Eurotopics.net

Chancellor Angela Merkel presented the priorities of the German presidency to the European Parliament on Wednesday. She first of all stressed the importance of human and civil rights and urged the member states to be willing to make compromises in the negotiations on the recovery fund. Commentators wonder whether words will be followed by deeds - and whether this is in the interest of their own countries.

Serbia has been rocked by mass demonstrations against President Vučić for the past two days. In addition to dissatisfaction with Vučić's policies, the trigger was the reintroduction of a lockdown due to coronavirus, which the government had declared defeated before recent elections. Observers voice understanding for the people's anger but say that EU intervention won't be forthcoming.

More than 150 authors, scientists and activists have written an open letter complaining about an intolerant culture of debate. The signatories, including J.K. Rowling, Salman Rushdie and Noam Chomsky, stress their support for the recent protests against police brutality and racism, but at the same time criticise that "the free exchange of information and ideas is becoming more restricted every day". Are they right?

In Moscow, journalist Ivan Safronov has been arrested on charges of treason for exposing secret dealings related to Russia's arms policy during his activities for business daily Vedomosti and other media outlets. Since the editorial conflict at Vedomosti he has been working as a consultant for the Russian state space agency Roskosmos. Safronov has now been charged with betraying state secrets to Czech intelligence agencies. Commentators voice concern.

In proceedings launched by a local association Turkey's top administrative court is examining whether the Hagia Sophia must remain a museum. If it rules that it does not have to, the government will decide its future. President Erdoğan wants the building to be reverted into a mosque and has described its use as a museum since 1935 a "big mistake". The political wrangling over the case is having a harmful effect, and not just for this Unesco world heritage site, commentators lament.

Around one third of all apartments in Lisbon city centre are rented out to tourists via platforms such as Airbnb. Lisbon's Mayor Fernando Medina has announced plans to change this after Covid-19 by offering financial incentives to landlords who make their housing available to those who live and work in the city permanently. Is this the right strategy from an urban planning perspective?