The Croatian Yes to the EU has more to do with economic pragmatism than genuine conviction, writes the liberal-conservative daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung: "In the traditionally sceptical Croatia EU membership is no cause for euphoria. The approbation at the polling booths has far more to do with the lack of better alternatives. The country has been badly hit by the economic crisis and hopes for generous subsidies from Brussels and urgently needed incentives for its sluggish economy. The government painted a dire picture of the consequences of a No: Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic prophesied a downgrading of the country's credit rating, higher financing costs, less investment, more layoffs and a threat to future pension payments." (23/01/2012)

» more information (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » Domestic Policy, » Europe, » Croatia
All available articles from » Thomas Fuster

Croatia will be the last country in the Balkans to join the EU for some time to come, the liberal business paper Hospodářské noviny comments: "One thing was clear before the votes were counted: the public system in Zagreb is rife with corruption. And numerous criminals from the war in ex-Yugoslavia are still on the run. ... But there is a second piece of news that is no better than the first: if Croatia becomes the 28th member of the European Union in the middle of next year this will end the EU's successful expansion to the east and south for an indeterminate period. Because if the current crisis doesn't end soon no other Balkan country will be able to follow Croatia's footsteps into the EU." (23/01/2012)

» more information (external link, Czech)
More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » Europe, » Croatia
All available articles from » Adam Černý

A majority of Croatians have voted in favour of joining the EU, but the turnout was under 50 percent. Enthusiasm for the European project is still lacking, writes the left-liberal daily Delo: "Yesterday's Yes was a historic landmark, but the new government still has plenty to do before its actions can be called historic. It must implement the necessary reforms which the EU has turned a blind eye to during the accession negotiations for strategic reasons. The people themselves have already done the groundwork: they have elected a Euro-friendly president, voted out the [right-wing conservative ruling party] HDZ and voted in a pro-European government. And yesterday a further European cornerstone was laid. But the goal will only be achieved when the people are better off and really do believe in the European project." (23/01/2012)

» full article (external link, Slovenian)
More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » Domestic Policy, » Croatia
All available articles from » Rok Kajzer

Croatia's likely accession to the EU is a slap in the face for the Greeks, writes the liberal daily La Stampa: "The endless contradictions of the unfortunate situation in Greece for instance, which tend to be overlooked. Greece is not only the problem child of the monetary union but also a relevant part of the Balkan Peninsula. We tend to forget that Athens' foreign policy conflicts not only with that of Berlin and Brussels as regards finances, but is also problematic vis-à-vis Macedonia and Albania for historical reasons. Many Greeks accuse Europe of wanting to chase Athens out of the Eurozone while at the same time courting Skopje and Tirana. The case of Croatia is for many nationalists and pro-Serb Greeks the height of injustice. Because Brussels is holding the very door wide open for Croatia that perhaps will one day be closed on Greece and will never be open for Serbia." (22/01/2012)

» more information (external link, Italian)
More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » Croatia
All available articles from » Enzo Bettiza

At least 100,000 government supporters took part in a so-called "peace march" in Budapest on Saturday which was directed above all against the EU's criticism of Hungary's domestic policy. In the eyes of the right-wing conservative daily Magyar Hírlap, which was among the initiators of the march, it was a clear gesture of solidarity with the government of Viktor Orbán: "The peaceful crowd's protest was aimed mainly at the European bureaucracy: it doesn't want to be a colony - not even of the EU. ... This mass of people made a stand for dignity, independence and democracy. The crowd's behaviour on the street was similar to the Hungarian prime minister's a few days ago when he defended himself alone against the humiliations in the EU Parliament: He faced the vituperative, intellectually dissolute and sick masters of injustice with a calm, dignified and self-assured demeanour - even with European elegance one could say. With their peace march the Hungarians have shown the world that they defend their leader when he defends the Hungarian nation." (23/01/2012)

» full article (external link, Hungarian)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Social movements, » Hungary
All available articles from » Zoltán Bíró
Who's saying what » Resistance to Hungarian government

Sauli Niinistö of the conservative National Coalition Party won the first round of the Finnish presidential elections on Sunday. But with 37 percent of the vote he fell far short of an absolute majority and will now compete against Pekka Haavisto (18.8 percent) of the Greens in a runoff in two weeks' time. The liberal daily Helsingin Sanomat anticipates an exciting vote: "The second round is to a certain extent a battle between traditionalist conservatives and liberals and between Right and Left, but above all it is a personal race between Niinistö and Haavisto. And this is Haavisto's big opportunity. His campaign has gained enormous momentum. One indication of this is the fact that support for him rose by eight percent on the actual day of the vote in comparison to what it was in the early voting. ... According to the election results Haavisto is the candidate for the capital region and the Uusimaa region [which surrounds the capital]. ... And he is above all the candidate of the well educated and younger generation. Haavisto must move to quickly turn the Facebook enthusiasm he has generated into the backing of the entire population." (23/01/2012)

» full article (external link, Finnish)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » Finland

Egypt's first freely elected parliament, in which Islamist parties of differing degrees of radicalness have the majority, holds its first session today. While the West must come to terms with this it must also make certain demands, writes the liberal-conservative daily Die Presse: "That the elections went so smoothly is a huge success. The Egyptians can be proud of this. To condemn the victory of the Islamists would be just as counterproductive as to downplay its significance. For particularly as far as women's rights and the separation of state and religion (with ten percent of Christians basically a matter of state reason) are concerned, the Muslim Brothers will have to be watched very closely. They must be aware that they can hardly get along without the help of the West in overcoming the enormous economic and social problems. And the West must realise that it has to make this help contingent on certain conditions. It may be called blackmail - but it's certainly a clever tactic." (23/01/2012)

» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Religion, » Elections, » Egypt
All available articles from » Helmar Dumbs
Who's saying what » Arabs fight for freedom

Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the US House of Representatives, has won a clear victory in the Republican primaries in South Carolina, significantly improving his chances of becoming presidential candidate, the left-liberal daily De Morgen fears: "His chances of winning the Republican primaries are by no means slim. And then he has a good chance of becoming president despite having a extremely conservative and right-wing profile even by American standards. In the race between Obama and his Republican challenger the economy will ultimately play the key role. This means that ironically 'left-wing radical' Europe may hold Obama's fate in its hands. If we don't take quick and decisive action against the euro chaos the outlook is pretty dismal for the Democrat. ... Perhaps certain European politicians should ask themselves whether they really want a Newt Gingrich as the leader of the free world." (23/01/2012)

» full article (external link, Dutch)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » Europe, » U.S.
All available articles from » Wouter Verschelden

The left-leaning Polish politician Janusz Palikot, whose provocative election campaign surprisingly earned him a seat in the Polish parliament last autumn, refrained from smoking a joint in the Sejm as he had promised to do and lit up a stick of incense instead. Palikot has his eyes on a place in government, the conservative news portal Wprost Online surmises: "The party Ruch Palikot has followed a path that the [Bauernpartei] Samoobrona once took. Andrzej Lepper's party also entered the Sejm by attracting attention to itself with cheap, anti-establishment solutions and by bucking the legal order. But when Samoobrona got the chance - thanks to [then prime minister] Jarosław Kaczyński - to join the government and change the world, it turned out that the world wasn't so bad after all. Because government limousines are more comfortable than plank-beds in prison. ... But that's not what the voters want to hear. Palikot isn't yet riding around in a government limousine, but by not smoking the joint he has shown that the thought has nevertheless crossed his mind." (23/01/2012)

» full article (external link, Polish)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Poland
All available articles from » Artur Bartkiewicz

According to a study commissioned by the trade union association CCOO, for the first time in decades more foreigners are leaving Spain than immigrating there. The Spanish, too, are increasingly seeking work abroad, but at the same time many are returning to their home country. Migration enriches a society, writes journalist Antonio Izquierdo in the left-leaning daily Público: "The crisis can help us to see migration as something normal that benefits society. We must learn to appreciate the migrants and defend their rights instead of treating them as failures or second-class citizens. A society that renews itself through migration has more future than one which is turned in on itself, because a mature society is one that is capable of being open and appreciating its immigrants. Therefore in these times of exchange the main task is to find out who is leaving and who is coming and above all what are their motivations." (23/01/2012)

» full article (external link, Spanish)
More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » Spain
All available articles from » Antonio Izquierdo

Germany's largest chain of drugstores, Schlecker, which comprises around 7,000 branches across the country, is expected to file for bankruptcy today, Monday. For the conservative tabloid Bild this bankruptcy is a lesson on how the free market economy works: "There are few positive aspects to the imminent bankruptcy of the Schlecker drugstore chain. ... And yet the downfall of this family business is a lesson for the free market economy - because fundamental rules were ignored. Firstly: take good care of your customers! Those who feel happier at your rival's stores because they're lighter and more modern won't come again! Secondly: your employees are your greatest capital. Only if they feel fairly treated and paid will they truly do their best for the company - and guarantee its success. Thirdly: react to changes quickly and consistently. Those who delay will be left trailing behind by their rivals." (23/01/2012)

» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » Corporations, » Consumers, » Germany
All available articles from » Hugo Müller-Vogg

Portuguese President Aníbal Cavaco Silva stated last Friday in an interview that he didn't know whether his pension would cover his expenses. This statement comes as an insult to the Portuguese, who are suffering the brunt of the crisis, writes Bruno Proença, editor in chief of the liberal business paper Diário Económico: "In no time at all Cavaco Silva has transformed from gentle as a lamb to beastly. As a central figure for social dialogue the president has tossed away his political capital with the people with his silly comment on his pension. ... Anyone who heard him speak could be certain that his words were unrehearsed and expressed his deepest convictions. The president really believes that roughly 8,000 euros per month is too little and he needs more. I don't even want to know what expenses he has, but one thing was clear to me: he doesn't live in the same world as the majority of Portuguese who eke out a living on an average income of less than 800 euros." (23/01/2012)

» full article (external link, Portuguese)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Society, » Portugal
All available articles from » Bruno Proença

Since the activities of Bulgarian bishops as informants to the communist secret services were officially recognised on Tuesday, the Bulgarians have been arriving in droves at the reading room of the Commission for the Records of the State Security Service in Sofia to inspect the clergymen's files. The author Kalin Tersijski writes in the daily Monitor that reading time can be more profitably spent: "As long as the Bulgarians continue to spitefully gloat over the secret service files of their pitiful bishops, as long as they flock to the reading rooms to lap up the stories of their own humiliation, they will only encourage new generations of such clerics! And they will deserve them! Because all those whose favourite reading material is secret service files, all those who are so passionately interested in the Patriarchs' dirty washing will never shed their fetters, no matter how long they sniff away at them. Those who look for lying priests will find them. What I want to say to these people is: look, there's Dostoyevsky - just across the way in the library." (22/01/2012)

» full article (external link, Bulgarian)
More from the press review on the subject » Literature, » Remembrance culture, » Society, » Bulgaria
All available articles from » Kalin Terziyski

The German founder of the online service Megaupload, Kim Schmitz, was arrested in New Zealand last Friday for presumed Internet piracy, and his site closed down. The arguments of all those who criticise legal action against cyber pirates are ill-founded, writes the liberal daily Les Echos: "People try to make us believe that crackdowns are useless. That cyber pirates will always find ways of outwitting the police on the digital highways. Perhaps. But must radars and any other form of dissuasion be banned just because it's impossible to arrest all the reckless drivers? People assure us that access to culture is a right and that the profits earned by Hollywood or the major record companies are indecent. That's doubly wrong. Culture must be accessible to all, but not free of charge. And those who create have the right to live from their creations and set prices as they see fit." (23/01/2012)

» full article (external link, French)
More from the press review on the subject » Online media, » Corporations, » Crime, » Global
All available articles from » David Barroux