Eurotopics.net

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has compared Croatia with Nazi Germany, saying that "Hitler wanted a world without Jews, Croatia wants a Croatia without Serbs". The statement was made at a ceremony commemorating Operation Storm, in which Croatian troops reconquered Serb-occupied territories in 1995. Commentators in Croatia note that the past is still very present in the country.

After the wildfire tragedy near Athens which claimed almost 90 lives, Nikos Toskas, Alternate Minister of Public Order and Citizen Protection, has resigned. Politicians and the media have for days been discussing the consequences of the mistakes that have come to light. The media believe that much more than one minister's resignation is needed.

In the row over the American pastor Andrew Brunson, who has been in custody in Turkey since 2016 and is currently under house arrest, the US has imposed sanctions against two Turkish ministers. Ankara accuses the pastor of supporting the Gülen movement which it claims was responsible to the attempted coup. The US insists that Brunson is innocent. Will the dispute escalate?

Pope Francis has toughened the Catholic Church's stance on the death penalty. From now on the Church would campaign "resolutely" for its abolishment across the globe, he said. Up to now the catechism did not on principle rule out the death penalty as a final resort. Most commentators are delighted by this move.

A ban on wearing full-face and body veils in public came into effect in Denmark on August 1, which means that the burqa and the nikab are no longer allowed. What some see as a violation of human rights others praise as an appropriate measure to protect Denmark's national identity.