Press review

The European Commission is preparing to table proposals to lift visa requirements for citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Furthermore the Commission is looking into Albania’s capabilities to join the EU. In addition, the European Central Bank gave strong support to the eurozone's economic rescue package for Greece. Elsewhere, EU election observers have decided to withdraw from the Sudan's Darfur region due to safety considerations.

The name 'Northern Macedonia' might be acceptable to Athens and create a possible solution to the Macedonia name dispute. The EU parliament seeks change to the Lisbon Treaty over the addition of new MEP’s. Elsewhere, Kyrgyzstan's opposition led by former foreign minister Roza Otunbayeva, had taken power and dissolved parliament after protests forced President Kurmanbek Bakiyev to flee the capital. Furthermore, anti-government protesters stormed Thailand’s parliament in the attempt to force elections, creating a ‘state of emergency’ in Bangkok.

Croatia is entering “the final stage” on the road to EU membership. Still the country needs to meet strict conditions before its ready to join. Elsewhere, Mauritian women demand more equality for women to participate in their government. Moreover, the European Commission prepares itself for the prospect of politically sensitive requests from EU citizens, once the key direct-democracy clause of the Lisbon Treaty will take effect. In addition, recent rapprochements between Poland and the Russian Federation on the Katyn massacre were made by Polish leader Donald Tusk and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

The implications of the Lisbon Treaty seem to be a little more complicated than previously thought. After the new top posts and the new action service, it is now the citizens’ initiative procedure that is causing the latest commotion. Elsewhere, Angela Merkel tries to soften her tone with Turkey but the message remains the same.

After weeks of lengthy negotiations, disputes, rumors and what not, it seems that EU members have finally agreed upon a solution to resolve the economic crisis in Greece. The name dispute between Greece and FYROM seems, however, seems still to be far away.

After a lengthy tug of war between the Commission, Member States, the European Parliament, and Lady Ashton, the blueprint for the external action service seems to have been agreed upon. The biggest impact, as it appears for now, will be that the external service will take charge of the regional and country strategy in the development field, currently a prerogative of the Commission.

Members of the European Parliament seem to have gained a few concessions on their demands regarding the new diplomatic corps in the EU. Elsewhere, EU leaders and the commission are hoping that the 2010-2020 strategy doesn’t follow the same fate as its predecessor.

Many dispute the lack of democracy within the EU, and it seems that now the EP president, Jerzy Buzek, is trying to address those concerns by proposing elections for the commissioners. Speaking the commissioners, the new Enlargement commissioner, Fule, recently signaled Balkan countries that the EU’s patience has a limit.

The European External Action Service continues to top the headlines in European matters. The rift between member states and the commission seems inevitable as the two have opposing views on the concrete structure of the new body. Meanwhile, Iceland’s EU membership will not be held hostage by the Netherlands based on the Icesave scandal.

Van Rompuy and Barroso are trying to balance out the overlapping aspects of their roles, starting with the next G20 meeting. Kosovo is hoping to see more progress on its status from EU member states that refuse to recognize its independence.