In saying No to the repayment of around 3.5 billion euros in compensation to foreign savers, Icelanders run the risk of international isolation, writes the daily NRC Handelsblad: "This puts the British and Dutch governments in a dilemma. What means do the two countries have at their disposal to bring Iceland to reason? ... Brussels thinks the debt conflict and accession negotiations must remain separate. ... But the question is how much pressure the EU can exert on Iceland at all. The Icelanders' willingness to have their country shunted to the margins points to an irrational boldness. ... The referendum outcome indicates dissatisfaction with the pro-European course of the Social Democrat - Green government led by Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir. If the prime minister fails to keep a steady hand on her government, Iceland could also shelve the negotiations with the EU." (08/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » Fiscal Policy, » United Kingdom, » Netherlands, » Iceland

The Icelanders' decision to reject liability for the bankruptcy of Icelandic bank Icesave could have dire consequences, the business paper Diário Económico comments: "The 'No' was to be expected. But it is nonetheless astounding that an ultra-peripheral country that was on the verge of bankruptcy, that is experiencing a profound crisis and is dependent on financial help from abroad should challenge the international community like this. ... The compensation would cost 12,000 euros per inhabitant, which ... explains the defiant gesture of the Icelanders. [However] with their rejection they may have blocked the chance of help from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), antagonised the rating agencies even further and jeopardised their EU accession, which depends on approval from the UK and the Netherlands. The old Iceland still hasn't understood that the old rules ... no longer apply since our economy imploded." (08/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Domestic Policy, » Fiscal Policy, » United Kingdom, » Netherlands, » Iceland

The Icelanders' "No" to compensating British and Dutch investors should not be allowed to block the country's path to EU accession, writes the liberal daily Der Standard: "Following the emotionally charged referendum it will now be even more difficult to negotiate a fair agreement. But what that agreement looks like in the end depends on the three states involved in the matter. Neither the International Monetary Union nor the EU have any reason to make their stance contingent on the outcome of the negotiations and thus take sides against Iceland. ... In particular the EU accession process must be kept separate from the dispute. Highly developed Iceland should become a member as soon as possible; this would not only help the island state but also strengthen the Union. Unlike Greece Iceland is not demanding aid for the problems in which it has landed itself. All it wants is no interference in a complicated dispute." (08/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » Financial Markets, » Europe, » Iceland
All available articles from » Eric Frey

The parliamentary elections in Iraq on Sunday allow cautious optimism regarding the future of democracy in the region, writes the Berlingske Tidende. But the next weeks will be decisive: "The Iraqis braved the dangers and went to the polls. But only in the coming weeks will it become clear whether democracy can develop in Iraq, with the government-building process and the difficult coalition negotiations. They will play a key role in determining whether peaceful development can continue in Iraq. If it does, it could herald the advent of more democracy in the Middle East, with Iran and Syria next in line." (08/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Iraq

An international conference on the subject of using nuclear power begins today, Monday, in Paris attended by representatives from over sixty states. The leftist daily Die Tageszeitung takes issue with the conference's uncritical stance towards electricity generated by nuclear power: "The term 'nuclear development aid' will now no doubt take its place in the vocabulary of world politics. The generous, if not entirely selfless, nuclear powers headed by host France and the OECD's Nuclear Energy Agency want to help the nuclear 'have-nots' to gain access to this purportedly cheap and promising source of electricity. ... The question here is not nuclear power: yes or no. It's all about when and how or possibly who can be a supplier where on the newly accessed expansion market. Nor is there any questioning of the claim that nuclear power is a cheap energy source that is neutral or even 'clean' as regards greenhouse gases. After all, such questions would be subversive." (08/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU Policy, » Environmental Policy, » Energy, » Consumers, » France, » Global
All available articles from » Rudolf Balmer

The Irish republican governing party in Northern Ireland Sinn Féin had its party conference on the weekend. While hugely successful in Northern Ireland, the party has to fight for every vote in the Republc of Ireland, writes The Irish Times: "Becalmed in the opinion polls since last year's local elections, Sinn Féin has struggled to connect with the economic concerns of southern voters and offer a positive way forward. Its solution: a jobs creation programme based on higher taxes and increased State borrowing and spending over an extended period carried echoes of trade union demands. The approach is likely to appeal to newly unemployed and low paid workers. … Support for the party is greatest among low-income groups where voting can be sporadic, at best. Expanding that base will be difficult. Senior members spoke of making 'incremental' progress. Sinn Féin is flying high in Northern Ireland. Down here, it looks like being a long, slow haul." (08/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » United Kingdom, » Ireland

The Democratic Republic of Congo will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its independence on June 30. The daily Le Soir stresses the importance of Belgian King Albert II's presence at the celebrations in Kinshasa: "If the King decided not to go it would prove all the 'realists' right who have long known that Belgium, situated by accident at the centre of Europe, has never been anything but an accident of history: no more than a timid little country whose investors fear the African lands so profitable to them in former times. A country that has sold its banks, liquidated its industrial capacity and tossed its ambitions to the wind. An egoistical people who turn their backs on their past illusions while still profiting from an oftentimes overblown reputation. If the King does not go to Kinshasa it would allow the Congolese finally to cut the ties that bind them to the former colonial power." (06/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Belgium, » Africa
All available articles from » Colette Braeckman

Political scientist László Lengyel asks in the weekly supplement of the left-liberal daily Népszabadság if after a long line of authoritarian figures the time has not come for right-wing opposition leader Viktor Orbán, who many expect to win the parliamentary elections in May: "In the last 150 years Hungarian society has become used to ... long cycles. Franz Joseph I, Miklós Horthy and János Kádár imposed a lasting authoritarianism on Hungarians. ... Many of my left-wing friends say the time has now come for the dawn of a fourth authoritarian era. ... This is neither good nor bad, it's just a reality. There is no Left here any more, it only has itself to blame for its own downfall. The country is now subject to a two-fold pressure: from the global economic crisis on the one hand and the rise of right-wing extremists on the other. For this reason many people long for a strong state with a firm sense of authority. If that means a two-thirds majority for Viktor Orban and his opposition party Fidesz, well, so be it. It makes no difference who pulls this country together, he should just get busy and do it." (06/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Hungary
All available articles from » László Lengyel

The scandals involving child abuse at Catholic institutions in several European countries are reflecting badly on the Catholic Church because they make it clear that it doesn't respect its own moral standards, writes sociologist Franco Garelli in the liberal daily La Stampa: "Despite the 'zero tolerance' of Benedict XVI towards paedophilia among the Catholic clergy and his denunciation of the unscrupulous careerism that has taken hold even in church circles, the wind is blowing against Rome with increasing force. ... And the Church has not been spared by the crisis that now has all institutions in its grip and is capable of destroying their old motto: 'extra ecclesiam nulla salus' [Outside the Church there is no salvation]. ... All in all the world has reacted civilly to the shocking reports, and it seems there aren't any parties or 'parallel churches' trying to capitalise on the deep crisis in which the Catholic Church finds itself. ... Why are the Vatican and the bishops defending a bastion of strict moral standards which is not respected even within their own sphere? Why is this religious institution not willing to revise some of the rules that make people unhappy and cause so much damage?" (08/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Religion, » Global
All available articles from » Franco Garelli

The crisis in Greece has drastically reduced the price of holidays in the country. This could be a big opportunity for tourism, but strikes could spoil the experience for tourists, writes the daily Novinar: "The economic crisis in Greece everyone is complaining about could have a positive aspect. The collapse has led to dramatic price cuts on package tours to our southern neighbour. If you book your holiday in time and outside of the peak season in July and October, reductions can amount to 30 percent - for unwinding in five-star hotels where you know what you're spending your money on. ... But the strikes could turn the country into a trap because there's no certainty that Greek farmers won't block the borders again." (08/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Economic Policy, » Tourism, » Greece
All available articles from » Desislava Plamenova

The Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen has written in his blog that he no longer shops at stores belonging to the S-Markt chain because some of them now stock Danish-Swedish milk rather than Finnish Valio brand milk. In his blog for the daily Turun Sanomat Aimon Massinen replies: "In the market economy the cheaper brand often wins. But milk-drinker Vanhanen wants to drink political Keskusta milk [Keskusta is the Centre Party of Finland] and is naturally entitled to do so. The consumer is free to buy at a different store if he wants to. But if it's the prime minister you're talking about it doesn't look particularly elegant when he even starts doing PR for a single company with a public boycott. … In the EU we stress the importance of free movement of workers and capital and open markets. Valio's monopoly is history, no matter how much the prime minister tries to boycott development. Vanhanen should focus his energies on something other than protecting a Finnish company." (08/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Trade, » Consumers, » Agriculture, » Finland
All available articles from » Aimon Massinen

International Women's Day, celebrated on March 8, is an important opportunity to raise awareness of lacking equality, the daily Postimees writes: "Last Friday the European Commission reported that women in the EU earned on average 18 percent less than men. The pay gap has actually widened in some countries in the past 15 years, and European Commissioner for Justice Viviane Reding has combatively called for companies to be penalised. The question, however, is whether radical measures like quotas or sanctions can improve the situation more than for example more parents' leave for fathers. The second important question pertains to domestic violence, even if the statistics showed a downwards trend in the number of cases in our country last year. ... International Women's Day should be the day we reflect on these things, but the problems shouldn't simply be swept under the carpet for the rest of the year." (08/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Social movements, » Gender equality, » Estonia, » Europe

Healthcare is one of the sectors in Romania worst hit by the emigration of professionally qualified staff. In the past two years 4,000 doctors left the country, and the daily Adevărul doesn't blame them: "Hospitals have become antichambers to the morgues, and have have lost every trace of humanity. Pensioners have to haggle over the price of their operations. If a patient still has a job the doctors ask him what he does, because the operation depends on his income. The health system is on the verge of bankruptcy and collapse. ... These 4,000 doctors who left Romania are seeking fair and dignified working condititions elsewhere in Europe. ... Their departure will have a negative effect on our national security. But there's no point getting upset because they decided to work where conditions are better - that's one of the possibilities offered by capitalism. And there's no point demanding they reimburse their tuition costs, because it's our own state that deserves a slap in the face." (08/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Health Policy, » Migration, » Europe, » Global, » Romania
All available articles from » Petre Barbu

Poland has introduced a smoking ban in public places which allows for certain exceptions. Newsweek Polska is pleased that bars and restaurants larger than 100 square metres can set aside rooms for smokers: "This is a setback for all those in favour of radical measures, and that's a good thing. For a long time in some circles people have been saying that citizens must be protected from everything that can be harmful to them in any way. These 'good people' prop up their arguments in various ways - for example by saying morals or people's long-term health must be protected. But what they fail to see is that many of their ideas constitute an attack on the basic civil rights whereby individuals have the right to inflict damage on themselves as much as they wish. Of course only if they do it voluntarily and don't harm anyone else in the process." (08/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Health Policy, » Poland
All available articles from » Piotr Smilowicz