The US's leading role will remain undisputed as long as it continues to do most when disasters strike or wars break out, the daily Diário de Notícias concludes: "Given the enormity of the tragedy in Haiti it is hardly surprising that the world is mobilising to help the country. ... But what is surprising and should give us pause for thought is that once again it's the US that has taken the lead in providing humanitarian and financial aid and organising all the missions in the country. ... Everyone has helped, but no one else has set up a project like the US, which is even contemplating a Marshall Plan to rebuild Haiti. Europe has mobilised but has waited until this week to decide how much financial aid it will provide. It can be argued that Haiti is in the Americans' 'backyard' and that its conduct and concerns are therefore normal. But as long as it's always the Americans who make the biggest effort every time there's a major tragedy or conflict no one can dispute their position at the centre of global decision-making. They have earned that position. Haiti is simply the latest proof of this." (18/01/2010)

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The United Nations has failed to do its job in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, writes the conservative daily El Mundo: "We should therefore be demanding an explanation from Ban Ki moon rather than Washington. If the top priority after the disaster was to establish rules for the effective management of aid, the UN has abdicated its responsibility. The absence of an international arbiter has led to Washington assuming a leading role, which has annoyed Paris most of all because it doesn't want to lose influence in its ex-colony. What's more, this is the second time within the space of a month that a major event has overwhelmed the UN. The first was in mid-December at the Copenhagen climate summit, where the US and China reached a deal behind the international community's back. There are many voices ... calling for its reform, and even for it to be replaced by a new organisation." (19/01/2010)

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In the aftermath of the earthquake Haiti now faces the menace of looting and anarchy. The country is dominated by structural violence, the daily NRC Handelsblad writes: "In the course of two centuries Haiti has experienced near on 200 coups and then a series of bloodthirsty dictators like 'Papa Doc' and his son 'Baby Doc', who were left to wreak havoc in the country unchecked between 1957  and 1986 - among other things as a consequence of the outside world focusing on geopolitical goals after the Cold War reached the Caribbean via Cuba. In Haiti politics has always just been another word for a murderous form of lining one's own pockets. Or in other words, in Haiti everything has been done to make people bad or ensure they stay that way. This pitiful image of mankind now seems to once again be emerging from among the ruins. ... If later it becomes clear that in addition to destroying the infrastructure the earthquake has also destroyed the wretched political culture then Haiti will have another chance with the help of foreign aid."   (19/01/2010)

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The Czech population has responded to calls to help earthquake victims in Haiti with several million koruna in donations. By contrast the government in Prague has yet to send even a few trained helpers to the region, the conservative daily Lidové Noviny complains: "With a catastrophe like the one in Haiti what counts is quick help which can save lives if possible. With its slender economic means the Czech Republic doesn't have a lot of money or soldiers at its disposal to help with Haiti's reconstruction. It can't spend hundreds of millions of dollars like the US. But it can send qualified people, for example rescuers with dogs. Why didn't we send them, while Spain, Belgium, Poland and Israel all did their part?" (19/01/2010)

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All available articles from » Zbyněk Petráček

Taliban fighters carried out two attacks in the centre of Kabul on Monday. Their strength shows how essential the Western troop surge is, writes The Independent: "It all shows how fragile is the political situation not just in Afghanistan but throughout the Pashtun areas which straddle the border into Pakistan - a country with nuclear weapons which the international community fears might one day fall into the hands of the Taliban or their al-Qa'ida allies. And it underlines that there is no real alternative to the West's present approach to a dramatic increase in the number of its troops while at the same time increasing efforts to bring greater social and economic development to the area. Victory in Afghanistan will not be won by military force alone, but by making Afghans feel safer. ... For all the West's reservations about the petty bribery, nepotism, clannishness and clientelism of the Karzai regime." (19/01/2010)

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Rumiana Jeleva, the EU Commissioner-designate for humanitarian aid, probably won't assume the post after all, Jean Quatremer writes in his blog for Libération, and goes on to criticise the European Parliament's hearings: "In all likelihood Romiana Jeleva will take a plane back to Sofia. It's clear that Jeleva has fallen victim above all to the European Parliament's desire to remind the Commission and the member states that it is an important player in the European power game. There is genuine concern about the way the hearings against the Bulgarian commissioner were conducted. … It's questionable whether public opinion will be able to make heads and tails of this political wrangling. What it will take note of is that for the European Parliament not all incompetence is the same: right-wing incompetence is inexcusable." (19/01/2010)

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All available articles from » Jean Quatremer

After the victory of Social Democrat Ivo Josipović in the Croat presidential elections the chances of a grand coalition and a solution to Croaia's unresolved disputes with its neighbours, writes Borut Šuklje, former Slovenian ambassador to Serbia in the daily Finance: "Josipović wants above all to improve relations with Serbia because for him good neighbourly relations are a top priority. This is why he wants to establish a dialogue with his Serb counterpart Boris Tadić on all issues on which the two countries are divided. ... Clearly, improving relations with the neighbouring countries will be one of the new president's first main tasks. These are issues that remain open, which none of his predecessors have been able to resolve. In proposing solutions to these issues Josipović will need the support of his country's two major parties. Such matters of state are generally resolved when a country is ruled by a grand coalition." (19/01/2010)

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All available articles from » Borut Šuklje

Grażyna Gęsicka, a conservative MP belonging to the opposition, on Monday criticised the Polish government for not using EU funding effectively. The liberal daily Gazeta Wyborcza delivers an ironic response: "She showed journalists how much of the EU funding available for the years 2007 through to 2013 Poland has spent and how much other countries have spent: 'Ireland is already at 23.3 percent, while Poland has only spent 13.41 percent so far. This is a serious warning to the government', Gęsicka railed. It's just a pity she forgot to add that for Ireland that means only 175 million (one hundred and seventy-five million) while for Poland just under 14 percent means 8.7 billion (eight billion seven hundred and fifty million) euros. That's fifty times as much. So who has spent the money most effectively? ... It's easier to see the splinter in your opponent's eye than a whole log in your own." (19/01/2010)

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All available articles from » Konrad Niklewicz

According to the British The Economist, the term "Eastern Europe" does not correspond to today's reality. Uldis Šmits agrees in the daily Latvijas Avīz: "The socialist Eastern Europe which was separated from the free world by the Iron Curtain no longer exists. And even as a general term for the so-called new EU member states 'Eastern Europe' is basically a remnant of the past. The expression has been used for various purposes, including to split the EU from the outside. But within the EU people are beginning to see that despite similarities in their recent history in the form of enforced totalitarian systems, the states of the former Eastern Europe differ considerably and can't be lumped together. ... Slovenia and the Czech Republic have already surpassed several 'old' EU members as far as living standards go, and there is less corruption in Estonia than in Italy for example. And while Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico may be considered irresponsible, his country nevertheless met the Maastricht criteria and entered the Eurozone under his leadership." (19/01/2010)

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Twenty years after the system change in Romania hardly anyone remembers the dissidents and the key role they played in the collapse of communism, Radu Calin Cristea complains in the daily Adevărul: "The partial or total absence in public discourse of moral examples in dealing with totalitarian evil has had at least two disastrous effects. It leaves room for all kinds of double dealers, and prevents young people from learning that it was stalwart defenders of freedom who fought the communist regime. The Romanians were not beguiled by communism - thanks to those dissidents who fought against the dictatorship with their hearts and minds. It's doesn't matter how many of them there were. What matters is that they existed, and that when they were needed they came. Now, when we should be lending them an ear if only because they spoke the truth when everyone else was too cowardly to do so, they are ridiculed or at best avoided." (19/01/2010)

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All available articles from » Radu Calin Cristea

The German government wants to cut funding for new solar energy equipment by up to 17 percent. A good decision for the environment and the economy, writes the left-liberal daily Süddeutsche Zeitung: "It's high time funding for solar energy was readjusted because the cost of financing this funding is spiralling although buying incentives are already exorbitantly high. For a long time now it's not only been ecologically minded house owners who have covered their roofs with solar modules. Building constructors are also after the considerable profits that can be made here. The prices of solar modules have fallen as much as 40 percent in just one year, while subsidies have remained constant. ... The support system allows producers to sell their equipment for high prices instead of becoming more innovative and efficient. For this reason green technology is taking longer than necessary to become competitive. Many German companies have also grown far too complacent, neglecting investments in new developments and putting far too little energy into research. This has caused them to lose their competitive edge to companies from the Far East." (19/01/2010)

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All available articles from » Markus Balser

The Greek state loses an estimated 20 million euros each year to tax evasion. Those who don't pay tax control 40 percent of the Greek economy's total turnover but no one says anything, the leftist daily Eleftherotypia complains: "An organised minority ... is trying by all means possible to maintain this modern Greek omertà, this code of silence that has shielded the black market and the inequality of the citizens for over half a century from the law. We have a situation in which the media … which support this omertà as much as they can, equate the duty of citizens to disclose and report tax evasion with betrayal and collaboration! … But whatever the motives behind this distortion of reality, one thing is for sure: the average citizen is gradually freeing himself from the constraints of this silence and reclaiming his right to self-determination." (18/01/2010)

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All available articles from » Petros Makris

The southern Hungarian town of Pécs is the European Capital of Culture for 2010. With the start of the year the rivalry between Budapest and the provinces has once more risen to the surface, writes the news portal Hírszerző: "The experiences of the past weeks show us that even having two capitals, one of them cultural, isn't enough to really make us feel like Europeans. ... In recent days for example the opposition between Budapest and the provinces has once more entered the limelight. ... It's the same old story: the petty rivalry between the provinicial towns, in this case Pécs, and the capital Budapest, which overshadows everything else. ... And yet the nomination of Pécs as Cultural Capital in 2005 was meant to show Europe that there was a spectacular, exhilarating cultural life in Hungary outside Budapest. Let's hope this will still be the case during Pécs' year as cultural capital." (18/01/2010)

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All available articles from » Miklós Stemler

Ten years ago Italy's socialist ex-prime minister Bettino Craxi died in exile in Tunisia. He had fled there to escape charges of corruption. Both Italy's conservative head of government Silvio Berlusconi and the ex-communist head of state Giorgio Napolitano are now trying to restore Craxi's reputation, portraying him as a victim of justice. This prompts the daily La Repubblica to criticise a letter written by Napolitano to Craxi's widow Anna: "The president cites a 'sympathy' that is not just a personal virtue but also a basic element of democracy, in which differing views coexist that are not and cannot always be shared by all and which envelops this 'sympathy' in the gentle light of virtuous tolerance. To tolerate, however, is not the same as to forget. It is irreconcilable with democracy if it alters the past and mystifies and threatens to blur the present and compromise the future. ... Craxi was not just a passive beneficiary of the bribing system but an active organiser." (19/01/2010)

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All available articles from » Eugenio Scalfari

In the large cities of Europe one in every two marriages ends in divorce. The daily Le Monde reviews business models meant to facilitate separation and divorce: "Business is always well ahead of the law with its clever innovations, as amply demonstrated by two interesting initiatives. You want to divorce your spouse but daren't tell them to their face? Bernd Dressler, head of Berlin's 'trennungsagentur' will do it for you, offering several formulas. A simple telephone message ('I'm sorry to inform you ...') costs 29.95 euros, while a written break up will cost you an additional ten euros. In the UK, Debenhams department store now has divorce lists. Friends and relatives can choose the present they will offer one or the other of the separated partners. There you can get everything but another kindred spirit as a replacement, but that too will no doubt come with time." (19/01/2010)

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All available articles from » Robert Sole