Eurotopics.net

Putin and Erdoğan agreed on Monday in Sochi to establish a demilitarised zone to avert an offensive against Idlib, the last rebel stronghold in Syria. Russia has sided with Assad in the Syrian war, whereas Turkey is seen as the opposition's protecting power. Commentators believe Erdoğan has scored a success with the talks, and outline Ankara's interests in Syria.

Rating agency Standard & Poor's has upgraded Cypriot government bonds' status to "investment-worthy". After six and a half years at junk status the analysts have assigned them the BBB credit rating. Journalists examine the impact the 2013 banking crisis is still having on the country today.

Croatia's Labour Minister Marko Pavić has proposed bringing the raise in the retirement age forward to 2031. Originally the planned increase from from 65 to 67 years of age was not to take place until 2038. Bringing the retirement age up to 67 has been stipulated by the European Commission. For some journalists the initiative is timely, but others worry about the fate of future pensioners.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has called for a new Brexit referendum in an opinion piece for The Observer. The consequences for the British economy and living standards are too great for the people to be denied any more say on the issue, Khan argued. While some commentators pin their hopes on a new vote, others point to at least one catch.

The bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers investment bank ten years ago is viewed by many as the catalyst of the financial crisis. In the aftermath the global economy collapsed, states became massively indebted, and the euro came under pressure. No lessons have been learned from the disaster, commentators criticise, while some doubt that such lessons exist at all.

Putin and Erdoğan agreed on Monday in Sochi to establishing a de-militarised zone to avert an offensive against Idlib, the last rebel stronghold in Syria. Russia has sided with Assad in the Syrian war whereas Turkey is seen as the opposition's protecting power. Europe will now have to pin its hopes on Erdoğan preventing further horrors for the civilian population, commentators conclude.