Eurotopics.net

On 1 January 2018 Bulgaria takes over the rotating presidency of the EU Council - six months earlier than originally planned. Bulgaria's presidency was brought forward because of Brexit. The country's commentators are less worried about the change in schedule than about certain particularities of Bulgarian politics.

A 100 years ago Lenin tasked the revolutionary Felix Dzerzhinsky with forming the first Soviet secret service. Founded on 20 December 1917 and renamed and reorganised in 1922, the Cheka became a symbol of terror and tyranny. Russia now marks December 20 as the Security Agency Worker's Day. Journalists describe how Russia's intelligence services still stand in the tradition of the Cheka today.

In his annual press conference Russian President Vladimir Putin again spent several hours answering journalists' questions. Over 1,600 media representatives jostled to get their questions in. A major media event in Russia, the conference is also closely followed by the rest of the world. Europe's journalists ask what the president's answers mean for future Russian policies.

The row over a fair distribution of refugees has reignited at the EU summit in Brussels. EU Council President Donald Tusk wants to scrap the refugee quotas system, which he recently described as "divisive" and "ineffective". However, states like Germany, Austria and the Netherlands made a push for solidarity at the summit. The deeply entrenched front lines are also reflected in Europe's commentaries.

Campaigners for a free Internet suffered a defeat in the US on Thursday. The country's top media regulator, the Federal Communications Commission, voted to dismantle the strict rules that ensure that all data is treated equally on the web. Commentators look at what the abolishment of net neutrality means.