After the Syrian army's massacre in Hama the left-liberal daily Süddeutsche Zeitung warns the West not to turn its back on Syria: "America, Germany and the United Kingdom condemn the violence in Hama, but Assad need not fear much worse from the West. The most recent events in Libya are likely to have destroyed any desire the West had for greater involvement. In the rebel stronghold of Bengasi the fighters are once again at each others' throats, which rather reduces the chances of a quick victory over Gaddafi, the brute of Tripoli. We can lament this state of affairs, curse it and weep over it. But there's one thing the West should not do now: turn its back in frustration at the slow-motion explosion of the Arab summer." (01/08/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Crises / War, » Domestic Policy, » Syria

The international community is barely reacting to Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad's brutal treatment of his own people, the left-liberal daily El País laments: "The international community has no intention of intervening in the same way as it did in Libya. The fear of further destabilising the Middle East - a region where Damascus has a decisive influence - and China and Russia's blockade of any major initiatives against the regime is giving Assad free rein to keep attacking his own people. Having enjoyed the support of the army and the police so far the only thing driving the tyrant to despair is the courage of thousands of his citizens. They are challenging the security forces completely unarmed in Hama after having previously done so in Damascus, Deraa and Banias."  (01/08/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Crises / War, » Social movements, » Russia, » China, » Syria

The Syrian president's brutal treatment of his people could spell the end of the Arab Spring, the liberal daily La Stampa fears: "The time has been cleverly chosen. The attention of the international community is focused elsewhere. US President Obama has been left weakened by the danger of state bankruptcy. ... Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan, whom the West entrusted with the task of admonishing the hot-blooded Assad brothers every now and then, is embroiled in a conflict with his generals who jointly resigned on Friday. And in Cairo the trial against [ex-president] Mubarak is due to begin in two days' time. ... This could officially put the Tahrir Square revolution in the hands of the Muslim Brothers. ... Bashar al-Assad knows that this is the right moment. He no doubt wants a place in the history books too. If he manages to suppress the revolt in Syria Damascus will legitimately be able to claim to have put an end in the autumn to the revolutions that began in the spring." (01/08/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Crises / War, » Turkey, » Egypt, » Syria
All available articles from » Lucia Annunziata

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad must answer for his attacks on the population of the rebel stronghold of Hama in the International Criminal Court, writes the left-liberal daily De Morgen: "The violence shows that the Assad regime has its back to the wall. It is clinging on to power tooth and nail, and is leading a dirty war against its own population. The absolute low point came with the murder of thirteen-year-old Hamza al-Khatib. The child was tortured for a whole month before being shot three times in the chest. ... His corpse showed traces of burn marks from electric shocks on his feet, elbows and knees , and his penis was cut off. If the International community refuses to intervene due to geopolitical or other reasons, we can only hope the demonstrators will be able to topple Bashar. And that unlike his uncle, the dictator will not end up in some chic London district but before the International Criminal Court." (01/08/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » Crises / War, » Human rights, » Syria
All available articles from » Steven Samyn

In the US debt dispute, the Democrats and Republicans reached a last-minute agreement for raising the debt ceiling and cutting spending on Sunday night. However the compromise announced by President Barack Obama has yet to be approved by both chambers of the US Congress on Monday. The business paper Hospodářské noviny doubts that the markets will react positively: "The likelihood that the Republicans and Democrats would reach an agreement on raising the debt ceiling in the end was great. However the doubts about whether the agreement will appease the most powerful players on the financial markets - the rating agencies - remain great too. The agreement to raise US debt will no doubt reassure those who are directly dependent on money from the state budget. But for everyone else it's more important that the US doesn't lose its excellent rating. After all, a downgrading would shake the entire global economy." (01/08/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » Fiscal Policy, » Financial Markets, » U.S., » Global
All available articles from » Adam Černý

Islamists belonging to the rebel forces are presumably responsible for the death of the Libyan opposition's military leader Abdel Fattah Junes. That will weaken the National Transitional Council, writes the left-liberal daily Le Monde: "Ideological quarrels, personal jealousy and other clan conflicts. The heterogeneous, poorly-structured coalition is fragile and raises doubts as to whether the NTC can actually govern. ... The Council can only come out weakened from this affair, menacing to strengthen Tripoli's bid to impose a political solution to the rebellion. Because even though it has increasingly gained international legitimacy, the NTC still gives the impression of being a disorganised movement: with no strong political leadership and limited military capacities despite Nato's support." (29/07/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Crises / War, » Libya

In Turkey, the chief of general staff Işık Koşaner and three other top generals resigned on Friday in protest at the jailing of 250 officers who are accused of conspiring against Tayyip Erdoğans' government. The departure of the military chiefs represents a long overdue victory of the political leaders over the military, writes the left-liberal daily Der Standard: "For Turkish democracy the resignation is ... good news. It confirms for the first time something that had not been the case in Turkey for decades: the primacy of politics over the military, of elected representatives over the representatives of the barracks. Reforming the Turkish army from top to bottom would be the key to solving some of the country's fundamental problems: the misconceived alliance between army, secularism and democracy; between nationalism and the rejection of minorities; between exaggerated patriotism and ultimately a sense of inferiority. Neither Koşaner and his generals, who have made a sensation of their early retirement, nor the bulk of the leading officers seem to have understood the necessity of such a major reform." (01/08/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Turkey
All available articles from » Markus Bernath

Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Zapatero on Friday announced that early elections would be held in November. He himself will not run for office, prompting the daily Público to take stock of his term in office: "One can't say he left a great legacy behind him. Although he would have liked to see himself as a new Felipe González [former Spanish prime minister], he never managed to follow in the footsteps of the historic Socialist leader who transformed Spain. He could never rid himself of the image of superficiality that little suits the difficult times that Spain is currently witnessing. Nevertheless his government was quicker than Portugal's in recognising and trying to counteract the dangerous situation in the country. But that doesn't seem to have done much good. The rating agency Moody's threatened to sink Spain's rating on the very day that Zapatero announced his definitive departure from politics. ... But perhaps the Socialists will benefit from the election timing: ... Zapatero's weaknesses could work to the advantage of [the Socialist top candidate] Alfredo Rubalcaba, who has gained a strong profile in the fight against Eta." (30/07/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » Spain

The attacks in Norway have triggered debates that reveal above all an unease with the aimless course Europe is taking, writes columnist Paul Brill in the left-liberal daily De Volkskrant: "The unease can't be put down to the problems with Islam and immigration alone, although these are serious issues and can't simply be ignored. Even the euro crisis is just part of the explanation. What is pushing Europe off course more than anything else is the prevailing sense that it doesn't have control over the developments at the moment, that it has no control over its own destiny. This has little to do with Left or Right. ... It lacks above all solid leadership. ... It is being manipulated, not inspired. And the bland society in Brussels has no democratic legitimation that could bring about a breakthrough. Breivik's atricious act is a tragedy for the victims, their families, for Norway and for anyone who detests political violence. But no matter how much these murders cause us to exercise caution and reflect, in the end they remain an isolated event, an excess." (30/07/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » Justice, » Europe
All available articles from » Paul Brill

The chief executive of Deutsche Bank, Josef Ackermann, will switch jobs and chair the bank's Supervisory Board next year. His current position will be shared by investment banker Anshu Jain and the head of the bank's German operations, Jürgen Fitschen. But a managing tandem is not a good idea, writes the liberal conservative daily Financial Times: "Having co-chief executives can be a recipe for strife and inertia. The past experience is not encouraging. When Credit Suisse put John Mack and Oswald Grübel together in 2002, the arrangement lasted less than two years. Mr Ackermann's decision to stay on as chairman may not help either, as he may find it hard to resist the temptation to look over his successors' shoulders. Whether this awkward arrangement can be made to work depends critically on the individuals. The best that can be said is that it is clearly temporary as Mr Fitschen is 62 and the age limit for directors is 65. But when it ends, Deutsche Bank will still have the same question to answer about its future." (01/08/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » Banks, » Germany

The Polish parliament on Friday passed a law obliging the country's banks to state the value of foreign currency spreads used in credit agreements so that customers can better appraise the development of interest rates. The online edition of the news magazine Polityka approves: "The most important change that the Sejm has agreed on concerns those people who want to take out foreign currency loans. Now right from the start they must be informed how big the spreads [between buying and selling prices] will be. That will make it easier for them to calculate the true cost of the loan and compare the offers of individual banks. Spreads have proved to be very controversial - not because they exist, but because certain banks have abused them, quoting spreads that are a far cry from reality." (01/08/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » Fiscal Policy, » Consumers, » Banks, » Poland
All available articles from » Cezary Kowanda

The Romanian government passed its so-called 'solidarity basket' programme last week enabling pensioners to buy basic food products for 30 percent less than the normal price from next autumn. But the government should show solidarity in other areas, too, writes the liberal-conservative daily Adevărul: "They could combat the smuggling that threatens local products effectively. They could make a number of micro-loans available to farmers and support the distribution of domestic products. ... They could lower taxes so people have more money and encourage investors to create new jobs. They could call up more money from the European funding scheme - for modernising the infrastructure. They could start thinking about a programme for promoting new industries in Romania for the medium and long term. Whoever manages to do all this would go down in history, but it's not a safe bet that they would win next year's elections." (01/08/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » Trade, » Consumers, » Social affairs, » Romania
All available articles from » Ovidiu Nahoi

A 34-year-old mechanic has successfully sued for damages after a company hired a 22-year-old even though he was better qualified for the job. The judgement notwithstanding, people in Sweden are considered over the hill at 35, writes the liberal tabloid Expressen: "Ageism is everywhere in Sweden. ... That also explains why the unions hold so fast to the rule 'The first one hired is the last one fired': someone who loses their job at 55 has practically no chance of getting a new one. ... Clearly bosses prefer non-confrontational, more adaptable young people, and aren't afraid to admit that they don't want to hire anyone who can do more than they can. Anyone who deviates in the slightest from the 'norm' - be it through accent, age or education, is considered a danger to the idealised society. Bosses prefer to hire people with less competence." (30/07/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » Public Culture, » Labour, » Society, » Sweden
All available articles from » Isobel Hadley-Kamptz

Bulgarians work the longest hours in the EU but produce and earn the least, according to a study by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. That can be put down to structural problems, the daily Dnevnik writes, recalling an old joke from socialist times: "'We pretend to work, and the state pretends to pay us'. The results of the study show that not much has changed after 22 years of transition. That is due to the lack of investment in modern technology, the failed education policy, the lack of qualified workers, mismanagement and the state's over-regulation of the economy. Various international organisations have criticised this for years, but that has done nothing to change Bulgaria's business climate. On the contrary: investments are dwindling and qualified workers are emigrating en masse. But the state never stops putting up bureaucratic obstacles to business, instead of helping businesses through effective controls." (31/07/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » Economic Policy, » Labour, » Bulgaria

Slovenia's government has announced plans for an excise tax on unhealthy foods and sugary drinks to reduce consumption of these products. The left-liberal daily Dnevnik welcomes the plan: "Although these completely superfluous foods that are part of our everyday life don't cost much, we end up paying a high price for them. The number of diabetics is rising, also among children. In the end, each individual pays the price because treating chronic illnesses caused by overweight is expensive. The excise tax that aims to make products that make people fat more expensive and therefore less attractive will be viewed initially like all other measures by the public health system as further state interference with people's right to enjoy themselves. Therefore it's important that the tax revenues are used for health programmes aimed at reducing the damage caused by an unhealthy lifestyle." (01/08/2011)

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More from the press review on the subject » Health and Medicine, » Tax Policy, » Society, » Slovenia
All available articles from » Nina Knavs