Adam Cerny comments on the end of Romano Prodi's government in Rome: "The fall of Prodi's government is not the result of reforms, even though he didn't have much room to manoeuvre in the coalition of new parties. This was the third time the extreme left had tried to trip him up - now for reasons of foreign policy. No one outside Italy needs to bother too much about the resignation, which was the consequence of the opposition of two senators to plans to station the soldiers withdrawn from Iraq in Afghanistan. However, Berlusconi's party also voted against the government, even though the former prime minister had given his unconditional support to President Bush in Iraq and Afghanistan while he was in office. What should one think of a country whose government honours the agreements of the past but whose opposition forgets the very obligations it took on?" (23/02/2007)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, czeski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Włochy
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Adam Černý

The newspaper writes that the governmental crisis in Italy was foreseeable, pointing out that it's virtually impossible to gain majority support in a government alliance whose members range from Christian Democrats to Communists: "As far as pure everyday politics is concerned, there isn't such a great difference between the electoral alliance Ulivio ('Olive Tree') and Forza Italia, so they should be able to agree on a joint reform programme. This would have the effect of reducing the influence of the small right-wing and left-wing parties. On the one hand there must be a need to change things and on the other a willingness to assume responsibility, as with the Social Democrats and Christian Democrats in Germany after voters forced them to do so. For the same to happen in Italy, it would be necessary for the two adversaries Prodi and Berlusconi to stand back and make way for politicians who don't engage in trench warfare." (23/02/2007)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Włochy

In an interview with Gerhard Mumelter, Stefano Folli, former editor in chief of the Corriere della Sera, expresses his doubts that a grand coalition is the solution to the current crisis in Italy: "This would have been more feasible immediately after the elections than it is now. After all, the elections did produce two blocks of almost equal strength. Now the left would regard a grand coalition as a defeat. I don't think that would be a solution. A more promising alternative is an institutional government under the Chairman of the Senate that agrees on a few points of policy and whose term in office is limited to a year… But the main thing now is to pass new electoral laws. Without laws preventing the fragmentation of the political constellation and ensuring political change with reasonable majorities, new elections are pointless." (23/02/2007)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, niemiecki)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Włochy
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Stefano Folli, » Gerhard Murmelter

For the editorialist Stéphane Bussard, the extreme-left of the coalition that is in power "never got used to the idea that the minister Massimo D'Alema could run a foreign policy up to the standard of a responsible european State that withdrew from Iraq but judges it nessary to stay in Afghanistan under the aegis of the United Nations. ... To be deliberately and endlessly ungovernable is a strange way of conceiving responsibility. But this may be a good opportunity to do away with the illusion of a plural left whose only cement appears to be anti-Berlusconi feeling. Especially as the beginnings of change seem to be showing. The two most centrist parties in the government are ready to create a reformist pole (the Democratic Party) in order to build a durable government, even if this means linking-up with a moderate centre-right disposed to invent an Italian 'Blairism' without causing the return of an omnipotent Christian Democracy." (23/02/2007)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, francuski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Włochy
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Stéphane Bussard

Portuguese public television is organising a competition to nominate the greatest Portuguese person in history. The verdict will be announced in the beginning of March. Among the ten runners-up is the former dictator Salazar (1899-1970). The journalist Ruben de Carvalho considers this type of programme ridiculous. "It is utterly pathetic to want to identify the supposedly 'greatest' amid the vast reality named Portugal and among those who have lived in it and built it. ... To want to give precedence to the concept of providential men is to regress in terms of civilisation. It is to the detriment of the far richer and more realistic view of History and civilisation as the fruit of a collective process. ... It would no doubt be going too far to suppose that whoever thought up this idiotic concept intended to rehabilitate Salazar. One may nonetheless wonder about the meaning of this sort of intellectual infringement and the origins of the competition concept, that happens to coincide with more general attempts to rewrite history by normalising fascism." (22/02/2007)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, portugalski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Media audiowizualne, » Historia, » Portugalia

Peter Ehrström asserts that the traditional European nation state is beating a retreat. He points out that with the exception of Iceland, all European states have national minorities - the Catalan, the South Tyrolean, the Welsh, the Sorbs and the Finnish-Swedish - who are all benefiting from the trend of stronger regions. "In a Europe without borders it's only logical that representatives of linguistic minorities are regarded as particularly successful Europeans. Most of them are at least bilingual, with the majority being multilingual. And if there is something Europe will really need in the future it's people who can speak several languages. 'Broken English' may be the world's leading language, but this isn't enough. Unlike for members of the majority, for representatives of minorities being able to speak three, four or even five languages is a necessity that is taken for granted. In Europe, with its variety of languages, knowledge of several languages is not a burden - it's hard currency." (23/02/2007)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Mniejszości, » Europa
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Peter Ehrström

In his latest novel, 'The Return' ('Die Heimkehr'), the German writer Bernhard Schlinck describes the difficult relationship between a son and his father, a former Nazi. In an interview conducted by Florence Noiville, he explains how one generation can inherit the guilt of another. "In Germany, the second generation decided not to reject, but to integrate the previous one in its circle of solidarity. Fathers and uncles were accepted as politicians, magistrates, professors... In so doing, the 'sons' implicitly took on the sins of the 'fathers'. ... I believe in the idea of collective guilt, when the misdeed of whoever commits a crime becomes that of who didn't commit it. This feeling is shared by most writers of both the first and second generation in Germany. Despite their differences, what ties them to one another is a 'literature of guilt': the expression of a shame lived through their flesh, though buried and often supressed, like all forms of real guilt." (23/02/2007)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Literatura, » Historia, » Niemcy
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Bernhard Schlink

Denmark is withdrawing its troops from Iraq. At the same time, Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen has announced plans to send several hundred Danish soldiers to Afghanistan. The newspaper welcomes this decision: "Especially in view of the fact that Denmark is withdrawing from Iraq, it's important for Danish foreign policy to continue making a contribution to peace, as it always has done. This was taken care of during the cold war by NATO, and later by the EU and the United Nations. Now, however, the idealistic component is in play again. Participating in the fight against terrorism enhances our country's image." (23/02/2007)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, duński)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Polityka bezpieczeństwa / Kryzys / Wojna, » Dania

The new Dutch government, a centre-left coalition still headed by the christian-democrat Jan Peter Balkenende, was officially put in place on Thursday, February 22nd, three months after the legislative elections. In an interview carried out by Didier Burg, the Dutch sociologist Paul Schnabel ponders the European plans of this new team. "Europe has become a problem for the Dutch. And, in turn, the Netherlands have become a problem for Europe. In a recent visit to The Hague, the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, mentionned a treaty with the Netherlands on the future Constitution [The Netherlands rejected the Constitution by referendum in June 2005]. But the agreement [of the coalition] of the next government does not say anything on the subject. No matter what, the Netherlands cannot remain isolated and need to tie themselves to Europe once again. This is going to be hard work, because there are some staunch opponents to the European Constitution in cabinet." (22/02/2007)

» Dalsze informacje (Link zewnętrzny, francuski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka UE, » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Holandia
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Paul Schnabel, » Didier Burg

"Yesterday [Thursday, February 22nd] was declared Equal Pay day by the Party of European Socialists", notes the daily. "By coincidence, Wimbledon, that last bastion of conservatism on the international tennis circuit, announced that it was embracing equal prize money. Whoever wins the women's tournament at the All England Club this summer will take home the same as the winning male player. Some will find it hard to get worked up about the pay differentials of a handful of wealthy tennis players. But the gender pay gap is an issue that effects the whole of our society, from the richest to the poorest. There is a 15 % pay gap between men and women across Europe. The situation is particularly bad in Britain. ... The trade unions in Britain are calling for compulsory pay reviews to increase transparency. There is something to be said for this. Often women simply do not realise that a male colleague doing precisely the same job is being paid more." (23/02/2007)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Wielka Brytania

The journalist Françoise Crouïgneau considers that the shake-up plan of the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus will be at the heart of discussions between the German chancellor, Angela Merkel and the French president, Jacques Chirac, who are meeting for an informal summit in Germany, this Friday, February 23rd. "After over two years sulking, has the time for pacifying compromise arrived ? This is what everyone is hoping. After having been praised to the skies upon its creation under the European banner, the aircraft manufacturer cannot allow itself to go on hesitating if it wants to survive. But, as is always the case when there is a merger or painful shake-up, Berlin and Paris don't waste time putting aside their European identity - already stretched - in order to brandish their national flags. This had already happened when the pharmaceurical group Sanofi-Aventis fell into the lap of the French... Also when Paris intervened to stop Siemens getting its hands on the Alstom's energy system. National champions are unbearable... in other countries." (23/02/2007)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, francuski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Infrastruktura / Komunikacja, » Przedsiębiorczość, » Niemcy, » Francja, » Europa
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Françoise Crouïgneau

A conflict between Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu and President Traian Basescu has been simmering for weeks in Romania. Basescu is also facing an opposition-backed impeachment process. While Tariceanu was making a guest appearance on Tuesday on a Romanian state television programme, Basescu called up in the middle of the programme to correct something he had said. A two-hour-long verbal exchange of blows between the two rivals followed. Florin Ciornei comments: "Now people expect President Traian Basescu to ring up everytime a political programme is on the air to take part in the discussion... The President's increasingly frequent phone calls in the middle of TV programmes and comments in online blogs show how worried he is about his image... However, with such actions he is damaging the image of defender of the law he likes to project. He's loosing credibility." (23/02/2007)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, rumuński)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Media audiowizualne, » Rumunia

Ferenc Snétberger comes from a Roma family and is now one of the world's best-known jazz guitarists, performing with stars like Al di Meola and Bobby McFerrin. In an interview with Zoltán Végső he explains that the fact that Roma have difficulties with integration is precisely what makes their music so international. "The music of the Roma is developing in a strange way - it's becoming too pop-like. Real Roma music, ballads like the ones we sing at home, are seldom heard nowadays. The advantage, however, is that the music of the Roma has become increasingly experimental. It mixes Flamenco with Cuban rhythms and makes jazz out of the combination." (23/02/2007)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, węgierski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Muzyka, » Integracja, » Mniejszości, » Węgry

Enric Gonzalez ponders the polemic provoked by the book 'Bloody Easter', in which its author, the Israelian writer Ariel Toaff, relates the acusations of ritual murder said to have been perpetrated by Jews in the Middle-Ages. Toaff, who has found himself accused of fomenting anti-Semitic positions, has chosen to withdraw this book from sales in Italy, where it has been published. "History has always been volatile and extremely explosive material", considers Enric Gonzalez. "Investigating the past implies high risk when it involves questions relating to the difficulties and tragedies experienced by the Jews, and not just in recent times. ... The Toaff case is an umpteenth example of the old dilemma that has already been much-discussed with negationism, the thesis that says that there was no genocide of the Jewish people in the Second World War. Should limits be imposed on the freedom to investigate and freedom of expression when it comes to anti-Semitism ? Between censorship and the circulation of absurd ideas, what is the worst of two evils?" (23/02/2007)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, hiszpański)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Historia, » Nauka/ Badania naukowe, » Włochy
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Enric González