Eurotopics.net

Europe's governments are gradually easing their countries out of the shutdown. Some are allowing shops to reopen while others are letting children go back to schools and kindergartens. The media discuss how quickly the return to normality should be effected and what dangers the process entails.

In Russia the business newspaper Vedomosti has changed hands. Despite assurances that the newspaper's independence will be preserved, within just a few weeks the new editor-in-chief Andrei Shmarov has turned the editorial staff against him after banning the publication of data from the independent opinion research institute Levada and changing or deleting texts about the Kremlin-affiliated oil company Rosneft.

Turkey's Grand National Assembly celebrated its 100th anniversary on Friday. Official ceremonies took place in the First Parliament Building in Ankara, but due to the corona pandemic the customary public celebrations were cancelled. The commemoration was unworthy of this historical occasion, commentators believe.

Although the coronavirus pandemic has hit all Europe, the financial options of the member states for dealing with the crisis vary greatly. The crisis is redefining the power relations in the EU, commentators say.

In their video conference on Thursday the EU leaders approved a coronavirus aid package of up to 540 billion euros in loans. Starting in June, the loans will be made available to companies, indebted states and short-time work schemes. Joint coronabonds, however, were rejected. Is this result a sign of cohesion or does it cement the rifts within Europe?