Italy's parliament passed another law on Wednesday aimed at preventing Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi from having to appear in court. Berlusconi is thus once again bending the laws of the constitutional state. This is also apparent in the attempt to get the governing People of Freedom party (PdL) on the lists for the regional elections despite errors committed by the party in the registration procedure: "The dilettantism of the PdL leadership as well as the recent corruption scandals in which above all the government has been implicated [are] an example of the Berlusconi regime's contempt for the constitutional state: laws and regulations are not taken seriously and manipulated to its own advantage. With the 'Legittimo impedimento' [legitimate impediment] that adds up to over twenty 'ad personam' laws which 'il Cavaliere' has now had his loyal parliamentary majority pass in the course of his political career. His shameless abuse of power may still have the power to shock us but it has long ceased to surprise us." (12/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Crime and Law, » Italy
All available articles from » Meret Baumann

Catherine Ashton, the EU's new high representative for foreign affairs, has requested a private jet to ease her travel obligations. Her submission has been backed by a Spanish diplomat who compares Ashton with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Try again, writes the liberal daily Sme: "Clinton became head of US diplomacy because she is an able, influential woman appointed by President Obama. Ashton, by contrast, was chosen for her job precisely because she's weak. And she is to remain weak, and not interfere with the work of the politicians who chose her. The institution she represents doesn't command even the slightest respect abroad, so it makes no difference whatsoever if she jets around the world or stays put at home. As opposed to Clinton, no one cares at all what she has to say." (12/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Europe, » U.S.
All available articles from » Peter Morvay

For the second time in fifteen days the Greeks have brought their country to a standstill with a general strike. And on Thursday there were violent clashes between the police and demonstrators. Yet the government should not be deterred from its chosen course, the German tabloid Bild writes: "It must not stray from the rigorous austerity measures it has belatedly imposed on the country. The fact is: the future of Greece will be decided neither on the international financial markets nor in the backrooms of the EU, but in the country itself, and no International Fund, never mind a European Monetary Fund, can change this. All that Greece's partners can do is provide a little assistance, and that's the way it should be. The Greeks won't gain any credit by letting someone else drag them out of the swamp. The only way for them to restore their credibility is for them to drain it themselves! The new government has understood this. It doesn't expect a cent from us! But if the people on the street get their way, if the government doesn't impose its will on the stubborn section of the population, Greece is doomed." (12/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Fiscal Policy, » Greece
All available articles from » Nikolaus Blome

The EU Parliament on Wednesday passed a resolution dealing with how to conduct talks on the US's planned European missile defence shield. One French MEP argued to no avail that the text should include the phrase 'in dialogue with Russia', a suggestion the daily România Liberă lambastes: "In many ways it was an unacceptable, even absurd suggestion. The anti-missile shield is a defence system, consequently Romania is not at all obliged to consult Russia on the subject. ... The installation of a missile defence shield on Romanian soil is a strictly Romanian-American affair. The EU Parliament has nothing to say in the matter, let alone Russia. It's perfectly reasonable for Romania and other EU states to exchange views on the question, but here too it's senseless to include Russia. That would be no different from allowing Russia to sneak in a back door of the European Parliament to take part in security meetings where it has no business to be." (12/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » EU Policy, » Domestic Policy, » EU neighbourhood policy, » Russia, » Europe, » U.S., » Romania
All available articles from » Cristian Campeanu

The Italian ruling party The People of Freedom failed to meet the registration deadline for regional elections in certain parts of the country and has therefore been excluded from the vote. In his blog Tempo Reale Vittorio Zucconi comments on the scuffle that broke out at a press conference held by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on the subject on Wednesday: "I am sure that this sequence will not be missing from future documentaries on Italy's Berlusconi years aimed at teaching our unbelieving and sceptical grandchildren about the fog that blinded Italians to such an extent that they were no longer capable of recognising even the most blatant facts. The scene featuring a hysterical prime minister and a wrestling defence minister who thinks he's a gorilla makes it clear that we have gone far beyond the limits of politics, ideology, mafia and trials ... and crossed into a Never Never land; a country full of aged Peter Pans with plastic faces, Tinkerbells, fairies and Captain Hooks that is beyond comprehension and out of which there is no way out but to wake up and go to the ballots!" (11/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Elections, » Press freedom, » Italy
All available articles from » Vittorio Zucconi

King Albert of Belgium will attend the celebrations for 50th anniversary of Congo's independence from Belgium. The visit to President Joseph Kabila should be more than just a ceremony, the daily De Morgen points out: "If the King confines himself to amiably watching the marches and drinking a glass of champagne with Kabila he would only be strengthening these people' reputation and legitimacy and his visit would thus be a slap in the face for the average Congolese citizen and for everyone who is concerned about the future of Africa and general and that of the Congo in particular. ... After all, the question of what policy this government is pursuing towards Congo is more important than a symbolic visit. ... What conditions does Belgium attach to the expansion of development aid, what are the possibilities for further democratisation ... and which instruments can be used to end the conflicts that have claimed millions of victims in the past decade? ... If the Belgian government's only answer to these questions is a handshake between the King and Kabila, accompanied by a deafening silence, it would be a disgrace." (11/03/2010)

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

The National Council of Slovenes in the Austrian state of Carinthia is on the verge of disbanding due to severe funding cutbacks on the part of the Republic of Slovenia. Young Slovenians living in the region can only benefit, writes the daily Delo: "They are also calling for the other two Slovenian minority associations to disband, as well as for the resignation of 'paid functionaries who for decades have only cared about consolidating their power instead of helping the minority to survive'. They also believe it's high time for Slovenia to take a firm stand on the minority in Carinthia. Of course the welfare of the Austrian Slovenes lies primarily with the government in Vienna, but it prefers to look on impassively and do nothing. ... Happiest with the current situation are above all the local Carinthian politicians, who have grabbed the chance to rant and rail against the Slovenian minority." (11/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Minorities, » Slovenia, » Austria
All available articles from » Barbara Kramzar

French lawyers, prosecutors, judges, prison wardens and court employees protested on Tuesday against conditions in the French judiciary. Since the elections in 2007 legal reform has been a top priority of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, writes the daily Le Monde: "The government may argue that this is merely the inevitable disgruntlement of a profession that has been considerably shaken up. Nevertheless there are good grounds for the exasperation. Despite budgetary measures, the efficiency of the judiciary remains severely handicapped by lacking staff and resources. Eyewitness accounts are damning. But even more worrysome is the executive's desire to control the judiciary. The decision to abolish the post of examining magistrate announced by the president in January and implemented by the Minister of Justice Michèle Alliot-Marie ... could have met with a general consensus. ... But as long as prosecutors remain subordinate to the ministry ... their impartiality will remain in question." (10/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » France

Seven Muslims were arrested in Ireland on Tuesday for plotting to kill the Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks. For the daily Irish Examiner a case of the clash of cultures: "Yesterday's arrest of seven people in connection with an investigation into a conspiracy to murder a Swedish cartoonist is a stark reminder of the international sweep of terrorism. It is a reminder too of the kind of intolerance that has become unacceptable in the West. Lars Vilks' cartoon depicting the Prophet Muhammad with the body of a dog was offensive to some Muslims but that does not mean he can be murdered or abused in any way. None of those arrested have been charged much less convicted of anything so they, under our system, are innocent. The arrests does however highlight the great clash of cultures we will have to deal with sooner or later." (10/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » Religion, » Ireland, » Sweden, » Europe

The Greek government expects the subject of measures against speculative deals to be dealt with at the next meeting of the G20 states, as Prime Minister George Papandreou explained on Tuesday in Washington following a meeting with US President Barack Obama. The liberal-conservative daily Corriere della Sera stresses that the prime minister did not cast himself in the role of petitioner when he explained his country's financial crisis: "The US thought it would be confronted with the desperate leader of a Balkan state. One who supplicatingly held out his hat, unable to restore order in his own country. Instead it faced a proud and sensible head of state who asked not for money but for political support in curbing Wall Street's speculative attacks against Greece. ... Whether the promises will be fulfilled remains to be seen. What is certain is that Prime Minister Papandreou returns to Europe having gained the respect of the Americans." (10/03/2010)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Fiscal Policy, » Greece
All available articles from » Massimo Gaggi