Eurotopics.net

Radio Free Europe is to resume broadcasting in Romania and Bulgaria. Financed by the US Congress, the broadcaster ceased its operations in Bulgaria in 2004 and in Romania in 2008. Now it has announced that it wants to help counter fake news and promote quality journalism in the two countries again. How honourable are its intentions?

After the success of the Croatian team at the Fifa World Cup, a debate has flared up in the country over the construction of a national football stadium. It remains unclear what the project will entail and where the money will come from. But Croatian journalists are already speculating about the motives of those pushing for the new stadium.

The Knesset passed a national self-determination bill on Thursday that stresses Israel's Jewish character and strips Arabic of its official language status. The law also foresees the creation of municipalities that can deny Arabs the right of residence. For some the new law is deeply undemocratic, for others it is a legitimate means to defend the Israeli state.

The European Commission has upped the pressure on the conservative nationalist government in Budapest over its asylum policy. The Commission is suing Hungary at the European Court of Justice as a final step in its ongoing breach of contract proceedings. In addition it is launching a lawsuit over new legislation against people who help refugees known as the "Stop Soros package". What does the press have to say?

Jews in Lower Austria will in future only be able to buy kosher meat if they can prove their religious affiliation. Austria's animal protection laws are already very strict regarding ritual slaughter. But animal welfare is just being used as a pretext in the debate, commentators criticise.