The Austrian daily Der Standard sees the announced resignation of Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány as a symptom of mounting discontent in Eastern Europe and warns that democracy could be facing a crisis: "It seems highly unlikely that this crisis could pass without extreme political and social tensions. In Hungary the protests of the right-wing extremist Hungarian Guard have already created a stir. The Guard is backed by an ultra-right party that has good prospects of growing. It is high time democratic forces realised that this crisis is spreading from the financial world to the real economy and from there to the political scene. Some states are worse affected than others. Above all in the Eastern European transition countries the economic crisis could turn into a crisis of democracy." (23/03/2009)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Światopogląd, » Europa
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Andras Szigetvari

The left-wing opposition in Prague is trying to topple the government of Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek with a parliamentary vote of no confidence today. There is a good chance that it could be successful, the leftist daily Právo writes. "The MPs also have personal motives for giving a vote of no confidence. The next regular elections are less than 15 months from now. The president can dissolve the parliament only after three failed attempts to form a government. And each of these attempts takes about half a year - adding up to one and a half years. Right now none of the parties wants to have the constitution amended to allow a reduction of the legislative period. The ODS [the prime minister's party] will thus continue to rule, albeit without the confidence of the parliament. And the current MPs will sit in parliament until 2010. This means they can give their votes of no confidence without having to worry about losing their own mandates." (24/03/2009)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Czechy
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Petr Uhl

After the announced resignation of the Hungarian prime minister, The Irish Times takes stock of political instability in Europe: "Although other governments in the region are also vulnerable, it is a mistake to generalise too much, since some have handled these issues more effectively than others. ... Although Slovakia and Poland are also facing deep economic problems in this crisis they have resisted blanket comparisons and sought a more modulated EU response at the summit. It should be remembered that Latvia's government also fell, but not Estonia's. Romania and Bulgaria, too, have their problems, but so far their governments are not threatened. Elsewhere in Europe Iceland's government fell, and Belgium's was long delayed. Rightly or wrongly Greece and Ireland among the older EU member states are perceived to be vulnerable too. If the Czech government falls today it will nevertheless inevitably put the spotlight on political instability in that region." (24/03/2009)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, angielski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka bezpieczeństwa / Kryzys / Wojna, » Polska, » Irlandia, » Łotwa, » Estonia, » Rumunia, » Bułgaria

Commenting on the global economic crisis in the daily Evenimentul Zilei, Sorin Ionita fears that politically weak states could drift toward "left-wing fascism": "Even the Nazis were no great friends of private property and limiting state intervention in the economy. The parallel can be taken even further: the handbook of the Hitler Youth states that 'nutrition cannot be a purely private matter'. The state plays a decisive role in fostering good habits, the argument goes, because 'people have a social duty to be healthy'. The similarities with the current, vaguely eugenistic aim of making nourishment and sport topics of state policy is alarming. Certainly, we're not there yet. The European project is sufficiently resilient to bear an economic forced landing. But we must remain alert, so that the trembling of the aeroplane doesn't cause the mechanics to drop their tools, and so that masked ideologists don't hijack it and force it to fly goodness knows where." (24/03/2009)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, rumuński)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Ruchy społeczne, » Cały świat
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Sorin Ionita

According to the Spanish daily La Vanguardia, a representative of the Polish government has commented on Spain's announcement that it would withdraw its forces from Kosovo saying: "Spain always retreats". The comment alludes to Spain's withdrawal from Iraq five years ago. The paper comments: "Spain aways retreats. This sentence is doing the rounds in the corridors of all European foreign ministries and among highly placed US politicians. ... Does Spain always retreat? That is the question that Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero must answer at the major international forums that will take place in the coming weeks in London, Prague and Istanbul." (24/03/2009)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Polityka bezpieczeństwa / Kryzys / Wojna, » Hiszpania, » Polska

At the end of March a new party was founded in Rome, "The People of Freedom" formed from the post-fascist Alleanza Nazionale, which was disbanded on Sunday, and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia. Aldo Schiavone comments in the left-wing daily La Repubblica on the long-standing lack of a major conservative party in Italy: "This is an absolute anomaly compared with all the other large Western democracies. This shortcoming can be explained with reference to the traumas that Italy suffered at the beginning of the 20th century. ... Today the conservative party, a decisive element in a country's democratic normalisation, is faced with new prospects. Yes, it must still blend tradition with attitudes to the nation and the world, but it takes a new approach. ... And here is where people are of two minds. ... On the one hand we have the pluralist, open view of Gianfranco Fini, the former leader of the Alleanza Nazionale, and on the other the local, Neo-Guelph [pro-Vatican] view of the finance minister Giulio Tremonti, for example, who is firmly aligned with the Church." (24/03/2009)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Włochy
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Aldo Schiavone

The book "Behind the Fear" has triggered intense debate in Finland. In it authors Imbi Pajun and Sofi Oksanen examine Finland's lack of support for Estonia's struggle for independence 20 years ago. The daily Savon Sanomat can't understand what all the fuss is about: "On the whole the book caused more of an uproar in advance of being published than the problem merits. Estonia has been independent for almost two decades and has been a member of Nato and the European Union for years now. Over four decades of Soviet rule it experienced things that should not be repeated, and this is why this small Baltic republic has turned westwards. Finland's history took a different course; therefore the Finns had different alternatives open to them. … It is good to raise questions in the present, even if they would have had no impact on the course of past events. As far as Estonia is concerned, the country and its heads of government were very well able to achieve independence without major public support from Finland." (24/03/2009)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, fiński)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Estonia, » Finlandia, » Rosja

US President Barack Obama has addressed the people of Europe in several European daily newspapers. With regards to the upcoming G20 summit he calls on all states to join in a new form of cooperation. In Spain El País newspaper quotes his message: "I know that America bears our share of responsibility for the mess that we all face. But I also know that we need not choose between a chaotic and unforgiving capitalism and an oppressive government-run economy. That is a false choice that will not serve our people or any people. This G20 meeting provides a forum for a new kind of global economic cooperation. Now is the time to work together to restore the sustained growth that can only come from open and stable markets that harness innovation, support entrepreneurship and advance opportunity. The nations of the world have a stake in one another. The United States is ready to join a global effort on behalf of new jobs and sustainable growth. Together, we can learn the lessons of this crisis, and forge a prosperity that is enduring and secure for the 21st century." (24/03/2009)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, hiszpański)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Polityka gospodarcza, » Europa, » USA, » Cały świat
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Barack Obama

If Europe didn't exist it would have to be invented, writes sociologist Ulrich Beck in the weekly newspaper Die Zeit: "The current crisis could be made use of to give a new start to the European Union. Europe could stand for a new brand of Realpolitik in the global risk society. In a networked world national Realpolitik - the idea that national interests must be pursued nationally - can be replaced by cosmopolitan Realpolitik: the more European and cosmopolitan our policies are, the more successful they will be on the national scale. Things are coming to a head: either more Europe or no Europe. This imperative of possible failure explains why hope is in decline. Only an EU that has been renewed by the crisis can believably and effectively regulate the markets in co-operation with Barack Obama's new cosmopolitanism. The summit meeting of the twenty most important industrial states in London this April could mark the transition to this cosmopolitan Realpolitik." (20/03/2009)

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Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka UE, » Filozofia, » Europa
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Ulrich Beck

The daily Le Temps comments on the measures employed by Europe and the United States to counter the economic and financial crisis: "The Europeans lack the courage for an ambitious revival plan similar to those adopted in the United States and some Asian countries. American economists by contrast, who have learned their lesson from the Great Depression, have not hesitated in increasing the state deficit. ... The preparations for the G20 summit, which is supposed to solidify cooperation on the international crisis, are in fact digging a deep rift between Europe and the United States. ... The Europeans seem to think that the other countries are losing their control. Of course they don't say it in so many words, but they insist on being allowed to await the outcome of the measures they have already taken. As if a rise in unemployment were an interesting laboratory result." (24/03/2009)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, francuski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka finansowa, » Polityka gospodarcza, » Europa, » USA
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Charles Wyplosz

Oil company Shell has announced that it will stop investing in wind energy because the sector is not profitable enough. What has become of the environmental awareness of this company which only a few years ago stressed the need for a change to green energy sources? asks columnist Pieter Hilhorst in the daily De Volkskrant: "A reluctant hanger-on is annoying but at least one can demand an explanation from a hypocrite who fails to keep his promises. Therefore I prefer the hanger-on to a shameless person who doesn't even try to make concessions. Shell has gone from being a reluctant hanger-on to being a shameless company that no longer cares about preserving a green image and makes its investment decisions solely on the basis of calculated profit. Making a moral appeal to it to keep its promises of yesteryear is therefore pointless. A company like this forces one to resort to traditional methods: Don't fill your tank at Shell petrol stations." (24/03/2009)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, niderlandzki)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Energia, » Cały świat
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Pieter Hilhorst

The Arab emirate of Abu Dhabi has bought into the German company Daimler. With their plan of developing an electric car the two are leaving behind a far too well-trodden path, writes the Süddeutsche Zeitung. "It is the path of combustion and the exploitation of fossil fuels, and it is high time we abandoned it. ... Nowadays people are fond of calling the crisis a time of fresh opportunity. It provides chances above all to those who have failed to make use of them until now - often against their own better judgement. It is a striking thing that now two enterprises which can no longer rely on their previous business models (Daimler and the Aabar Fund) have chosen to cooperate. The sheikhs fear an abrubt end to their prosperity with the decline of oil production. Daimler must fear that sooner or later it will no longer be able to sell conventional motors. Above and beyond the future of GM, Opel and Chrysler this crisis will shake up the sector, regardless of how much state aid and premiums for used cars are slowing down the rate of change." (24/03/2009)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, niemiecki)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Przedsiębiorczość, » Rynki finansowe, » Niemcy, » Cały świat, » Bliski i Środkowy Wschód
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Michael Bauchmueller

In an interview with the conservative daily Dziennik the former archbishop of Gdansk, Tadeusz Gocłowski, defends Pope Benedict XVI against his detractors: "Those who demand that he renounce his position are by and large not people who go to church. And there will always be sensation-seekers. Take, for example, the Pope's recent visit to Africa. The Pope addressed the problem of poverty on this continent, which has many causes: the climate, post-colonialism, Aids. The journalists reduced this quite dramatically to the use of contraceptives. … To understand the problem one only needs to read the Pope's homily or the speeches he delivered in both Cameroon and Angola. This voice obviously didn't reach the people. It didn't convince them. And the loss of confidence in the Pope is a fact, even if it doesn't exist in Poland." (24/03/2009)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, polski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Religia, » Polska
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Tadeusz Gocłowski

Amelie Van Esbeen, a 93-year-old Belgian woman, has gone on hunger strike because the country's law on assisted suicide prevents her from dying with the help of a doctor on the grounds that her suffering is not "unbearable". The daily De Morgen wonders: "Who is to be given the last word on whether such suffering is unbearable, and on the desire to put an end to it? Devout Christians believe they are not the ones to decide, and this opinion is worthy of respect. But when an autonomous, entirely sane individual wants to end his or her life, others must respect their opinion. This, incidently, is the fundamental ethical idea behind the law on assisted suicide. Yet this law, as Amelie teaches us, must be perfected, because now we are faced with the surrealistic situation that Amelie has the right to go on a hunger strike and die an inhuman death of starvation, but is denied the right to a painless, merciful death." (24/03/2009)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, niderlandzki)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Zdrowie / Medycyna, » Belgia
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Yves Desmet

The daily newspaper Trud has published a photo of Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev hugging a pensioner. On his blog Ivo Indyev comments ironically on the picture: "One is tempted to believe that this time it's not just a pose. What looks like free-style wrestling or a hot tango between Stanishev and the older, apparently male subject is probably a spontaneous expression of compassion on the part of the prime minister, in helping to his feet a pensioner who has stumbled. For the … ever-waiting photographers this is a coup. That's how it is, and when it sees its role model the electorate swoons - with Lukanov and Widenov [former prime ministers] with hunger and now with emotion. It's a good thing that the battles with [Sofia's] mayor Borisov [leader of the GERB party and a major rival for Stanishev's party] have kept the idol in good form so he has the strength, the speed and the deftness to save at least one pensioner." (24/03/2009)

» Dalsze informacje (Link zewnętrzny, bułgarski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Bułgaria
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Ivo Indjev