The daily Jyllands-Posten sees little new in the EU's progress report concerning Turkey's accession, saying that the same issues arise again and again: "It's understandable and correct that the EU insist on its demands for more democracy: a Turkey where the rights of women, minorities and children are fortified, where there are better conditions for freedom of opinion, where the role of the military is restricted and where relations with the Kurds and Cypriots are normalised. But it would also make sense for the EU, and in particular Germany and France, to realise that in addition to the normal requirements for countries applying for membership for Turkey in particular there are also relevant and overriding issues in the areas of security and energy that could be of great importance for Europe." (15/10/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » Turkey

"The accession process will take another 15 to 20 years," writes Kai Strittmatter in the left-liberal daily Süddeutsche Zeitung on the new EU Progress Report on Turkey: "In 15 years Turkey will not be the Turkey it is today. It will grow far faster economically than all other EU countries. And we may be confident in the steps it is taking toward true democracy. That the country is 'structurally unfit for accession' as a member of the [conservative] CDU said on Wednesday, is nonsense. At the same time, a positive outcome of the EU talks is anything but in the bag. The old, undemocratic elite no longer has the power to shape the army, the bureaucracy or the judiciary - but it still has the power to sabotage. Prime Minister [Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan and the Turkish democrats need all the help they can get, and Europe must not withhold its support." (15/10/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » Domestic Policy, » EU neighbourhood policy, » Europe, » Turkey
All available articles from » Kai Strittmatter

The EU has lost all enthusiasm for further enlargement, the business daily Il Sole 24 Ore writes: "The Hamlet-like doubts about the practicality of opening the door to Turkey, the sluggish progress of the Balkan countries and the devastating financial and economic crisis that has the world in its grip are all factors that have put a damper on the passion for expansion everywhere, even in the northern-most countries of the Union, which have always been eager to extend the domestic borders. And so we move on, but with weary steps. In reality [we're moving] only under duress, because you can't go back on a promise." (15/10/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » Europe
All available articles from » Adriana Cerretelli

The progress report makes it clear that the accession candidate Croatia still has much work to do, particularly in fighting corruption and organised crime, writes the daily Delo: "Croatia no longer faces [Slovenian] blockades and is on its own, only the results count. It won't be enough for the head of government [Jadranka] Kosor to lead the fight against corruption. If she wants to bring Croatia into the EU by 2012 she'll have to excise the cancer mercilessly with a scalpel. The problem is that it bears a well-known and unpleasant 'medical' name, namely HDZ [Kosor's party, the Croatian Democratic Union founded by former president Franjo Tuđman] and friends. The government may be promising to take action against corruption even at the highest levels, but the citizens of Croatia have already heard many such fairy tales." (15/10/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » Domestic Policy, » Croatia
All available articles from » Rok Kajzer

Following the collapse of the Romanian government on Tuesday the opposition has called for the Romanian-German mayor of Sibiu, Klaus Johannis, to be appointed as the new prime minister. The Romanian head of state Traian Băsescu, whose task it is to propose a candidate for the office, is however reticent about the proposal. The daily Gândul writes: "Why isn't Traian Băsescu happy about the potential appointment of Johannis to lead the government considering that the mayor of Sibiu … appears to have such great political support? For rational, politically-motivated reasons. … Accepting Johannis wouldn't improve the image of his opponent Crin Antonescu. … These days [Johannis] is frequently featured in the media, an entire legend has been created around his person, nourished by the good administration of Sibiu and the qualities of the ethnic German community - strictness, seriousness, stability, punctuality. This is not the kind of prime minister Băsescu wants. He doesn't want a government that helps the other side [in the presidential elections on November 22]." (15/10/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Romania
All available articles from » Rodica Ciobanu

The Czech government has made the offer to President Václav Klaus that it will explore the possibilities of amending the Treaty of Lisbon to comply with his request for a guarantee of the inviolability of the so-called Beneš Decrees. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung writes: "The fear of restitution claims by Sudeten Germans has been an integral part of Czech politics since the fall of the Berlin Wall twenty years ago. ... But with its grotesque postponement tactics Prague is doing increasing damage to its credibility in foreign policy. This doesn't seem to worry the president and a small group of senators who are happy to turn a blind eye not only to the majority opinion, but also to majority decisions adopted in parliament." (14/10/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » EU Constitution, » Domestic Policy, » Czech Republic, » Europe
All available articles from » Rudolf Hermann

The left-liberal daily El País comments on the meeting of the G6 (US, Russia, China, France, the UK and Germany) with Iran that took place in Geneva at the beginning of October. The paper complains that it is being described as a success although it produced few new results: "The attempts to present the meeting between the G6 and Iran … as a success - hailing it as an Iranian turning point - don't match up with the announced results. Iran is simply permitting an inspection of its new enrichment plant in Qom, something it had already announced it would do, while insisting that it has adhered to the [Non-Proliferation Treaty] NPT. … In return [Iran] is being allowed to increases its level of enrichment to 20 percent … If this is all - and it appears that there wasn't anything else important - it is confirmation that Iran continues to set the clock as it sees fit." (15/10/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Russia, » Europe, » U.S., » Iran, » China
All available articles from » Jesús A. Núñez Villaverde

Amsterdam's mayor Job Cohen writes in the left-liberal daily De Volkskrant that the current debate on Islam all too frequently accentuates extremism and terrorism. Closer ties are needed between policy makers and academic researchers, he maintains: "One is entitled to assume that with its claim to objectivity and establishing the truth, academic scholarship is in a position to bring some order into this debate. ... Researchers have an important job to do. They should set themselves the goal of clearly expounding the many views and insights prevalent in the Muslim world, and thus balance out the social debate. ... That scholarly research too seldom finds its way into political discourse and the media seems to me not just the fault of politicians or journalists, but also of scholars themselves. Universities don't always see it as their core business to take part in public debate. ... But if anyone can clearly elucidate the voice of 'normal, hard-working Muslim citizens' in the social debate it is the scholars and academics." (15/10/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Religion, » Science / Research, » Netherlands
All available articles from » Job Cohen

In the daily Dnevnik Ervin Hladnik Milharčič comments on the decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to US President Barack Obama: "The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize has always been a Norwegian affair [the committee that decides the winners is selected by the Norwegian parliament]. The Nobel Peace Prize is normally awarded for practical achievements. It often goes to dissidents who are in conflict with their own societies. This time the prize went to a politician who perhaps didn't want it and who is sorry he has won it. The Norwegians have actively intervened at the top-most levels of world politics. They have redefined the US president. With a heavy dose of irony they have given Obama the status of a dissident rebelling against [republican] Bush politics and the Bush society. At the same time they have played their little games with European politicians, too. … There is no European politician who can attract 200,000 people to the Brandenburg Gate just to hear him deliver a speech. Europe has no leader. This is perhaps even encouraging when it comes to this kind of decision [for the Nobel Peace Prize]. But that Europe doesn't even have a candidate who could be taken seriously for the Nobel Peace Prize is a reason to be angry." (15/10/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Europe, » U.S.
All available articles from » Ervin Hladnik-Milharcic

The business paper Les Echos is incensed that traders on Wall Street will once more receive bonuses this year, as if the financial crisis had never happened: "It's indecent. The 140 billion dollars in bonuses that the major financial institutions are getting ready to dish out in 2009 according to the Wall Street Journal, are morally shocking. Several months after narrowly escaping a complete meltdown thanks solely to the hundreds of billions of dollars injected by the authorities, the financiers on Wall Street have gone back to their old habits without a second thought. The message is clear. Wall Street has closed the parentheses of the crisis that it did much to spread throughout the world. And in so doing it is thumbing its nose at all those people who are fighting to moralise the financial sector." (15/10/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Fiscal Policy, » Economic Policy, » Financial Markets, » Banks, » France
All available articles from » François Vidal

According to expert estimates Greece and Ireland could soon chalk up budget deficits of over twelve percent, the largest in the Eurozone. The daily Eletherotypia compares the economic situations of the two countries: "Ireland has racked up almost 32.5 million euros [in debt] since the beginning of the year, even though the initial target was [just] 25 million euros. In Greece we started with 42 million euros and now we're at 54 million. And it looks very much like we'll pass the 65 million mark by the end of the year. Before we start to compare wer must be aware that Ireland has a smaller population than Greece and thus less need for loans. However the Celts' per capita income is almost double that of the Greeks. Both countries were masters of development in the Eurozone between 1995 and 2007, posting rates of 6 percent [Ireland] and 3.5 percent [Greece] every year." (14/10/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Fiscal Policy, » Economic Policy, » Greece, » Ireland
All available articles from » Dimitris Kontogiannis

The abolishment of tuition fees in Austria in 2008 has backfired a year later, the daily Kurier contends: "Austria's students are saving 364 euros per semester and must now fight harder than ever over every free place in the laboratories and lecture halls. Austria's free universities are acting like a magnet for German students who fail the selection procedures back home. The political ideal of 'free university admission' for everyone who wants to study is basically a total farce. The losers are the students who have been freed of the yoke of fees. The [Austrian Socialist Party] SPÖ will no longer be able to avoid a new debate about fees (with mitigating grants) and EU-compatible admission procedures - unless it finally re-baptises itself as 'Austria's Senior Citizens' Party'." (14/10/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Austria
All available articles from » Josef Votzi

According to a current study people with low incomes in France hardly take advantage of cultural activities. The daily Le Monde puts the blame on the state: "As far as access to culture is concerned, the results are devastating. ... The situation has in fact worsened considerably compared with similar studies from 1988 and 1997. Apart from the cinema, the most democratic of the arts, poorer people are increasingly abandoning any form of artistic activity and are deserting cultural institutions. The situation would no doubt be even worse if the state had done nothing to counter it. ... But in fact the state has never been able to reach out to people who are excluded from culture. Its programmes for adults are continually being subject to cuts. And there is still no truly effective policy for bringing art to young people in the schools." (15/10/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Film, » Cultural Policy, » France

After the sudden onset of winter caused extensive power failures in Poland on Wednesday the daily Dziennik Gazeta Prawna criticises the dilapidated state of the country's power networks: "[The north-western Polish city of] Szczecin was left without power a year and a half ago. And yesterday a third of Poland was affected by power failures. Naturally we can blame it all on the circumstances as usual, [particularly] the rain and heavy snow. … But let's talk seriously: It's true that the [winter] weather set in yesterday. But all that wouldn't have mattered if Poland had a modern energy network. And we don't, nor will we in the near future. … So situations like yesterday's will become even more frequent." (15/10/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Energy, » Poland
All available articles from » Marcin Piasecki

A new programme entitled Inlåst (Locked in) has started on the private Swedish television channel TV4. The show brings juvenile delinquents together with so-called mentors, who themselves were once criminals. The whole thing's completely wrong, write seven experts in the daily Göteborgs-Posten: "The head of programming at TV4 has repeatedly said that at least her channel is doing something. In other words she thinks a method considered detrimental by the social welfare office is better than nothing at all. We are of a different opinion. We believe youth crime is far too serious a matter to go against one's better judgement and fly in the face of research by experimenting on young people and calling it TV entertainment." (15/10/2009)

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More from the press review on the subject » Audiovisual Media, » Sweden
All available articles from » Mona Franséhn, » Björn Andersson, » Ingalill Balheden, » Juan Navas, » Lena Säljö, » Kerstin Wadman, » Arne Wiik