The daily Le Figaro sees dark times ahead for the French EU Council presidency: "For the next half a year Paris will take on the difficult mission of piloting the European squadron. But it looks like we are in for heavy flak. ... The first shocks came from the high petrol and food prices and the Irish No to the Treaty of Lisbon. In such circumstances one asks where the French Council presidency should focus its efforts and what goals it can really achieve. ... Three criteria will define the success of the French presidency, which will be marked more by earnestness than flamboyancy: maintaining the cohesion of the 27 member states, preserving their momentum and preparing the way for the Czech Council presidency." (30/06/2008)

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All available articles from » Alain Barluet

France is beginning its EU presidency with great ambitions, writes the Prague correspondent for the French daily Le Monde: "This is the first presidency during which Europe's leading politicians are to meet no less than ten times. Sarkozy is determined to show that France is back in Europe - a new engine propelling European integration forwards. ... All this will not be easy after Ireland's No to Lisbon, particularly at a time when the prevailing mood among Europeans is bad. Europeans are demanding concrete steps in those areas that are most painful. This is why Sarkozy, prompted among other things by the rise in food and energy prices, wants to put climate and energy issues as well as agricultural policy at the top of the agenda." (01/07/2008)

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All available articles from » Fabrice Martin Plichta

The Spanish daily La Vanguardia sees great challenges ahead for the French EU presidency: "The French presidency's approach to solving the crisis triggered by the Irish No consists mainly in pushing forward the process of ratification no matter what. To do this it must convince the Czech Republic to shed its doubts and at the same time prevent Dublin from feeling isolated while it makes its own decisions, which are expected to culminate in holding a new referendum as soon as possible. ... To sum up, the coming six months will be decisive for the European Union, which is not only losing influence on the international stage but also among its own citizens - a situation that is much more serious and requires even stronger efforts." (01/07/2008)

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The daily Etelä-Saimaa adopts a critical stance towards France's EU presidency: "France has taken over the rotating presidency of the European Union. This will give President Nicolas Sarkozy a lot of publicity, but it also requires leadership qualities because of Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon treaty in its referendum. ... These are demanding times for diplomacy. Many see Sarkozy as the wrong person for the task in hand. ... One of the greatest challenges for the future is defining cooperation between the EU and Russia. Can a genuine partnership evolve between the two? ... Shared values are sometimes worlds apart." (01/07/2008)

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All available articles from » Jorma Hernesmaa

For the conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Nicolas Sarkozy cuts a fine leadership figure for Europe: "In view of the forced pause regarding the Treaty of Lisbon brought on by the Irish referendum, the EU may well need a 'president' of Nicolas Sarkozy's mettle. Certainly, the role of courteous mediator does not suit the most dynamic, indefatigable and unpredictable of Europe's heads of state. ... Yet Sarkozy sees the Treaty of Lisbon in part as his own work, which is why he will do his utmost to save it. ... Sarkozy's zest for action in European affairs is augmented by his dire need of a success to show the people back home. For his plunge in the opinion polls is not over yet. The French are still in for painful times as a result of the ongoing reforms. Sarkozy consequently needs to chalk up successes on the European front. And the EU, for its part, can turn Sarkozy's energy to its own advantage." (01/07/2008)

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All available articles from » Michaela Wiegel

The US government is considering stationing its planned missile shield in Lithuania instead of Poland. This would be a major advantage for Lithuania, writes the Polish weekly Przegląd: "Despite its difficult geopolitical situation - its proximity to the Kaliningrad Zone and Belarus - Lithuania has no intention of spending serious sums on defence. One paradox, for example, is that none of the three Baltic states have fighter aircraft. Their airspace is protected in six month intervals by other NATO members - of course with their own aircraft and at their own expense. ... Not only does Lithuania systematically - and successfully - shirk military action, it also manages to avoid financial participation in NATO operations. That is why the American offer is like pennies from heaven for Lithuania. Because one thing is clear: if the Americans were to install their anti-ballistic missiles there, they would also have to station a large number of American or allied troops to defend them. In that way the problem of the country's protection would be effectively solved, and what's more free of charge." (30/06/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Poland, » Lithuania, » U.S.
All available articles from » Eugeniusz Januła, » Katarzyna Kurzeja

The publishing of the first major analysis of Denmark's EU exemptions regarding cooperation in legislative, military and monetary policy as well as European citizenship prompts the Danish daily Politiken to criticise the exemptions: "Denmark is a small state and has not been able to conduct its own foreign policy - independent of our European partners - for hundreds of years now." The newspaper argues that it is a "national disaster that these four opt-outs continue to prevent Denmark from exerting decisive influence. ... Whether we want to fight despotic regimes in the Middle East, climate change or organised crime, there is no longer an alternative to closer European cooperation. The EU offers Europe's smaller countries a historic opportunity to jointly influence our environment." (01/07/2008)

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"Hardly anyone sees any more sense in stationing nuclear bombs in Europe. Only the Defence Ministry in Berlin wants to keep the nuclear weapons here", the weekly news magazine Der Spiegel reports . "Roughly 20 American B-61 nuclear bombs are still in Germany ... on the outskirts of the village of Büchel in Rhineland-Palatinate. ... The bombs come across as a military anachronism, a relict from the Cold War. ... Even Washington no longer believes they serve any purpose. ... But CDU Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung has other plans. Even after the rearmament in Büchel, he still plans to have a number of Tornados [German fighter jets] in reserve for nuclear deployment. In an emergency they ... are to jet over to Büchel and load the American bombs - if Barack Obama or John McCain have not already got rid of them, that is." (30/06/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Germany, » Europe, » U.S.
All available articles from » Cordula Meyer, » Alexander Szandar

Blerim Shala, editor in chief of the Albanian weekly Zeri, comments in the online edition of Dnevnik newspaper on the confusion surrounding UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon's instructions for the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). The head of the Mission Lamberto Zannier does not have a clear picture of his future role, Shala writes: "By mid-October everything is supposed to be ready for UNMIK to withdraw and EULEX to take over ... but nothing will come of this. For Ban Ki Moon, under great pressure from Russia, has decided to alter the plan to the effect that the UNMIK direction will continue to make the decisions on a number of security and political matters in Kosovo. From now on Zannier is likely to face great difficulties on different political fronts." (01/07/2008)

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All available articles from » Blerim Shala

The weekly magazine Expresso proposes a way out of the impasse in which Europe finds itself after the Irish rejection of the EU Reform Treaty: "The European Union is an excellent idea, but the Europeans make it impossible to implement. ... Everything has been tried ... apart from the most difficult alternative: facing the facts and changing our approach lock, stock and barrel. The European Union is an absolutely unique project in human history. An unprecedented step was taken with the introduction of a common currency. But then the project came to a halt. It lacks political and social unity and democratic legitimacy. ... There are only two solutions for the impasse Europe now finds itself in. ... Opting for a less ambitious treaty that everyone can accept, or becoming even more ambitious and voting in a parliament in the next elections that will have the democratic legitimacy to decide the direction Europe will take." (30/06/2008)

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All available articles from » Daniel Oliveira

In view of climbing oil prices, economist Dániel Zsiga outlines alternative energy sources in Hungary's conservative daily Magyar Hírlap: "Solar energy is the most important. ... The capacities of all the electric power plants in the world put together could be replaced by a single huge solar collection farm spread over an area of 600 square kilometres. Such a farm could be built in the Sahara, for example. ... Another equally important source of energy is wind. If the US wanted to generate its entire power supply using wind energy, all it would have to do would be to construct the required power plants in three US states. ... Also worth mentioning is the generation of electricity through so-called tidal power plants on the world's oceans. ... But the drivers of the global economy remain stubbornly passive. It is almost as if nothing short of an economic collapse could make them realise that we cannot afford to wait for the disaster to happen before we take action. This is the 20th century's most important message." (01/07/2008)

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All available articles from » Dániel Zsiga

The regional daily the Stuttgarter Zeitung voices support for the plans of the European Central Bank (ECB) to raise the base interest rate: "According to some politicians, as well as certain economists, this step comes at an inopportune moment. ... They conjure up the spectre of stagnation - a period of zero economic growth but rising prices and higher unemployment. Yet even though [ECB] president Jean-Claude Trichet and his colleagues should take these concerns seriously, their main task is to keep inflation expectations at a level that promises relative price stability. To achieve this they must raise the base interest rate. ... The guardians of the euro have demonstrated over the past decade that they are able to react appropriately to the challenges of the moment without compromising their independence by allowing themselves to be influenced by political demands. ... One result of the ECB's prudent financial policy is the fact that the single currency has established itself as a stability factor within a very short period of time." (01/07/2008)

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All available articles from » Klaus-Dieter Oehler

The daily La Stampa reports on the increasing number of well-educated Germans who are leaving their home country to seek jobs abroad: "While everyone marvels at the old Continent's engine of change and its economic miracle, more and more Germans are quietly packing their bags and heading abroad. ... The crème de la crème are taking their degrees and their know-how to search elsewhere for new career opportunities, for instance in Switzerland, England or the US. ... In 2007 around 161,000 emigrated, an exodus the likes of which Germany has not witnessed since the 1950s. The country has lost its appeal for its elite. High taxes, low salaries and little chance of promotion are to blame. ... Ludwig Erhard's slogan 'prosperity for all' is losing substance. ... In a country that invests 700 billion annually in its social system, the rift between poor and rich has grown ever wider. ... Trade union guarantees are virtually non-existent nowadays. Insecurity is growing." (01/07/2008)

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All available articles from » Alessandro Alviani

The Cypriot daily Politis comments on anti-terrorist measures in the UK. Around four million surveillance cameras have been installed all over the country. "Every frightened mayor and every dissolute local authority has decided ... to keep their citizens on the right path using the instruments of the battle against terrorism. As a result, last year alone - according to a study published by the press association - 3,000 citizens were prosecuted or sentenced for offences that had nothing to do with terrorism. ... These offences came to light as a result of bugging operations and video and camera surveillance intended to prevent acts of terrorism [as well as] through bugging telephone conversations and the interception of emails. A new Stasi is listening in on the Lives of the Others in Britain's cities." (30/07/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » United Kingdom
All available articles from » Christos Chalikiopoulos

The music festival summer has begun in Belgium, a ritual above all for school and university students. However high ticket prices make it difficult for immigrant youths and those from poorer families to attend the open air concerts, writes the newspaper De Morgen: "Festivals have now become more important than Christmas and Easter put together as occasions for fraternisation. Except that the big festivals are not accessible to all of the country's youths. ... The question arises whether this problem can, or should, be solved through subsidies. The difficulty is that these would also be accessible to youths from wealthy homes. ... A better, cheaper and more honest solution would be a system like that for education. Why should someone who receives an educational grant not have the right to a festival grant? If everyone has a right to education, we must also make it possible for everyone to take part in this major ritual at the end of the school year." (01/07/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » Social Policy / Employment, » Music, » Social movements, » Belgium
All available articles from » Jeroen de Preter

The parliament in Belarus, which is under authoritarian rule, has passed legislation further tightening the country's media law. For the first time all online media and blogs will be required to register with the information ministry. The left-wing liberal Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza writes that all hopes that Belarus would become more democratic are unfounded. "European politicians, including Polish politicians, recently considered whether to alter their conduct towards [President Alexander] Lukashenko: to abandon the policy of sanctions and begin bringing Belarus back into the European orbit - on the condition that the dictator slacken his repressive measures against the opposition and the media. With this 'gagging law' Lukashenko is giving a clear and cynical reply to these ideas. Yet again he is proving that we cannot reckon with any positive developments in Belarus under his rule." (30/06/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Domestic Policy, » Online media, » Media policy, » Europe, » Belarus
All available articles from » Waclaw Radziwinowicz