Today's front pages

Mario Draghi, president of the European Central Bank, and the German chancellor Angela Merkel should present today a road map to emerge from the crisis. Draghi is expected to announce the unlimited purchase of Spanish and Italian bonds with conditions. Merkel, who meets Spanish Prime minister Mariano Rajoy in Madrid, is to support the reforms and adjustments made by his government.

The decisive day – La Razón

The European Central Bank will refrain from publishing any formal cap on bond yields when it announces a new plan to buy distressed eurozone sovereign debt at its governing council meeting on Thursday. The bank aims to to keep interest rates at a reasonable level by buying up the bonds of struggling eurozone states.

ECB holds back from bond yield cap – Financial Times

The German government “might agree” to the European Central Bank “temporarily” buying bonds, but says no to “unlimited purchase”, writes the Roman daily.

Merkel puts brake on ECB plan – Il Messaggero

In the run-up to general elections on 12 September, the polls show that Diederik Samsom’s Labour Party is gaining ground on the liberals led by outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte. “The question of who will be the next prime minister may well be decided by a face-off between Samsom and Rutte”, notes the newspaper.

Can Samsom still catch Rutte? – De Volkskrant

The European Commission President is hoping that the Association Agreement with Ukraine will be soon be signed provided that Kiev respects European values. At the same time, he is already planning to conclude similar agreements with several other Eastern Partnership countries, including one with Modova to be signed in 2013.

Barroso announces EU-Republic of Moldava association – Timpul

In what is likely to be the largest strike in the company’s history, on 7 September, most of Lufthansa’s 18,000 flight attendants are expected to stay away from work following a call for industrial action issued by the trade union UFO. The daily notes that hostesses and stewards working for Lufthansa, who are paid gross annual salaries of between 22,420 and 52,492 euros, earn 70% more than their colleagues in Ryanair and 50% more than train drivers.

Rebellion of the privileged – Handelsblatt

Lithuania’s constitutional court has refused to allow former president Rolandas Paksas to present himself as a candidate in general elections in October. Paksas was impeached in 2004 for violation of the constitution, when he was found to have granted favours to Russian businessmen. By law he was entitled to stand for election after a four-year ban on holding public office, however, the constitutional court has intervened to declare the law allowing him to participate in the election unconstitutional. Paksas plans to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.

He will seek the keys to parliament in Strasbourg. Will he find them? – Lietuvos Rytas