The Daily Telegraph blames Greece's political parties for their lack of concerted action: "Neither of the main political groups has emerged with credit from the crisis. New Democracy, under Costas Karamanlis, has failed to contain the rioters. And the socialists, under George Papandreou, have cynically used the violence to call for the resignation of the government and new elections, neither of which is likely to take place in the immediate future. Greece is tearing itself apart at a time when it desperately needs to alleviate a huge burden of public debt and a drastic loss of competitiveness. The weakness of Mr Karamanlis's administration revealed over the past five days suggests that it is not equal to the challenge of imposing budgetary discipline, further deregulating the labour market and reforming the pensions system. And the same goes in spades for [the socialist party] Pasok. The sight of a Nato and EU member hopelessly adrift is indeed cause for alarm." (11/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, angielski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka bezpieczeństwa / Kryzys / Wojna, » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Grecja

Under the headline "How much can democracy take?" the left-liberal daily Népszabadság examines the political situation in Greece. "Greece has plunged into a political crisis. Not only has the centre-right government of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis lost the trust of the people on the streets but Greece's entire political system in is in a pitiful state. All this has happened in an important Nato and EU member state, in a country which is one of the main recipients of EU funding. ... Greek politics is based on the family. For decades political dynasties have been taking turns in power. This clan system has clearly worn itself out." (11/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, węgierski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka bezpieczeństwa / Kryzys / Wojna, » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Grecja
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Gábor Miklós

The Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant critices the rigid political, economic and administrative structures in Greece: "Greece is poorly governed, and ... nepotism is rife. The authorities dithered incompetently last summer when the country was beset by huge forest fires. And the state is showing the same ineptness in view of the current violence. ... Nevertheless it would be wrong to paint Greece as a hopeless case. After all the country was successful in becoming a full member of the European family. It has introduced the reforms necessary for entering the Eurozone. More of this will to reform is urgently needed to modernise the administration and pump fresh blood into the moribund political system, which is ruled by old dynasties on both the Left and the Right. The time has come for a different answer to the question of who heads the government in Greece than: if it isn't Papandreou it must be Karamanlis." (11/12/2008)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Polityka gospodarcza, » Grecja, » Europa

The pro-government Greek daily I Kathimerini analyses the mistakes of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, and casts about for potential replacements. "The prime minister tries in vain to keep up with events. His ministers are incapable of dealing with circumstances, and he has lost control of this incendiary situation - with catastrophic consequences for the entire country. ... It is being left up to the police, who lack orders or any plan to speak of, to improvise. ... The images of police sitting pathetically as stones and Molotov cocktails pour down on them were unbelievable. ... The people are looking for a new leader, someone who can restore confidence in the public institutions, put an end to the immunity of politicians, journalists and other celebrities ... and who has the courage to fight corruption. ... Unfortunately such a leader is nowhere in sight." (11/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, grecki)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Grecja
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Athanasios Ellis

For the first time since the fall of communism Romania will be ruled by a grand coalition between the Liberal-Democratic Party (PDL) and the Social Democrats (PSD). The two parties won the most votes in the general elections in late November. The newspaper Cotidianul fears the consequences of this alliance. "How can we trust a party that says it will fight against the Left when straight after the elections it joins hands with it? ... By doing this the parties have destroyed their moral foundation. They tell the nation that this is only happening because of the economic crisis. ... Before the elections there seemed to be a clear ideological divide between the voters from the Left and the conservatives. Without any scruples and driven by a consuming hunger for power the politicians of Left and Right have cuddled up to each other, claiming the crisis demands such an alliance. But the economic crisis will be over in a year and what will remain? An electorate that no longer sees why it should go to the ballot if ultimately the outcome is so unpredictable." (11/12/2008)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Rumunia
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Corina Dragotescu

Today, Thursday, the EU heads of state and government are gathering in Brussels to discuss the future of the blocked Treaty of Lisbon. The Financial Times Deutschland fears the result could be a watered-down treaty. "For at today's summit the Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen will explain to the other heads of state and government how he intends to proceed following his countrymens' No to the Lisbon treaty. He is likely to hold out the prospect of a second referendum for autumn 2009 - if the partner states comply with certain demands. Among those items on Cowen's list that are non-negotiable is that Ireland continue to be represented by its own commissioner in the Brussels body. Because there can be no special rules for one country it is probable that the summit participants will agree to maintain the principle of one state, one commissioner. ... But to create a continually growing Commission that lacks hierarchies and boundaries and that is uncontrollable and prone to extending its powers is the wrong approach." (11/12/2008)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Polityka UE, » Irlandia, » Europa
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Wolfgang Proissl

European leaders want to agree on measures for climate protection in Brussels. But the credit crisis and the recession will put a stop to Europe's ambitious climate plans, predicts the Dutch tabloid De Telegraaf. "The climate debate has become what everyone was afraid it would: a battle for money and jobs that has torn Europe asunder. Germany above all is coming under fire from the French and the British, who themselves had been subject to much criticism and for this reason are now presenting themselves in conspicuous harmony. ... Once more we see that of late member states are showing far more individualism than unity. For this reason we can expect fierce clashes today and tomorrow in Brussels. Which will we focus on first, the investment climate or investment in the climate?" (11/12/2008)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Polityka UE, » Środowisko, » Polityka gospodarcza, » Europa
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Ronald Veerman

In the weekly magazine L'Express, economist and author Jacques Attali analyses political developments in Greenland, whose inhabitants recently voted in a referendum for more independence from Denmark. "This huge slab of ice, ... the world's largest island which is four times as big as France and for some reason is call Greenland, is turning into one of the most important geopolitical challenges. At first glance it is not a cheerful country: 57,000 inhabitants who are breaking the records for alcoholism and suicide. ... And yet the inhabitants of this inhospitable land have made a further step towards independence. ... The reason for this is that global warming may make the country more inhabitable. ... [And] Greenland may indeed own between 30 and 90 billion barrels of oil and 47 billion cubic metres of natural and liquid gas - or in other words around a quarter of the world's hydrocarbon reserves." (10/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, francuski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Handel, » Polityka gospodarcza, » Dania, » Europa Północna
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Jacques Attali

As the end of the French EU Council presidency draws near, Lluís Bassets writes in El País about the frictions between France and Germany. He fears that Europe is condemned to shrink if the two cannot reach agreement. "The idea of European unity is like the peau de chagrin, the wild ass's skin in Honoré de Balzac's novel. Whoever owns it has every wish granted. But in return the skin shrinks to the point that it ... finally disappears together with its owner. The US has suffered a similar fate. Each step it has taken to establish its hegemony has brought exactly the opposite. Nevertheless it has finally found a way out of the labyrinth. In Europe, by contrast, we are still held captive by the ancient chimeras and clannish fears of the old nations. Europe is shrinking, and each nation of which it is comprised is shrinking with it. ... Angela Merkel, the unimposing Chancellor, is paralysed by the rifts in her coalition and within the parties that make it up - Social Democrats and Christian Democrats. ... Without Germany there can be no Europe, she says quietly, while begging for time with an eye to the election calendar. To which Sarkozy answers derisively: 'France is working on a solution, Germany is reflecting on one.' But today, just like 50 years ago, the peau de chagrin shrinks every time France and Germany turn their backs on each other." (11/12/2008)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka UE, » Polityka gospodarcza, » Niemcy, » Francja, » Europa, » USA
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Lluís Bassets

The fears that the Czech Republic, which is due to take over the rotating EU Council presidency on January 1, may not be suited to the task are justified, writes journalist and politician Jiří Pehe in the left-wing daily Právo. "President Václav Klaus may claim that the EU presidency is unimportant because the political leadership of the EU lies firmly in the hands of the big states, but the truth is that the president is expected to assume a leading role. The size of a country need not be the main criteria here. ... Unfortunately the Czech Republic cannot lead the Union because it can't even manage itself. The unstable government coalition and the opposition are incapable of conducting a common dialogue to define a national position on the EU, the largest ruling party (the ODS) is divided and the Czech president is at war with the prime minister. The zig-zag path of the ODS regarding the Treaty of Lisbon is torturous. All it talks about are 'Czech interests' - a European perspective is entirely lacking. The Czechs are members of the EU but they don't behave like Europeans. ... And it's unclear how a country whose president has declared a battle to the death on the Union can effectively lead the EU. Several European politicians are already seeking ways to sidestep the head of state because they don't want to be lectured to by Klaus or let him ridicule them." (11/12/2008)

» Dalsze informacje (Link zewnętrzny, czeski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka UE, » Czechy, » Europa
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Jiří Pehe

Sweden's conservative government has increased the cost of voluntary unemployment insurance, thus prompting many to cancel their policies. In view of the looming recession and the prospects of job cuts this looks like a lethal measure, writes the Stockholm evening paper Expressen and calls on the government to take swift action on the labour market: "The government must reduce the risks for companies when recruiting new employees. In the medium term it is important to relax the rigid employment regulations, which according to the OECD's report on Sweden lead to higher youth unemployment. In the short term it would be appropriate for the government to subsidise new jobs. This is already being done on a limited scale. ... But the state naturally has a general responsibility to ensure that people can still feel secure even when they lose their jobs. It is a serious problem when people have no unemployment insurance in such difficult times. It is high time we introduced compulsory unemployment insurance for everyone - something the government has so far not dared to do." (11/12/2008)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Szwecja

The economic and financial crisis will unsparingly expose the political failings in Hungary, writes the left-liberal weekly Heti Világgazdaság. "We can observe two crises in Hungary today: on the one hand the economic crisis and on the other a second transformation crisis. The latter is due to no changes having being made in the non-economic sphere since the political events of 1989/90. The reason for this is that the beneficiaries of the system beyond the economic sphere have clung on to their privileges with all their might. Consequently systems of redistribution like the public health system, the pension system, education, and social and regional policy remained virtually untouched. On top of this, as a result of the economic changes wrought by the market an economic and social structure has emerged which undermines the basis for sustained and rapid economic growth. ... We can expect the two current crises in Hungary to rock the country in the same way the transformation at the beginning of the 1990s did." (11/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, węgierski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Polityka finansowa, » Polityka gospodarcza, » Węgry
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » János Ladányi

Compulsory religious education is being considered for schools in Berlin. The Süddeutsche Zeitung prefers well-planned religious teaching to pseudo-secularism. "The Christian churches react to such ideas by arguing for public Islamic religious teaching. Religious freedom must be something positive, they say. It is not just the absence of impediments, but needs active support, especially in education. Moreover, a purely secular ethic is less neutral than it seems on first glance. As long as the Muslim part of society tends to live more piously than the nominally Christian, state secularism can seem imposed from above. We see this in controversies about caricatures or Rushdie readings in mosques, where non-religious post-Christians provocatively test Muslims' ideas of freedom of opinion and tolerance, playing at being Voltaire on foreign turf. The Muslims concerned are very sensitive to such asymmetries, as they are to double standards over the crucifix and the headscarf." (11/12/2008)

» Dalsze informacje (Link zewnętrzny, niemiecki)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Religia, » Integracja, » Niemcy
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Gustav Seibt

The financial crisis may be shaking up Broadway in New York, but people are still flocking to theatres in London's West End, writes The Daily Telegraph. "The fact is that while Broadway is often perceived as being more glamorous, British theatre has far more variety and depth, as well as the benefit of cross-fertilisation between the subsidised and the commercial sectors. ... Entertainment tends to thrive in hard times, as the great Hollywood musicals of the 1930s showed. We may not be able to afford a new kitchen, or an expensive holiday, but most of us can just about run to an evening in the stalls, and perhaps even a modest meal out afterwards. My hunch is that theatre won't just survive the recession, it will actually help us to endure it, by offering that special sense of community of a theatre audience, and a temporary escape into other worlds and other lives." (11/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, angielski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Scena, » Wielka Brytania, » USA
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Charles Spencer

The English television station Sky Real Lives has broadcasted the assisted suicide of Craig Ewert at a Swiss Dignitas clinic. The 59-year old was suffering from an incurable nerve and muscle disease. The left-liberal daily La Repubblica comments: "There are times in our lives when we want to be alone. Even our ancestors wanted to hide themselves from God's sight when they became aware of their nakedness. ... Nowadays the need for seclusion and privacy is being put to a hard test. ... The first reaction to an assisted suicide on television is revulsion. ... But the programme has another aspect. It coincided with the dismissal of the case against the parents of 23-year-old rugby player Daniel James, who with his parents' assistance committed suicide in a Dignitas clinic. The scandal of the coverage of the illness and death of Craig Ewert lies with those who watch and don't want others to watch with them." (11/12/2008)

» Dalsze informacje (Link zewnętrzny, włoski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Media audiowizualne, » Światopogląd, » Wielka Brytania, » Szwajcaria, » Cały świat
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Adriano Sofri

The Danish daily Jyllands-Posten, which became headline news after it published the notorious Muhammad cartoons, warns on the 60th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights of the dangers of undermining human rights: "We're talking about ... the self-censorship that was under discussion when the publishing of a few cartoons in a hitherto largely unknown newspaper caused a huge uproar. The great mantra back then was that of course we have freedom of expression but we must take care not to insult anyone, above all not those who have a propensity for burning Danish embassies and flags. We would like to remind people that freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and that defending it from attacks by fascist forces is our most noble task." (11/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, duński)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Światopogląd, » Dania, » Cały świat