Eurotopics.net

According to the WHO, coronavirus has now spread to 73 countries and almost 91,000 cases of infection have been registered, with about 3,100 fatalities. Commentators look at the impact of the virus and of the fear it is creating on the economy and everyday life.

Turkey opened its border to the EU on the weekend. As a result, thousands of people have set out for Europe. Greek police used tear gas and water cannons to keep them from crossing the border into Greece. Commentators say Erdoğan is trying to put pressure on the EU, but disagree as to how Europe should respond.

The situation in the Syrian province of Idlib continues to escalate. Dozens of Turkish soldiers have been killed over the last few days. Turkey has reacted with counterstrikes and shot down a Syrian fighter jet - further fuelling tensions with Russia, which supports Assad. Journalists are having difficulty making out which side has the upper hand.

After 18 months of negotiations the US and the Taliban have signed a peace agreement in Doha aimed at ending the conflict that started in 2001. Among other things, the deal provides for the withdrawal of US troops by 2021, in return for which the Taliban promise that Afghanistan will no longer pose a terrorist threat. What are the chances of peace?

After almost 14 years the Slovaks have definitively ended the era of ex-prime minister Robert Fico. His party Smer, which has been in government until now, suffered heavy losses in the parliamentary elections. The winner of the elections is entrepreneur Igor Matovič and his conservative protest party Oľano. He has good chances of forming a coalition with liberal and conservative parties. Commentators are cautiously optimistic.