Le Monde newspaper criticises the reforms of the new Cuban President Raúl Castro in a lead article. "Since Fidel's forced retirement in the summer of 2006, change has been taking place at a snail's pace. The 'structural and conceptual changes' promised by his brother and successor Raúl are long in coming. .. Among the hindrances to effective reforms are global economic difficulties - namely the rise in food prices - but also political obstacles. ... The famous liberalisation of mobile telephones, the much needed agricultural reform and the improvement of public transport present real but insufficient examples of progress. ... If Cuba wants to avoid sinking even deeper into crisis, it must overcome the reluctance of the nomenclature and the Castro supporters and accelerate the speed of change. .. Raúl knows very well that true political liberalisation would bring fresh economic impulses and an indispensable normalisation of relations with Europe, Latin America and the US. Raúl knows that time is playing against him. Will Fidel ever admit this?" (13/08/2008)

» full article (external link, French)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Latin Amerika

After the sanctions of the EU Commission, Bulgaria's conservative opposition parties are planning a unified protest against the government. The event is to be announced with a petition on September 6, the day of Bulgarian Unification, and begin on September 22, the country's day of independence. Dnevnik newspaper comments: "After the extremely critical report by the European Commission on Bulgaria, everyone is clear that the governing three-way coalition has made a fool of itself. It is as if the country were caught in a political eddy. ... Those in power have come up with an action plan full of European phrases, while the opposition plans a symbolic holiday that will honour the unification. ... Instead of expecting too much from this symbolic date, the opposition should follow the imperatives of the day. These dates would not have become symbolic if the heroes of yore had waited for ceremonial occasions." (13/08/2008)

» full article (external link, Bulgarian)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Bulgaria

The weekly political magazine Elsevier is warning of the results of increasing immigration to the Netherlands from Eastern Europe: "In principle, it could be a healthy development if Eastern Europeans were to fill gaps in the job market in the Netherlands, but immigration has another side to it. Not all Eastern Europeans want to return to their home countries after their work is done, and what is worse, some of the Eastern European migrant workers have applied for jobless benefits in the Netherlands. But the Netherlands already has enough welfare recipients. ... The old story of guest workers is threatening to repeat itself. This fall, the cabinet will decide whether the requirement for work permits for Romanian and Bulgarian workers should be dropped ... as is the case in Poland already. Let the latest increase in Eastern European immigration be a warning to us: If Romanians and Bulgarians are permitted to resettle unhindered, their numbers in the Netherlands will rapidly rise, as will all the familiar problems." (13/08/2008)

» full article (external link, Dutch)
More from the press review on the subject » Social Policy / Employment, » Migration, » Integration, » Netherlands, » Eastern Europe
All available articles from » Robert Stiphout

The latest EU Commission monitoring report on Romania was quite negative. Romanian president Traian Băsescu has now announced to the parliamentary party leaders that something has to happen by July 2009 so that the EU Commission no longer will be scrutinizing the country. The daily paper Evenimentul Zilei criticizes the move: "Băsescu considers the monitoring 'relatively humiliating' and 'every EU member' has 'the right to reject commentary that displeases them'. In other words, the president is sick and tired of European functionaries threatening to take away the baby bottle if we do not behave. Does anyone believe that Romanian politicians will be able to bring the deficit noted by Brussels under control within the next 11 months? Especially given that the coming parliamentary elections are in November, followed by the reshuffling of the government, which in the best-case scenario will take until December, and then in the spring the madness of the upcoming presidential elections begins. I am afraid that Băsescu is trying to trigger a political offensive that will cause the EU Commission to close its eyes to the situation in Romania. The parties could consolidate, not to solve the problems in the justice system but to bring an end to discussion about the degree of corruption. Because that's the old fear of Romanian politicians who suggest that Romania is no more corrupt than any other European nation." (13/08/2008)

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

Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero plans to give voting rights in local elections to migrants from countries outside the EU, a move that is also being debated in France. Philosopher Robert Redeker opposes these initiatives in Le Figaro: "Does it make sense, as the [French] Socialist Party envisages and as Zapatero's government plans in Spain, to give [immigrants] voting rights in local elections and to deny them for national ones? ... the difference between the citizen, a member of the political body and the simple taxpaying inhabitant is not only of a material, but also of a symbolic nature: citizenship. Because this is a symbol, it creates a far stronger connection than mere material living conditions. ... There is no strong argument in favour of voting rights for migrants. ... Introducing them would endanger the indivisibility of the republic, ... [and] render nationality obsolete." (12/08/2008)

» full article (external link, French)
More from the press review on the subject » Migration, » Integration, » France, » Spain
All available articles from » Robert Redeker

Corriere della Sera newspaper comments on the decision by the French EU Council presidency to hold a summit meeting on immigration at the beginning of November in Vichy. During World War II the city was the seat of the French regime under Philippe Pétain, which collaborated with the German National Socialists. The newspaper suspects "banal political motives" behind the decision. "It is no accident that since 1945 Vichy has not been host to a single international event, let alone on such explosive topics as intolerance and racism. Vichy is the touristic capital of Auvergne and the electoral constituency of  immigration minister Brice Hortefeux. The minister wants to satisfy the region and fill the hotels ... with international guests. Once the stigma of collaboration has been relegated to the past, it will once more be able to sell its mineral water and beauty products internationally. But did the rehabilitation have to begin with a conference on the hunt for illegal immigrants?" (12/08/2008)

» more information (external link, Italian)
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Migration, » History, » France, » Europe
All available articles from » Stefano Montefiori

The Polish government has dismissed Under-Secretary Witold Waszczykowski, Poland's chief negotiator on the US missile defence shield. According to rumours his sacking came after a controversial interview with the news magazine Newsweek Polska. The liberal left daily Gazeta Wyborcza welcomes his dismissal: "The negotiations on the defence shield are still underway yet Witold Waszczykowski accuses the Polish government of pursuing only partisan interests in its talks with the US and neglecting Poland's security. This is absolutely scandalous: a high-ranking government official telling the US that Poland cannot be taken seriously as a negotiating partner. ... Waszczykowski gave the US arguments that will make it determined not to make any concessions regarding the defence shield in Poland. He has reignited the [Polish] conflict between the president and the government. He has proven that he is unfit for government office in Poland." (12/08/2008)

» full article (external link, Polish)
More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Domestic Policy, » Poland, » U.S.
All available articles from » Marek Beylin

Brussels has changed its opinion regarding Bulgaria's willingness to reform, the daily Sega writes, with reference to the harsh sanctions imposed on the new member state owing to corruption. Now, the newspaper reports, the "safeguard clause" which would restrict Bulgaria's membership status could be applied: "Just a year ago the Bulgarian government was being praised for its will to reform and its resoluteness. How can Brussels change its mind so radically within a year? The truth is that Brussels is one step away from making the important discovery that the judiciary does not work against but as part of organised crime. ... The European Commission's next progress report will not confine itself to listing the shortcomings; it will have to name the reasons behind them. ... And when this happens the Commission will have no alternative but to apply the safeguard clause." (12/08/2008)

» full article (external link, Bulgarian)
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Bulgaria
All available articles from » Svetoslav Tersiev

French President and current EU President Nicolas Sarkozy plans to mediate in the conflict between Russia and Georgia today. The Spanish daily El Mundo advises the EU to assume a more active role in the crisis region. "Europe is particularly interested in a [peaceful] resolution to the conflict because it finds the idea that what happened in the Balkans could be repeated in the Caucasus extremely alarming. Moreover, a substantial proportion of our energy supplies flow through Georgia. ... The credibility of our Western defence alliance is at stake here because the negotiations with Tiflis on joining Nato have reached an advanced stage. We should not abandon Georgia ... to its fate. ... The EU has the option of breaking off the negotiations on trade relations which are so important for the Kremlin. ... However, it remains to be seen whether the EU is capable of implementing such a unified and tough strategy." (12/08/2008)

» more information (external link, Spanish)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » EU Policy, » Russia, » Georgian Republic

The Dalai Lama arrived in France yesterday for a twelve-day visit. Raphaël Liogier, director of the research institute Observatoire du Religieux, analyses in this context the Western enthusiasm for Buddhism: "The traditional Buddhism of Southeast Asia came to France with successive waves of migrants but is not being practised by the younger generation. Thanks to the global influence of the Dalai Lama [however], Western Buddhism, which emerged from Tibetan Buddhism, is growing. .. The Dalai Lama has managed to [globalise] the Tibetan cause. Ultimately he has created a spiritual Tibet, whose new citizens are Buddhists from all over the world. That is what his predecessors were lacking. ... Nowadays there may be a certain aversion to making political use of events. But this Dalai Lama ... has managed to combine politics and spirituality. ... His is a new political message which transcends the borders of the nation state and is anchored in the Buddhist tradition." (11/08/2008)

» full article (external link, French)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Religion, » France, » Asia, » Global
All available articles from » Raphaël Liogier