With the presentation of the EU growth strategy for 2020 in Brussels, calls for a common economic government have gained strength. But leaders like French Present Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angella Merkel both mean something different with the phrase, writes the daily Der Standard: "The European Union has reached a state of reciprocal solidarity (and dependency), and now a fundamental decision is called for: Should integration go even further, should national states be curtailed (which was the idea behind the French notion of "economic government")? This is the variant traditionally favoured by the European Commission and the EU Parliament. Or should Europe go in the other direction, with the individual states joining forces and taking the most important decisions independently of the EU's institutions in the European Council, comprising the heads of state and government? There the powerful countries would dominate. This variant is what Merkel means by 'EU government'." (04/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Europe
All available articles from » Thomas Mayer

The conservative daily Lidové noviny finds little good to say about the EU's "Europe 2020" strategy, recalling the bon mot by former German chancellor Helmut Schmidt: "A politician who starts having visions should consult a doctor": "But what to do if the entire EU Commission starts having visions? The document assumes that the crisis needs greater economic coordination - meaning the transition to a European economic government. At first glance the Commission's goals look great, but they conceal concrete political disputes. For that reason alone the document deserves a full and proper debate. For its part the Commission sees the paper as a sort of treasure that should be approved by the heads of state and government as early as next month if possible. But luckily some are being more reserved with their comments, for example Angela Merkel. She recommends her colleagues should dream less of a European economic government and focus first on cutting costs at home." (04/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Economic Policy, » Europe
All available articles from » Daniel Kaiser

The EU's new economic strategy prompts Xavier Vidal-Folch to ask in the left-liberal daily El País who is really in charge: "Let's be frank: it is a shameful document, because its immediate goals are minimalist (while the crisis continues to be maximal!). And because the method of attaining them is pitiful. It is an epistle that is better formulated than others but confined to making recommendations. It does not make stipulations. What the EU needs, as the crisis has shown since the collapse of Lehman Brothers, is 'government of the economy', an economic government. Someone at the helm who gives binding orders." (04/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Economic Policy, » Europe
All available articles from » Xavier Vidal-Folch

French President Nicolas Sarkozy agreed to sell Russia four Mistral helicopter carriers during Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's recent three-day visit to Paris. The daily Lietuvos Rytas is appalled: "Aren't the Russians still stationed in Georgia? And when are they going to listen to the friendly advice of French President Nicolas Sarkozy and withdraw from the occupied areas? Moreover, the Russians are still occupying among other places Kaliningrad, the Kuril Islands and Karelia. Doesn't all that count for anything? Obviously double standards are being applied here, for when it comes to Israel the entire EU with France at its fore is demanding with almost religious fervour that historical justice be restored and the Arabs be given back the occupied areas. It doesn't seem to have occurred to France's president why Russia should need such ships in the Baltic. And Russia's new military doctrine, which sees Nato, of which France is a member, as its opponent, appears to have entirely escaped his notice." (04/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Economic Policy, » France, » Lithuania, » Russia, » Georgian Republic
All available articles from » Arkadijus Vinokuras

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou announced new austerity measures on Wednesday. But they will primarily effect the lives of the country's poor, writes the daily Ta Nea: "We've all cottoned on by now. The only way forward is with a drastic austerity policy. ... But there are people behind the facts and figures. And we're not talking about those with money, those who are faring moderately well, but about those who have long been living under the poverty line. These roughly two million people ... await the upcoming elections with enormous trepidation. Huge upheavals await them as far as their plans for their families, work and studies go. ... Even young people's plans about whether or not to live together will change enormously. These people are owed an explanation. Perhaps even an apology." (04/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Economic Policy, » Social affairs, » Greece
All available articles from » Giannis Politis

The Ukrainian parliament on Wednesday removed Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko from office with a vote of no confidence. Polish news magazine Polityka suspects a conspiracy was behind the move: "The victory of its leader in Ukraine's presidential elections has no doubt strengthened the Party of Regions. But the prime minister's own faction delivered her death blow: seven members belonging to the BYuT [Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko] voted against their leader. And the 'Our Ukraine - People's Self-Defence Bloc' voted against its own, or rather against the joint government with Yulia at its head. And this means that former president Viktor Yushchenko allowed himself to be persuaded by [current president] Yanukovych. The only question is: what was his price? Hatred of Tymoshenko will also have played a role. But Yushchenko won't have sold himself cheaply. His name has been making the rounds in Kiev for over ten days as the new prime minister. And even if this is probably an exaggeration, Yushchenko's party will no doubt receive a few portfolios." (04/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Poland
All available articles from » Jagienka Wilczak

The Christian Democrat Appeal party (CDA) led by Prime Minister Jan-Peter Balkenende was among the big losers in the Dutch local elections on Wednesday, which are seen as a test run for the parliamentary elections on June 9. Balkenende has now tied his political fate to an election victory, prompting right-wing liberal news magazine Elsevier to say the party should start looking for a new leader: "Balkenende is putting his post as prime minister on the line in the elections. So for Balkenende it's all or nothing on June 9. ... This all looks very brave. But in fact it's strange that the CDA, supposedly such a solid party, is making itself so vulnerable over the battle for the political survival of its leading candidate. It looks a lot less secure and stable than the CDA would like to see itself. ... The CDA has not only lost another local election but has also become more insecure. This insecurity won't by lessened by the designated leading candidate playing a risky game." (04/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Netherlands
All available articles from » Syp Wynia

The EU countries and the 16 states of the Mediterranean region that make up the Union for the Mediterranean will present the Jordanian diplomat Ahmad Khalaf Masa'deh today, Thursday, as the organisation's first leader in Barcelona. The daily El Periódico de Catalunya sees the Union as a great opportunity: "The stability and prosperity of the Mediterranean region are in everyone's interest - both on this and on the other side of the sea. Above all when factors like immigration, different religious values, conflicts between countries and the plague of terrorism are widening the distance between the two shores. We would be missing a great opportunity if the EU fails to fulfil its role, which is more than just distributing money. And also if the countries of the south, where democracies do not abound, confine themselves to taking the money and otherwise continue to perpetuate the power of their rulers." (04/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU neighbourhood policy, » Europe, » Southern Europe, » Middle East, » North Africa

The US government wants to replace offensive nuclear weapons with a missile defence shield. The plans provide a modern substitute for the US nuclear presence in Europe, writes Oliver Thränert, an arms policy expert at the Science and Politics Foundation in Berlin, in the left-liberal Süddeutsche Zeitung: "On the one hand it would mean Washington continues to be bound to Europe through a major military project. This would soothe the fears of many new Nato countries. And because it is an alliance project America's partners also have the right to a say in decisions. ... But it is worthwhile above all from a military point of view to invest in defence projects rather than in nuclear offensive weapons. For if it does come to a conflict with a nuclear-armed Iran - and this is likely to be one of the challenges for Nato in the coming years - the alliance and Europe would do well to ensure they have means of damage limitation at their disposal. To rely solely on nuclear deterrence in such a case would not be advisable anyway." (04/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Europe, » U.S., » Iran
All available articles from » Oliver Thränert

Although Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov often makes contradictory decisions only to revoke them he remains as popular as ever, as cultural anthropoligist Ivaylo Ditchev explains in the weekly Kultura: "The new type of politician that Mr Borisov intuitively embodies is no initiator of statements or positions. He simply lets information flow through him. This is the style of hyperactive leaders like Blair and Sarkozy, although in those countries their efforts are checked by well-established democratic structures. Borisov's success is buoyed by the complete abolishment of the Bulgarian intelligentsia and the discrediting of the opposition in recent years. So in contrast to the UK and France, Bulgarian society is entirely free of mediators or third parties. All we have is the source of information and the public. The more contradictory the messages, the more interest they awaken." (04/03/2010)

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All available articles from » Ivailo Dichev

Women bosses are few and far between in Finland's top management. A serious problem, writes the tabloid Ilttalehti: "There are no cogent reasons for the small number of women business leaders. Women have been in the majority in universities for over 20 years now. And despite its shortcomings, the daycare system ensures that careers do not automatically end with motherhood. Businesses shouldn't seek to brush the problem aside by saying women shy away from taking responsibility. Many want it, others don't. If women can't be found ... in leadership positions, companies should take a good look in the mirror. What are we doing wrong? ... It's important that leadership should reflect 'biological diversity'. ... If the top management is made up of nothing but 60-year-old male Finnish engineers, creative thinking is impossible." (04/03/2010)

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

Shutter Island, the new film by US director Martin Scorsese, made its international debut at the Berlin Film Festival in February. Now the thriller has become a box office hit. Writing in the liberal-conservative daily Corriere della Sera Bernard Henri-Lévy criticises the US director's careless use of Nazi allusions: "The truth is, Nazism is becoming a sort of a new playing field for the amusement of the bad boys of Hollywood, whose moguls ... have decided they are entitled to decree what is real and what is not every other moment.  Better still, it's a self-service, neither more nor less taboo than any other, where those who have chosen to think that ... reality should no longer be anything but another form of fiction, take their pick. Art comes out on top. Not memory. Nor, even less, all that is moral, which needs a new 'French New Wave' to remind us that it is still, and more than ever, the business of cinema." (03/03/2010)

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All available articles from » Bernard-Henri Levy

While the Poles are returning to their home country a growing number of Latvians are heading for the UK. The daily The Times sees this as a positive development: "A new wave of Eastern European migrants - this time from Latvia - has arrived to season that stew of nationalities and cultures that, simmered over centuries, gives Britain its tang. Why are they coming? Because the once booming Latvia today has an unemployment rate of 23 per cent. Drastic cutbacks implemented by the Government there to narrow the budget deficit mean that jobs will be scarce for a while yet. Hence their arrival in Britain, where applications to work from Latvians doubled to a record 15,000 last year. Even this modest number will make a few insular-minded Britons itch. It should not. And not just because we will still have leaky taps that need fixing long after all the Polish plumbers have returned home. We should welcome Latvians warmly for all that they have contributed to the world; and for what they might, therefore, contribute to Britain." (04/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » Integration, » Minorities, » United Kingdom, » Poland, » Latvia

Seniors in Swedish old age homes are being encouraged to drink beer with their meals. Until now the country's restrictive alcohol policy has limited such consumption to a few homes. The daily Svenska Dagbladt welcomes the government's new initiative: "There are many examples of pleasant homes. But nowadays the future looks bleak for those thinking about what lies ahead once they're unable to get by at home. Now at least the elderly will be able to take a sip of alcohol with their Christmas roast. The Minister for Public Health, Maria Larsson, wants to allow all homes for the elderly to serve alcohol. A study sould determine the requirements for kitchens and what food they should offer. Restaurants will have to serve several choices of warm food to acquire the alcohol licence. Of course this should be standard for old age homes, quite apart from the issue of alcohol. With any luck the elderly will continue to be served brown beans, along with a glass of beer if they like." (04/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Health and Medicine, » Sweden