (external link, English)
More from the press review on the subject » Financial Markets, » Banks, » United Kingdom, » Europe, » U.S.

The Spanish parliament has set up a committee to evaluate the pros and cons of a state-guaranteed basic income for all Spanish citizens. Writing in El País economic expert Daniel Raventós pleads in favour of such a measure: "The most interesting studies on a basic income have arrived at two particularly important conclusions: It is financially viable, and the sectors of the population with the lowest income would end up in a clearly better position compared to the current situation. The April 28th creation of this sub-committee to evaluate the need for and viability of a basic income opens up the possibility that this social requirement is recognised both in parliament and by a large segment of the population." (07/05/2009)

» full article (external link, Spanish)
More from the press review on the subject » Economic Policy, » Social affairs, » Spain
All available articles from » Daniel Raventós

A court on the Greek island of Rhodes declared two marriages between two homosexual couples invalid on Tuesday. The desire to marry of many Greek homosexuals will thus remain unfulfilled for now. The daily To Vima criticises the ruling: "It is not only the legislators who reject same-sex marriages … and thus the right to respect for private and family life. In Athens, pubs and bars frequented by homosexuals are often attacked. … Greek society wants to interfere in other people's [homosexuals'] personal affairs. In this conservative climate there is also something positive: We are part of the Western world. A world in which for the first time an openly homosexual woman - Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir – has become prime minister [of Iceland], in which a homosexual woman, Carol Ann Duffy, holds the position of Britain's Poet Laureate. … We must recognise this and learn from it." (07/05/2009)

» full article (external link, Greek)
More from the press review on the subject » Minorities, » Gender equality, » United Kingdom, » Greece, » Iceland
All available articles from » Laurie Keza

The case of Baby Hendrikus is causing a stir in the Netherlands. The baby was initially removed from the custody of his mentally handicapped parents as it was unclear whether they could care for him. Now a court has ruled that Hendrikus may return to his parents on condition that he be placed under camera surveillance. The daily NRC Handelsblad criticises the judgement: "The poor child. Can he be allowed to grow attached to parents from whom he may have to be separated again in a few months? ... When he becomes bigger and if he is not mentally handicapped, will he show understanding for the fact that he was spied on for his entire life? Will he not wan to run away, for instance when he recognises his own existence as a mascot under continual surveillance in the film The Truman Show? It's a difficult choice, but it must be made. A child has his own interests, and they outweigh the joys of his parents. Every child has the right to years of security. This security must not be enforced through video surveillance, however, but if necessary it may be given by a foster family or a children's home." (07/05/2009)

» full article (external link, Dutch)
More from the press review on the subject » Health and Medicine, » Netherlands

Following the dispute over the protection of the rights of Internet users the European Parliament has rejected the reform of the EU's telecommunications law. The liberal conservative daily Corriere della Sera calls for new rules to be tested, above all in the music sector. "Music plays a central role. It could be the first [industry] that comes out of the tunnel of traumatic change [the nightmare of piracy] on the strength of a completely new model for the digital sector. … The laboratory that is music produces new ideas for the entire creative industry of tomorrow. It shows us that the right technology, the right price and the right degree of protection are important - that we need to strike a fine balance between too much and too little copyright. This could spawn a new economic model from which authors, the industry and above all the public can all profit." (07/05/2009)

» more information (external link, Italian)
More from the press review on the subject » Music, » Audiovisual Media, » Media policy, » Europe
All available articles from » Edoardo Segantini