Apart from a purely rhetorical declaration the summit in Rio has failed to produce concrete results, the liberal daily Hämeen Sanomat complains: "The time we have to solve the huge problems is not unlimited. The key lies with mankind and its leaders, but even the smallest sacrifice of advantages and rights is viewed as a sign of weakness. Nor is the summit in Rio likely to produce any concrete decisions. Even before the summit began the participants passed a rhetoric declaration proclaiming sincere efforts. It calls for concerted measures for promoting sustainable development but fails to address the central issue of what this actually means. The ideas and goals formulated and signed by the world's leaders in the declaration are splendid and honourable, but they won't clean up any waters or make the deserts fertile again. At Rio+20 a current state of destruction was registered and recorded, and afterwards everything will continue as it was." (22/06/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Catástrofes naturales, » Catástrofes naturales, » Global

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's refusal to attend the meeting in Rio is only consistent, the left-liberal daily Frankfurter Rundschau writes: "Hopes that the new Rio summit would be one where decisions were finally implemented were naive, considering the many crises that the world's politicians are dealing with at present. Debt crisis, euro crisis, bank crisis, economic crisis - all of that is keeping them on the go 24/7. The ever larger bailout funds are blocking their view of the long-term, creeping - yet all the more dangerous - problems like climate change or hunger in Africa. German Chancellor Angela Merkel's no to Rio, as shocking as it seemed coming from the 'climate chancellor', was in fact perfectly consistent from this point of view. It spared the world yet another inconsequential Sunday discourse of the type churned out by the hundred at the summit. Merkel's absence was a sign that the Europeans, too, until now always the leading force at UN summits, have abandoned their ambitions." (22/06/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Medio ambiente, » Alemania, » Global
Todos los textos disponible de » Joachim Wille

The Rio+20 summit on sustainable development is a disappointment, the conservative daily Večer laments, and pins its hopes on the green economy as the model for the future: "Twenty years ago optimism and realism still reigned in Rio, and talk centred on how our planet could be saved. This time attention was focused above all on survival - and profit. True, the delegations agreed on a declaration outlining the sort of future we want, and it should soon be signed. But it's not convincing. On the contrary: NGOs and social initiatives warn that the text only accounts for individual interests and has no connection to reality. And that, if it is adopted in its current form, a green future cannot be achieved.... A 'green' economy is the sole hope for change. But if we want to avoid having new business prospects and the desire for economic growth represent a new menace to society then a new economic system must be constructed. Only in that way can we take the road to sustainability."  (22/06/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Medio ambiente, » Economía, » Global, » Brasil
Todos los textos disponible de » Simona Drevenšek

The participants of the global climate summit Rio+20 have great expectations for a so called green economy. But sustainable management serves above all to soothe guilty consciences and allow society to forget its true responsibility, writes journalist Axel Schubert in a commentary for the online paper Tageswoche: "Green economy follows on from the unfulfilled promise to decouple … economic development and environmental pollution. ... The  Basel energy potential study of 2011 shows how far we are falling short of the targets for reducing greenhouse gases and consumption of resources. But since the resolutions of 'Rio' the 'comprehensive' sustainability strategy unites a broad social spectrum in the belief that we are on the right path. To the same extent that sustainability provides a basis, the concept helps to prevent our societies from questioning courses of action. ... However the challenges are not to be met through more green technology, but only through major changes at the socio-cultural as well as individual level." (22/06/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Medio ambiente, » Economía, » Global
Todos los textos disponible de » Axel Schubert

In Rome, a crisis summit involving Germany, France, Italy and Spain takes place this Friday. Rome should play the role of mediator to speed up economic and political integration in Europe, writes the liberal-conservative business paper Il Sole 24 Ore: "The euro is in crisis because the Lisbon treaty stipulates the supranationality of monetary policy but leaves tax, economic and fiscal policy to the national governments. … If the political causes of the crisis lie in the inter-state logic of the Lisbon treaty, the crisis can only be overcome when this logic is called into question. Italy can play a key role here by calling states with resurging demands for sovereignty to order and saying clearly that it's not enough to demand an expansive economic policy, as Hollande's France is doing, without addressing the issue of how this policy is to be managed. … Nor is it enough to point to the need for greater integration, as Chancellor Merkel recently did, and then oppose political measures that would advance that integration." (22/06/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política de la UE, » Política financiera, » Economía, » Italia, » Europa
Todos los textos disponible de » Sergio Fabbrini
Cobertura de debates » Salidas a la crisis de endeudamiento

Vassilis Rapanos will join the new Greek government as minister of finance. He was previously director of the National Bank of Greece and fought against the country's military dictatorship (1967-74). The business paper Naftemporiki places high hopes in Rapanos: "Rapanos is to mark a clear break with the past … and implement genuine reforms. He is a technocrat who has understood that everything around us has changed and that this represents perhaps a unique opportunity. He knows that the citizens have left the past behind them and are making major steps towards important developments. The markets and the taxpayers, too, are hoping for changes that finally meet their expectations. Mr Rapanos has the unique chance to get things moving because he has the knowledge and an insider view of the situation. It's up to him to change the face of the Greek economy." (22/06/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política de la UE, » Política interior, » Política financiera, » Grecia
Todos los textos disponible de » Kouros Giannis
Cobertura de debates » Greece puts the Eurozone to the test

In Egypt, the electoral commission has postponed for an indefinite period the announcement of the results of the presidential election scheduled for this Thursday owing to numerous complaints. The Military Council had already expanded its own powers last Sunday while the run-off vote was taking place. The country is experiencing a covert military coup, the left-liberal daily De Volkskrant warns: "First the constitutional court dissolved the newly elected parliament where the Islamists had gained a majority of mandates. … Then the Supreme Military Council granted itself legislative powers by means of an emergency decree. The military also made sure that it will have major influence over the drawing up of a new constitution. Moreover it considerably limited the powers of the president right from the start. Even if the Islamist Mursi wins the election, he won't have any power over the army or the defence budget. It's understandable that the West is concerned about the advance of the Islamists in the Arab world. But it must raise its voice against the disguised military coup. New life must be breathed into Egyptian democracy." (22/06/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Crisis / Guerras, » Política interior, » Elecciones, » Egipto
Todos los textos disponible de » Bert Lanting
Cobertura de debates » El mundo árabe lucha por la libertad

The former prime minister of Romania, Adrian Năstase, was sentenced to two years in prison on Wednesday on charges of corruption. Năstase attempted suicide as the police arrested him but is now in a stable condition. He simply couldn't bear the loss of power, writes the news portal Ziare: "He is the man who led Romania, controlling everything that happened in the country with an iron fist. From his own party to the last provincial newspaper, from the highest judge to the rookie prosecutor. The man who never abandoned his dream of becoming president and who was still being discussed as a candidate for prime minister's office couldn't understand that he too is subject to the law. And that in a moment when [the social democratic party] PSD once more has the say. Adrian Năstase wanted to commit suicide when he saw that he had lost all control over his opiate, absolute power, including over the judiciary. ... Without all of that he is nothing more than a weak and puny man - far from the grandeur of his years in office. This powerless Adrian Năstase has now become himself." (22/06/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política interior, » Delincuencia, » Justicia, » Rumania
Todos los textos disponible de » Constantin Racaru

The EU Commissioner for Enlargement Štefan Füle visited Nikosia on Tuesday to discuss Cyprus' EU Council presidency beginning on July 1, which Turkey refuses to recognise. The liberal daily Phileleftheros calls on the EU partners to exert more pressure on Ankara to accept the EU's rules and institutions: "Europe's politicians must deal with an issue they can't avoid - namely Turkey's behaviour regarding Cyprus, a member of the EU. … The challenge consists in finding a way to bring Ankara's behaviour in line with the rules according to which the European Union functions. Europeans have the instruments to put pressure on Ankara. And they must do so, because it's clear that the other approach - namely playing up to the Turks - wasn't effective. The more tolerant and flattering the EU is towards Ankara, the cheekier it gets." (21/06/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Política de la UE, » Chipre, » Europa, » Turquía

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's crisis policies will lead straight to the biggest bankruptcy the world has ever seen, columnist Wolfgang Münchau fears in the news portal Spiegel Online: "A sudden end to the euro would be ruinous, particularly for Germany. First off, the European single market would not survive a return to fluctuating exchange rates. The German export industry could not recover from such a change. Add to that the threat of financial collapse. ... Angela Merkel's policy of procrastination is even more ruinous. With every month the burden on Germany's system increases. … If Spain and Italy now also seek the aid of the bailout fund, then Germany and France together would stand surety for more than four billion euros of debt. That's more than the annual income of both countries put together. We are heading straight for the biggest bankruptcy in history. I know only two solutions by which this scenario can be avoided: either the European Central Bank takes over the debts, or they are partially mutualised through euro bonds and a banking union. Merkel's policy leads us into Dante's Inferno. 'Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.'" (21/06/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política financiera, » Alemania, » Europa
Todos los textos disponible de » Wolfgang Münchau
Cobertura de debates » Salidas a la crisis de endeudamiento

The G20 meeting in Mexico ended with empty promises that won't solve the European debt crisis in the long term, fears the former US Treasury Under Secretary David McCormick in the liberal business paper Financial Times, and he draws parallels with the American debt crisis at the end of the18th century: "What Europe needs is an Alexander Hamilton moment and a corresponding constitution to replace the Maastricht treaty. From 1776-1789, America was managed by a loose Articles of Confederation and its states were overly indebted like Europe's today. In 1790, after the constitution was ratified, Hamilton became the first US Treasury Secretary and in order to create fiscal union chose to convert state debt to federal debt and backed it with federal taxes and a loan from abroad. He made the debt burden manageable by restructuring the debts at substantial haircuts and by establishing a sinking fund analogous to the one now proposed by the 'wise men' in Germany. This plan could close the funding gaps and alter the course of the worsening crisis." (22/06/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política financiera, » Mercado de finanzas, » Federalismo, » Europa, » EE.UU.
Cobertura de debates » Salidas a la crisis de endeudamiento

Spain's ailing banks need up to 62 billion euros, according to reports presented by two independent consulting firms on Thursday. But more important is what happens to the money, economist Mauro Guillén explains in his blog for the online newspaper Huffington Post and calls for banks without a future not to be rescued: "What will the banks do with the billions to rain upon them? Will they continue to buy public debt to help the state finance itself or facilitate loans for the private sector? A recapitalisation without establishing clear criteria, incentives or priorities would in my view be a mistake for two reasons: firstly, the markets and investors are going to change their essentially pessimistic attitude regarding the Spanish economy until there are signs of economic growth and declining unemployment. … But more problematic is the fact that the government and the central bank are making no attempt whatsoever to distinguish between those banks that have a future and those that, despite millions in recapitalisation, won't be able to compete in the long term." (22/06/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política financiera, » Economía política, » Bancos, » España
Todos los textos disponible de » Mauro Guillén
Cobertura de debates » Spain in the banking crisis

In the trial against Anders Behring Breivik in Oslo, the prosecutors on Thursday called for the killer to be put into psychiatric care. The social-liberal daily Politiken sees the court and Norwegian society facing a major dilemma: "If the judge grants the prosecutors' request, this could lead to an unfortunate trauma. Because the psychological diagnosis overlooks many important aspects that have come to light during the trial: right-wing extremism, computer games that glorify violence, social isolation, the role of the modern man, childhood disappointments, but also the connection between Breivik's conduct and modern war forms in which both Norway and Denmark have engaged in recent years. Not least, each of these aspects could be an explanation for what it was about our society that produced a Breivik. Acquitting society of this responsibility adheres to a legal principle, but breaks with an ethical one."  (22/06/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Ideología, » Delincuencia, » Noruega

Sweden celebrates Midsummer this Friday, a time for grill parties, boat trips and much preparatory lawn mowing. The liberal daily Göteborgs-Posten calls on the Swedes to think of the environment during the celebrations, recycling their disposable grills and using alkylate petrol which is only available at specialist stores but is free of substances that are harmful to health and the environment: "[Many old boat engines] are so inefficient that 20 to 30 percent of the petrol leaks into the sea. The carbon dioxide emissions are so high that the transport authorities started discussing a complete ban on these engines in the spring. Alkylate petrol could drastically reduce the impact on the environment and boat owners wouldn't have to breathe in dangerous fumes. With a little planning everyone can do more for the environment and their own health. … This is a good way to enjoy the start of the summer with a clean conscience." (22/06/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Medio ambiente, » Cultura cotidiana, » Consumidor, » Suecia

Germany and Greece face off this Friday in Gdańsk for a spot in the Euro 2012 semi finals. The daily Novinar sides with the German team for political reasons: "Fate sometimes has a cruel sense of humour, and the encounter between Germany and Greece in the Euro 2012 quarter finals is good proof of that. A victory for the Germans stands to convince the Greeks once and for all of the correctness of the European bailout measures, while a triumph for the Greeks could stir up new social tensions and associated problems for the government in Athens. If we wanted to push the gallows humour to the limit, we could bring to mind that two years after beating Germany at the Fifa World Cup in 1994, Bulgaria had a triple-digit inflation rate. No doubt the Greeks will be spared such a financial cataclysm. Nevertheless, to be on the safe side and for the sake of our neighbours to the south, we should root for Germany tonight!" (21/06/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Deportes, » Alemania, » Grecia
Todos los textos disponible de » Konstantin Hristov
Cobertura de debates » Kick-off in Eastern Europe

Germany plays against Greece today in the 2012 quarter finals in Gdańsk. Stefan Szczepłek, sports editor for the conservative daily Rzeczpospolita, takes a conciliatory view of the past tensions between Germans and Poles: "The German footballers have done much good for the image of their country. ... Today our children's generation watches them play without the burden of the past. Early yesterday morning the editor of the [German sport magazine] Kicker, Rainer Holzschuh, visited my football exhibition in Warsaw's Palace of Culture and Science. We've known each other for many years, and many tournaments. Standing amidst the jerseys of Franz Beckenbauer, Jürgen Klinsmann, Uli Hoeneß, Kazimierz Dayna, Robert Gadocha and Grzegorz Lato we looked back with a grin at the times when we still met each other with mistrust. That's how it was back then, but those days are over." (22/06/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Deportes, » Alemania, » Polonia
Todos los textos disponible de » Stefan Szczepłek
Cobertura de debates » Kick-off in Eastern Europe