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The Polish daily quotes European Commission president José Manuel Barroso from his State of the Union 2012 speech on Wednesday. Barroso was actually borrowing a phrase already pronounced by his celebrated predecessor Jacques Delors, GW notes, adding — “In Delors’s times, pro-Union Europeans knew which way to go. Today […] they are not sure what the slogan 'more Europe' means, as it is given to EU citizens as the only recipe for an economic recovery.”
“Barroso: Europe, don’t be afraid of a federation” – Gazeta Wyborcza
"The Netherlands avoids protest parties and chooses the centre again," writes the Amsterdam daily on the Dutch general election. The ruling Liberal party led by PM Mark Rutte won 41 seats out of 150 while Diederik Samsom's Labour party won 39. They are now "condemned to form a government together", De Volkskrant writes. The eurosceptic parties of populist Geert Wilders and socialist Emile Roemer obtained only 15 seats each.
The centre is back – De Volkskrant
The German Constitutional Court has validated the European Stability Mechanism, provided that the German Parliament can authorise any increase in funds. The decision has been hailed by both supporters and opponents of the euro and strengthens Chancellor Merkel, the paper notes.
Judges release euro-billions – Berliner Zeitung
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), parent company of Airbus, has negotiated a merger with BAE Systems, the British multinational defence, security and aerospace company. The new entity, 60% controlled by Airbus, 40% by BAE, is worth €73 billion and employs 225,000 people. "Far ahead of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, the two American leaders," the French business daily notes.
Giant EADS merger to overtake Boeing – Les Echos
After having presented a report on the turbulent political situation in Romania, European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, Viviane Reding, was buttonholed by Romanian MEPs in the European Parliament yesterday. It is alleged that the latter even accused her of wearing an orange jacket in support of President Traian Băsescu, whose party colour is the same. "The EU is taking sides in the political war which is tearing Bucharest apart, openly supporting the suspended president," complains the daily, which avidly supports Prime Minister Victor Ponta, who has tried in vain to remove Băsescu from power.
... – Jurnalul Naţional
The conservative weekly ironises on the hunger strike initiated by former Socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány in front of the Hungarian Parliament. Gyurcsány is protesting against a proposed reform to the electoral system, in which voters will no longer be automatically registered on electoral lists but will have to register themselves. Gyurcsány argues that this will disenfranchise many citizens ahead of the 2014 election.
Hysteria factory has been launched – Heti Válasz
Twenty-three years after 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death at the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, a damning report has been published. The Hillsborough Independent Panel found that up to 41 of the dead might have survived if they had received adequate emergency care and that the South Yorkshire Police carried out a systematic cover-up to exonerate senior officers for inadequate policing. The police force also took part in a smear operation to put the blame on fans for being drunk and violent.
Hillsborough, at long last the truth – The Independent
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