Martin. M. Šimečka, editor in chief of the Czech weekly Respekt, observes the developments in Slovak-Hungarian relations with concern. In his opinion piece for the German-language Prager Zeitung he points to Bratislava's refusal to recognise Kosovo's independence. "One reason for this is Slovakia's fear that its Hungarian minority could follow Kosovo's example and demand independence or strive for reunification with Hungary. ... Many of the scandalous statements [of Slovak Prime Minister] Robert Fico or Jan Slota [to the effect that the Slovak army should train harder in order to be better prepared should Hungary attempt to invade southern Slovakia] can be interpreted as rhetorical exercises to win voters. But politicians' words can be followed by deeds. ... In two years' time it could well be that a no less dangerous populist wins the elections in Hungary: namely Viktor Orban. It is hard to imagine a worse constellation for Slovak-Hungarian relations." (23/09/2008)

» Dalsze informacje (Link zewnętrzny, niemiecki)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Węgry, » Słowacja
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Martin M. Šimečka

The Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič has in principle defended the anti-Hungarian invective of the leader of the Slovak National Party (SNS) Ján Slota and earns harsh criticism from the liberal daily Sme for doing so: "The fact that the leader of the co-ruling SNS party regards our (Hungarian) neighbours - Atlantic allies and EU partners - as enemies should be roundly denounced by the head of state. But on the contrary, the president has come down on Slota's side, claiming that Slota is often only responding to problems the other side has provoked. He added that if there was one thing that worried him it was the 'nationalisation of the southern neighbour's political scene'. ... To portray Slota as a man who simply reacts somewhat overdramatically to the provocations of the other side is completely wrong. Slota lives and profits from feelings of animosity towards Hungary in particular." (23/09/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, słowacki)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Węgry, » Słowacja
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Marián Leško

Under the headline "A sick man", the Hungarian daily Magyar Nemzet focuses on Ján Slota, the Slovakian politician now part of the country's ruling coalition, and his anti-Hungarian statements: "At a recent news conference Ján Slota, the president of the Slovak National Party (SNS), let it be known to Hungerian President László Sólyom that if Slovakia is not building bridges over the Ipoly River which marks the border between the two countries, it is to prevent Hungarian tanks from crossing over. Slota plans to introduce a motion in parliament for the founding of a 'local militia' as well as a law for the protection of the Slovak Republic. ... In addition, Slota accused László Sólyom of acting during a visit to Slovakia as if the country were a Hungarian colony. ... Such political midgets are found everywhere. But the difference is that elsewhere they are ridiculed and silenced." (23/09/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, węgierski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Węgry, » Słowacja
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » György Pilhál

The EU Parliament yesterday proposed declaring August 23 a European day of remembrance dedicated to the victims of Stalinist and Nazi crimes. On 23 August 1939 the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, also know as the Hitler-Stalin Pact, was signed which stipulated the division of Eastern Europe between the German Reich and the Soviet Union. The conservative daily Rzeczpospolita praises this EU initiative: "In this case the aim is to underscore the true role of the Soviet Union, which initially was an ally of Nazi Germany in the division of Europe and only changed to the other side in the ensuing battle over the spoils of war. The myth portraying the Soviet Union as victor over the Third Reich not only served Moscow well in domestic policy. It was also used for many years to justify the Soviet Union and the Communist parties receiving special treatment in Western Europe. Honouring the victims of Stalinism along with Hitler's victims will represent a fundamental condemnation of Stalinist communism. For the majority of Europe's Left this is - even today - an act that is barely acceptable." (23/09/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, polski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka UE, » Historia, » Europa, » Europa Wschodnia
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Bronislaw Wildstein

In the German daily die tageszeitung Erich Rathfelder attributes Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa's defeat in Slovenia's parliamentary elections to his neo-liberal economic policies: "In the past four years Jansa tried to torpedo the Slovenian model of a gentle transition from socialism to the free market economy. However this tactic brought him not only protests and strikes by workers but also opposition from the leaders of the economy. ... He even fell out of favour ... with the pro-economy young elites. With his polemics against the partisans of the Second World War and his interventions on behalf of the national army which once collaborated with the Nazis he passed the point of no return as far as many Slovenians were concerned. Then there were the corruption scandals and the pressure on the media. ... Now he must look on as his rival Borut Pahor ... takes over power. With his moderate approach which has the effect of appeasing the various social groups the latter is more likely to be able to alleviate the turmoil of the past few years and re-establish social peace." (23/09/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, niemiecki)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Polityka gospodarcza, » Słowenia, » Europa Południowo-Wschodnia
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Erich Rathfelder

After the murderous attack on ten French soldiers in Afghanistan and a lively debate in parliament over stationing French soldiers in the Hindu Kush, the French parliament has decided to keep its troops in the country. Pierre Rousselin welcomes the decision in the conservative daily Le Figaro: "Now that the national assembly has voted to prolong the mission in Afghanistan, perhaps it is time we called a spade a spade. This is a war. With bloodshed, military defeats and dramas that must be accepted if we want to come out victorious. ... The insurrection is gaining in momentum, and must be fought more effectively. For this reason France is committed to increasing the power of the Afghan army, training the police force, putting an end to corruption and making sure aid reaches those who need it. ... The deadly attack carried out by [the Islamic terror network] al-Qaida serves as a reminder of how decisive a battle is being fought in this part of the world. France should not duck out now, but should help to win this fight." (23/09/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, francuski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Polityka bezpieczeństwa / Kryzys / Wojna, » Francja, » Azja
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Pierre Rousselin

Hermann Simm, who until 2006 worked as director of the department for state secrets at the Estonian defence ministry, was arrested on Sunday in Estonia. He is suspected of having spied for the Russian secret service. The daily newspaper Postimees voices concern about Estonia's reputation among its NATO allies. "This embarrassing affair has compromised Estonia in the eyes of all its NATO partners. ... Simm, who as a high-ranking official at the ministry of defence had access to highly confidential NATO material, was a windfall for the Russian secret service. ... These events come as a great shock ... for Estonia. The position of the defence ministry, where not only information about Estonia but also about NATO was supposed to be kept secure, has [also] been compromised. It is likely to be a long time before Estonia can restore its credibility." (23/09/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, estoński)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka bezpieczeństwa / Kryzys / Wojna, » Estonia, » Rosja
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Risto Berendson, » Rasmus Kagge

For the journalist and author Migual Sousa Tavares, capitalists and governments are to blame for the current financial crisis: "Who will pay for this? The taxpayers, and by that I mean those who work even though their salaries have not been paid, while top managers at the bankrupt Lehman Brothers receive millions for 'good management' or as a golden parachute after having pushed the company into a nose dive. For years the 'liberals' have been telling us how businesses ... must have unrestricted growth to reach a strategic size in the global economy. Governments did all they could to make this possible: mergers and takeovers were approved and facilitated, even if in this way competition - one of the pillars of the free market economy - was endangered and thousands of jobs jeopardised, as we are seeing now with the toppling of the American International Group. ... Marx said long ago that capitalism will devour itself if it is left to its own devices. What was lacking in this case? Morals on the part of the capitalists and a sense of duty on the part of those in power. ... In the Wild West those caught swindling were stripped naked, tarred and feathered and driven out of town. Today they get millions of dollars in compensation and scandalously high pensions." (22/09/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, portugalski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Rynki finansowe, » USA, » Cały świat
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Miguel Sousa Tavares

In an opinion piece for the daily Helsingin Sanomat, historian Tapio Bergholm reflects on the relevance of Karl Marx in the current financial crisis: "Karl Marx predicts the victory of socialism. ... Marx's prognosis seems improbable both for Western Europe and for North America. ... Communism went through hard times when the Soviet Union broke up at the start of the 1990s, although capitalism was caught up in a recession. Democracy and the market economy won out. The huge resiliency of capitalism is underscored by China's opening up to Western markets. ... Marx's views seem strange and antiquated today, even if investment banks and hedge funds are missing from his vision. ... Is global capitalism forcing the nuclear powers into an impasse? ... Time will tell whether this passing market turbulence or the phenomenon of Chinese capitalism will lead to a violent 'chain reaction' ... and ultimately a deep hole. According to Marx, capitalism in the developing countries ... is the weakest link in the chain. Are the global financial centres, Wall Street in New York and the City of London giants with feet of clay, out of which ... new power relations will emerge? ... How can it be possible that the Americans and British are now introducing socialist measures while China is a front runner of global capitalism?" (23/09/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, fiński)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka finansowa, » Polityka gospodarcza, » Cały świat
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Tapio Bergholm

Dnevnik newspaper looks into the reasons for the persistently large "grey" markets in Bulgaria. "The reluctance of workers (and employers) to pay taxes on everything they earn results from the huge insurance burden. Despite the low flat-rate tax, most people do not correctly indicate their income [because of the high social insurance contributions]. ... The minimum insurance rate (and the corresponding minimum wage) stimulate tax evasion. Company managers know that the state views low incomes as normal, and that makes it easier to commit tax fraud. In fact a large number of employees earn much higher salaries. On the other hand, raising the minimum wage would have catastrophic consequences, such as boosting unemployment and further expanding the grey market." (23/09/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, bułgarski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Zdrowie, » Polityka gospodarcza, » Bułgaria
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Petar Ganev

Why has getting yourself into debt become the latest trend in Romania? Sorin Ionita, a political scientist, asks in the Romanian daily Evenimentul zilei: "In my grandfather's day owing money to friends or to the bank was something to be ashamed of. Such a situation was looked upon with disapproval. This is not to say that people did not borrow back then, but social pressure prevented them from flinging themselves headlong into adventures, real estate speculation and the like. Everyone pointed at a neighbour who had gotten into debt. Yet he was still treated like a good friend with a passing illness who needed to be closely monitored until he recovered. ... Nowadays being in debt is by definition a sign of having mastered the intricacies of modern capitalism. After 1990 the Romanians were quick to realise that it's not cool to have no debts. Like the Americans they preferred to swim on a huge wave of cryptic and apparently safe loans ... No doubt among your own circle of acquaintances there is a successful shop-owner who lives according to the well-known aphorism: Brothers, only the poor have their savings in the bank, the rich have loans." (23/09/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, rumuński)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka finansowa, » Styl życia, » Rumunia
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Sorin Ionita

On the occasion of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) of Italy's Catholic Church on September 22, La Repubblica newspaper reports on the political and moral statements of Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, the conference's president: "Cardinal Bagnasco has sounded the alarm. Italy must not drift into a climate of racist violence. ... The cardinal proposes strengthening European cooperation to control the flow of illegal immigrants, encouraging immigration and making it easier for families to reunite. He warns the government not to neglect the main problem, social impoverishment. ... The CEI distances itself from its rigorous No to the biological testament [preserved sperm donations]. The Council of Bishops will closely examine the definition of clinical death ... and the question of organ donation. However their rejection of assisted suicide and disguised forms of it such as the failure to administer total parenteral nutrition remains irrevocable." (23/09/2008)

» Dalsze informacje (Link zewnętrzny, włoski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Religia, » Integracja, » Mniejszości, » Włochy, » Europa
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Marco Politi

The Dutch parliament is to vote on a draft law under which the royal palace in the centre of Amsterdam would pass entirely into the hands of the royal family. The latter, however, lives and works in The Hague. NRC Handelsbald comments: "For decades this monument has been a black hole in the middle of the city. Every now and then it is used as a venue for the occasional party but most of the time it remains closed. This does not serve the cause of transparency. What was once the shining heart of Amsterdam, a service building open to all its citizens, has become an inaccessible colossus at the centre of the capital's most important square. This does not do justice to our past. The building was designed, decorated and used as a town hall. It was once considered the eighth Wonder of the World. ... We must prevent this wonderful multi-functional building that has always been a public monument with a museum-like atmosphere from being turned into a closed venue for parties." (23/09/2008)

» Dalsze informacje (Link zewnętrzny, niderlandzki)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Architektura / Miasta, » Holandia
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Bram Kempers

The daily newspaper Der Standard writes that the Austrian police force has performed an amazing feat in holding a press conference without citing any numbers whatsoever: "It completely ignored the fact the general public might be interested to know whether it is now more frequently the victim of crimes than in the past. Instead [the police] tried to explain why which offences are recorded in this or that database - revealing a number of other peculiarities in the act. Regardless of whether it is true that, as the former director of Austria's Federal Bureau of Criminal Investigation Herwig Haidinger claims, the methods for calculating the number [of crimes] have been changed to suit the cabinet's wishes, one thing must be said: in order to effectively counter the accusations of manipulation the police must make all the figures public. ... Whether the individual has an overview of the situation is neither here nor there. But that those in charge simply refuse to make this data public at a time when rumours are rife is worse than just unprofessional." (23/09/2008)

» Dalsze informacje (Link zewnętrzny, niemiecki)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Austria
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Michael Möseneder