As opposed to earlier elections Ukraine has finally had a true presidential race this time round, writes the news portal Delfi: "Russia has understood that its interference in 2004 was a mistake, and for that reason it refrained from taking sides. Six years ago the Kremlin still favoured Viktor Yanukovych, but this time the leader of the Party of Regions was not treated any more sympathetically than his strongest challenger Yulia Tymoshenko. ... The European Union also refrained from siding with any party, although none of the favourites benefits from true sympathy in Brussels. The European politicians have a hard time with Yanukovych, who is associated with the electoral fraud of 2004, while Tymoshenko alienated many people by continually ignoring obligations imposed by the EU. Nevertheless whatever the outcome, Ukraine will not have a pro-Russian president but the leader of a sovereign Ukraine. For that reason the decisive question won't be who is president, but what happens with the country after the run-off vote." (18/01/2010)

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All available articles from » Āris Jansons

The EU is partly responsible for the fact that Ukraine has positioned itself closer to Russia, writes the daily Dagens Nyheter: "Yesterday's presidential election in Ukraine shows how political dreams can be shattered and how the country's opportunists are orienting themselves accordingly. The EU only wants economic partnership with Ukraine, rather than full-fledged membership. The hopes of the Orange Revolution for EU accession have been dashed. For that reason the presidential election campaign centred on how relations with Russia may be strengthened and improved. Ukraine needs to open up to the world, but the EU has slammed the door in its face." (18/01/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU Policy, » Ukraine, » Europe

Current president and beacon of hope for the democratic movement in Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko may stand no chance of being reelected, but that doesn't mean the Orange Revolution was unsuccessful, writes the left-liberal Süddeutsche Zeitung: "What it does mean is that the outcome of the run-off vote in three weeks' time remains open. The country now has a true opposition in parliament and a multifaceted media landscape. And the unstable democracy can take further hope from the fact that all of the country's top-ranking politicians, even Viktor Yanukovych from the Russian-speaking eastern region, want to prevent Moscow from regaining control over the country. And most Ukrainian industrialists agree. There is unity over rapprochement with the European Union, although the country's democratic institutions must be further strengthened for any fruitful cooperation with Europe to take place." (18/01/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU neighbourhood policy, » Elections, » Ukraine, » Russia, » Europe
All available articles from » Thomas Urban

Following the earthquake in Haiti US President Barack Obama wants to make his mark as a genuine partner for the country, given that in the past the US has all too often sided with exploitative despots, Die Presse writes: "If President Obama now commits to being a partner to Haiti even after the Caribbean republic has disappeared from the headlines he has learned the lesson of the US's past. The emergency aid is not just a top priority, it is an act of solidarity that stems from a collective guilty conscience. Through their longstanding bonds with the country the Clintons, ex-president Bill and Secretary of State Hillary, have provided support. At present only the US seems capable of exercising control as a protecting power. Nevertheless it should not get too carried away with its role." (18/01/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Latin Amerika, » U.S., » Global
All available articles from » Thomas Vieregge

The Council of Europe has criticised the way the World Health Organisation has dealt with the swine flu. The accusation voiced above all by Wolfgang Wodarg, the German Social Democratic head of health at the Council of Europe, is that the pharmaceutical industry has made a fortune as a result of the organisation's alarmism. The daily El País comments: "This is a very serious accusation and it must be supported by evidence. It is up to the scientists to conduct a debate about whether one can predict the impact of a completely new virus more precisely or not. There were enough reasons to take the threat seriously, but any mistake can be discussed with transparency. However it would be wrong to go from collective hysteria to a state of indifference towards a type of flu that is here to stay now. Under no circumstances should this incident lead us to forsake the preparations for tackling future pandemics." (18/01/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Health Policy, » Germany, » Europe, » Global

On January 20 US President Barack Obama will have been in office for a year. His first year was tough but the second will be even tougher, the Finnish daily Keskisuomalainen predicts: "The expectations for the 'president of the new generation' were disproportionately high, both in the United States and abroad. His winning the Nobel Peace Prize even before taking official action is the clearest expression of this. ... In November the elections to Congress will be held in the US, in which a third of the 100 members of the Senate and the entire House of Representatives are elected. With 60:40 in the current Senate the Democrats have the slimmest possible majority and have been able to prevent the Republicans from blocking legislation. But next autumn that ratio may change. The employment situation, the healthcare reform, the controversial environmental laws and the dated security systems give the Republicans many weapons against their opponents." (18/01/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » U.S.

The Russian parliament has agreed to a reform of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. After blocking it for years Russia now deems that the reform poses no danger to its interests, although large numbers of Russian citizens have filed suits with the court in the past. The reform is meant to ease the Strasbourg judges' workload and improve the efficiecy of the court. The conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung doubts whether this will be the case: "Certainly, Strasbourg cannot enforce its judgements. Nevertheless in the long term the public impact of numerous convictions and condemnations, many of which are directed at Turkey and Russia, is devastating for any regime that cares at all about its reputation. Germany by contrast only has minor problems with Strasbourg. But whether the disburdening of the judges now made possible with the reform will bring a sustained improvement remains to be seen." (18/01/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Russia, » Europe
All available articles from » Reinhard Müller

The Germans like the Swiss, but only owing to a misunderstanding: they confuse Swiss politeness with friendliness, writes Andreas Thiel in the weekly magazine Weltwoche: "Our highly developed etiquette of politeness enables us to coexist peacefully here in Switzerland, despite the cultural and language differences. Swiss politeness serves the cause of peace, stability and thus prosperity. Germans naively take our politeness as a personal compliment and are therefore immediately taken with Switzerland. But if they stay here for a while they are soon confronted with that emotional detachment which distinguishes politeness from friendliness. They come up against an unexpected wall of reserve and realise they can't cut the ice with the Swiss. Despite their friendly attitude they lack politeness. They lack both the courteous comportment and the necessary detachment." (13/01/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » Switzerland
All available articles from » Andreas Thiel

In 2002 the Lithuanian refinery company Mažeikių nafta was sold to the Russian oil company Yukos. After the Russian company collapsed the Polish mineral oil company PKN Orlen took over - without much success, as the Lithuanian newspaper Valstiečių laikraštis comments: "Although the Poles are our strategic partner it's obvious that Orlen has failed to achieve the results Yukos obtained within only a few years. ... This raises the question of why the new owners of Mažeikių nafta haven't learned more from the experiences of their predecessors. This is all the more important because in the next few days the first oil tanker belonging to the [Russian] oil company Lukoil will arrive at the port of Klaipėda. It brings fuel from Sweden to supply its filling stations, which will then be able to offer lower prices. We can rejoice about the competition but we shouldn't forget that the Russians aren't doing this for nothing but will keep hammering Orlen until the Poles offer them Mažeikių nafta of their own free will." (18/01/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Energy, » Corporations, » Poland, » Lithuania, » Russia
All available articles from » Albinas Caplikas

The nominations for the Golden Globe awards have again shown that Hollywood is no longer what it once was, writes the daily The Times: "Should we be grateful? There have never been so many remakes of late. Do we need a new version of My Fair Lady just because someone in Hollywood thinks a remake would be lovely. Is there such a shortage of talent? Or is it courage that's missing? Once the public knew that when they queued outside the 'picture palace', they would get something very special. ... If only anything celebrated at the Golden Globes last night could match the magic of those days. As the writer-director Melville Shavelson put it, in a sporting metaphor: 'There used to be Giants in this town. Now, all we have are the Dodgers'." (18/01/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Film, » U.S.
All available articles from » Michael Freedland

The Vatican has named the conservative Bishop André-Mutien Léonard as the new archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels. He succeeds the liberal Godfried Danneels. The Catholics' concerns about developments in their Church are justified, the daily De Morgen writes: "Monseigneur Léonard is made of different stuff altogether: 'Homosexuals are delayed in their psychological development. This makes them abnormal.' ... He makes no bones about his views, so at least Catholic homosexuals know where they stand. 'The borderline between euthanasia and Nazi practices is a very thin one'. So a Catholic nurse at a palliative care centre knows exactly what her spiritual leader thinks of her. ... Danneels made room in his Church for people who were Christians but not necessarily strictly Catholic. The new archbishop, a mouthpiece for the current Pope, wants to tighten up the rules for access to his club. Alienating the institution even more from society is the price he is willing to pay for this." (18/01/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Religion, » Belgium
All available articles from » Yves Desmet

Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday visited the major synagogue in Rome, to the anger of many Jews unhappy with preparations for the beatification of Pope Pius XII on the grounds that he did too little in the 1930s to counter the influence of National Socialism. The conservative daily Rzeczpospolita believes the meeting can reconcile Catholics and Jews: "The hopes that a relationship based on mutual respect and a sense of purpose is possible between Catholicism and Judaism have been given new wind after the chief rabbi of Rome Riccardo Di Segni decided not to withdraw his invitation to the Pope. The visit went ahead despite the protests, which were questionable to say the least." (18/01/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Religion, » Italy
All available articles from » Beate Zubowicz