According to The Irish Times US President Barack Obama wants to restore the credibility of the US and Nato in the region: "This campaign is being coordinated with the enormous one taken against Taliban control of the Swat valley by the Pakistani army, in which some two million people have been displaced. The Afghan-Pakistan border is to be sealed against escaping Taliban, so it is hoped, building up military pressure on them. But they are a formidable enemy, fighting on home ground and well financed by the booming opium trade they control. This new US policy faces grave obstacles if it cannot deliver on its promises to improve security for ordinary Afghan citizens. It is hoped to transfer military responsibility to the Afghan army gradually, although this is acknowledged to be a long game. In opting for a dramatic military escalation Mr Obama hopes to reverse the recent impression of slow defeat or stalemate afflicting the Nato operation." (03/07/2009)

» full article (external link, English)
More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Afghanistan

Piotr Gillert writes in the conservative daily Rzeczpospolita that Nato's future depends on the outcome of the Afghan conflict: "'We will withdraw from Iraq and concentrate on Afghanistan', Barack Obama repeatedly stated during his election campaign. And now he is acting on his promise. A few days ago the American army withdrew from the cities of Iraq and turned power over to the local authorities. Yesterday [Thursday] they then launched one of the biggest offensives in Afghanistan since the invasion started eight years ago. Thousands of marines penetrated into Helmand Province - until now one of the Taliban's major strongholds. In the end the success of the Afghan conflict will depend on this operation. And because in Afghanistan the fate of Nato is also hanging in the balance, it too depends on the current offensive." (03/07/2009)

» full article (external link, Polish)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Poland
All available articles from » Piotr Gillert

Commenting on the US's major offensive in Afghanistan the conservative daily Die Welt writes: "The new guidelines for troops laid down by the new commander of US and Nato forces in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, narrow the scope for air operations considerably. Moreover the Americans plan to set up little outposts everywhere so that help can be on hand immediately when civilians need it. This is one of the lessons learned in Iraq: Only when people believe that the soldiers will remain in the long term will they run the risk of opposing the Taliban and passing on important information about their hideouts to the troops. The Americans have already deployed enough soldiers to Helmand. But overall there are still too few Nato troops in Afghanistan's extensive territory to apply the concept in other embattled regions. Stability is nonetheless a prerequisite for civil reconstruction and for the strengthening of state structures." (03/07/2009)

» full article (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » U.S., » Global, » Middle East, » Afghanistan
All available articles from » Clemens Wergin

The left-liberal daily La Repubblica praises the carefully thought-out approach of US President Barack Obama in Afghanistan: "If you observe Obama closely ... you'll see that his whole approach, personality and history are not those of a belligerent commander. And they differ widely from the style of those men with a natural and often unfortunate bent for seeing the world in black and white and separating the us from the them. ... The world in which Obama moves, like the story of his origins as a son of Europe and Africa, has many shades of grey. It has nothing to do with the ideological superficiality which - whether rooted in mysticism or character - is essential for waging fullscale wars in full conviction that you are on the side of the right and the good. ... This offensive in the Helmand Valley ... is also typical of Obama. It is the move of a chess master, not that of a duellist ready to fight to the last drop of blood." (03/07/2009)

» full article (external link, Italian)
More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » U.S., » Afghanistan
All available articles from » Vittorio Zucconi

An amendment to Slovakia's language law has come into force which stipulates fines of up to 5,000 euros for failing to use the Slovakian language. Hungarian politicians view it as an attack on the Hungarian minority in the country as well as on their language. The liberal daily Sme also voices concerns: "Politicians in the government maintain the language law is meant to ensure that Slovaks living in the south of the country [primarily home to the Hungarian minority] also receive public information in Slovakian, and that the language is used in public offices. That's all fine and good. ... But contrary to common sense the law also interferes with relations between people in a way unprecedented in modern Europe. Even more absurd than the demand that the [Hungarian] newspaper Új Szó write all geographic names in Slovakian is the request that members of the Hungarian minorty talk Slovakian among themselves. How is that supposed to help matters?" (03/07/2009)

» full article (external link, Slovak)
More from the press review on the subject » Minorities, » Languages, » Hungary, » Slovakia
All available articles from » Peter Morvay

After the surprising resignation of Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader on Wednesday the daily Delo writes that revitalising the economy in Croatia is more important for Slovenia than fixing the maritime border between the two states: "Croatia's accession talks with the EU and the longstanding dispute over the maritime border with Slovenia will certainly be put on the back burner now in Zagreb. Nevertheless, with the renewed increase in popularity of the extreme right-wing nationalist faction of the governing party ... it can hardly be expected that the government will change its position. Perhaps Slovenia's blockade of Croatian accession talks with the EU was even useful, because the Croatian government will now have to look into its own affairs. But the economic consolidation of Croatia is far more important for Slovenia than fixing the maritime border between our countries. Croatia is fifth on the list of our most important trade partners, and many a Slovenian worker could soon feel the difficulties of our neighbours in their wallets." (03/07/2009)

» more information (external link, Slovenian)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU enlargement, » Slovenia, » Croatia
All available articles from » Veso Stojanov

A national government commission has called for coffee shops where the sale and consumption of soft drugs is allowed in the Netherlands to be closed down and replaced by so-called cannabis clubs. The liberal daily NRC Handelsblad is sceptical about the idea: "The carefree subculture of soft drugs of the past has gone to be replaced by a hard business that has nothing soft about it. … But the commission has not hit on the ideal solution. … Even the commission is trying to balance the need to protect the private consumption of cannabis and the need to combat its negative spin-offs. … The cannabis clubs are a bid to restrict consumption to the domestic market. But it seems improbable that they will be able to ban citizens from other EU states from signing up as members. … Such solutions [like that of legalising cannabis production] require a political consensus within the EU. Because the question is: Is cannabis consumption among adults socially acceptable or not? This question is too big for the Netherlands alone to answer." (03/07/2009)

» full article (external link, Dutch)
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Health Policy, » Netherlands

The Internet portal Delfi comments on the election success of the Pirate Party, which won 7.1 percent of the Swedish vote in the European elections: "The Pirate Party does not appreciate the contribution writers, artists, musicians, scientists and engineers make to our society. In doing so it is saying that the time, capital and human resources invested in the writing of a book, the production of a film, the development of a microchip are worthless and people should have the right to use such products for free. This is nothing less than stealing! … The message conveyed by the Pirate Party is a bitter reminder of the Communists, according to whom no one should make a profit and everything should serve the public good. Hopefully this naïve way of thinking won't meet with general approval." (03/07/2009)

» full article (external link, Estonian)
More from the press review on the subject » Cultural Policy, » Media policy, » Weltanschauung, » Elections, » Estonia, » Sweden, » Europe, » Global
All available articles from » Kristjan Velbri

Mircea Vasilescu, chief editor of the weekly Dilema Veche, asks why European themes are so unpopular in Romania: "Up until 2007 the EU accession was covered in very technical and dry language. … This conveyed the impression to the public that 'European subjects' only deal with legislation and reforms and that only politicians and the government can understand them. Then all at once a wave of completely different themes that led to a kind of boulevardisation or popularisation of 'European themes' hit us: 'Memory chips for cows', 'We're no longer allowed to produce plum liquor'. … The use of both types of themes (with their totally superficial coverage) have led to a passive public and dwindling interest in 'European themes'. … To improve the way these themes are covered we must drop the stereotype that 'European themes' are something artificial and inaccessible. And we must lay aside our passivity in believing that Europe is 'that place where everything is decided' - in Brussels. For many years we wanted to join the EU. I now ask myself whether it will take as many years for it to sink in that we have now joined." (03/07/2009)

» full article (external link, Romanian)
More from the press review on the subject » EU enlargement, » EU Policy, » Europe, » Romania
All available articles from » Mircea Vasilescu

In the quarterly intellectual magazine Magyar Lettre Internationale Russian writer and philosopher Michail Ryklin reflects on the Putin system and its weaknesses: "The system established by Putin is not stable. … The profits from its exports [of raw materials] were high enough for Russia to pay its public debt and see the number of its billionaires double every two to three years … and moderately increase the level of prosperity of most of its citizens. This was the reason for Putin's popularity. Under the new conditions this system will no longer function. … During Putin's second term in office a repressive depoliticisation of society took place. With each step towards depoliticisation and the extermination of the weak plant of democracy prosperity grew (for some a little, for others more and for others still exorbitantly). A paternalistic social model bearing the label 'power vertical' was created: state power took care of its passive and immature subjects and in return demanded unconditional trust and subjugation . … In this context I believe that nationalist forces will consolidate and extend their political influence." (03/07/2009)

» to the homepage (external link, Magyar Lettre Internationale)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Russia
All available articles from » Michail Ryklin

Sweden's central bank, the Reichsbank, has lowered its interest rate from 0.5 percent to 0.25 percent. In addition it plans to charge a negative interest rate of minus 0.25 percent when banks leave their money deposited with the Reichsbank. This is a slap in the face for the banks, writes the daily Sydsvenska Dagbladet: "The lowering of interest signals that the Reichsbank does not yet see the end the financial crisis. But the most important signal was the interest rate cut itself yesterday. The Reichsbank decided to reduce its own interest on savings to minus 0.25 percent. Now it costs the banks money to leave their money overnight with the Reichsbank. Roger Josefsson, chief economist of the Danske Bank, says that this approach is unique and that the message the negative interest rate sends is clear: 'The money should be released into the system'. The Reichsbank is implementing a constructive financial policy and the message sent yesterday was more than a wagging of the finger at the Swedish banking system. It was a kick in the shin." (03/07/2009)

» full article (external link, Swedish)
More from the press review on the subject » Fiscal Policy, » Corporations, » Economic Policy, » Sweden

Spain's socialist government has decided to close down Garoña Nuclear Power Plant in 2013 although it is considered technically safe. The business paper Expansión criticises the decision: "In fact the power plant is being shut down for ideological reasons, and against both our country's energy needs and the trend in Europe and the world to prolong the operational lives of safe plants. The decision also runs counter to Spanish public opinion and the need to save jobs. As many surveys show, more than half of Spain's population is for extending operational lives, provided power stations fulfil the conditions laid out by the CSN [Spain's Nuclear Safety Council]." (03/07/2009)

» full article (external link, Spanish)
More from the press review on the subject » Energy, » Health and Medicine, » Spain

According to Eda Kauba writing in the Hospodářské Noviny, a Czech and head of jury at the "Best of European Design and Advertising Awards" festival taking place in Barcelona, the most creative designers and copyrighters come from Germany: "The Germans are well organised, disciplined and have no sense of humour. … Anyone who believes that is clinging to an ancient cliché. When I tell people that the Germans are the funniest people in advertising and the most creative designers they're always surprised. German and creative? Yes, and they have been for a long time now. At the festival in Barcelona the Germans won in 16 of the 23 categories. And they deserved to. … The campaign for the Hornbach [DIY chain] won the grand prix. This ad works in any country. And yet the supermarkets ad category is normally the one that produces the most boring ads. … It would be good if we took a closer look. We can profit from the short distance to Berlin." (03/07/2009)

» full article (external link, Czech)
More from the press review on the subject » Audiovisual Media, » Consumers, » Germany, » Europe
All available articles from » Eda Kauba

Bulgarian television is currently running an advertisement for the Socialist Party in this weekend's parliamentary elections. The ad shows two conservative politicians in the foreground while behind them diverse objects are hacked to bits with an axe. The daily Dnevnik disapproves: "You've got to think about the aesthetic quality of these images. How an aeroplane, a nuclear power station and a pension are chopped to bits with an axe. It's only a metaphor, people from the propaganda department will say. Yes, of course, but even metaphors must be aesthetic and appropriate. Otherwise they can rapidly take on frightening overtones. Showing an axe hacking things apart on prime time television can convey a subliminal message, especially in a state whose shady past is littered with axe murders. Only three months ago a boy of 15 was killed in this way by a 19-year old." (03/07/2009)

» full article (external link, Bulgarian)
More from the press review on the subject » Audiovisual Media, » Bulgaria
All available articles from » Georgi Gospodinov

Columnist Nikos Bakounakis analyses in the left-leaning daily To Vima the causes of the media crisis in Greece: "Here the crisis is different because the entrepreneurial spirit of the press is having a very hard time. Its defining feature is its dependence. You don't need to publish many facts to prove that many media survive only thanks to state-financed advertising. And all journalistic principles - like the famous principle of objectivity - are based on the (economic) independence of the press. … There are other cardinal sins. One is the opinion journalism that is predominant in TV news programmes. This opinion journalism naturally has nothing to do with information." (03/07/2009)

» full article (external link, Greek)
More from the press review on the subject » Print media, » Media policy, » Greece