Eurotopics.net

With the votes of the Social Democratic and liberal ruling parties the Romanian House of Deputies has approved a controversial judicial reform. The EU has criticised the amendments for endangering the independence of the judges and giving corrupt parliamentarians immunity from prosecution. The vote in the Senate is scheduled for next week. Romania's media are already incensed.

The British parliament has secured the right to have a say on the Brexit deal. On Wednesday a majority of MPs voted in favour of an amendment to the EU withdrawal bill to this effect - against the government's will. Is this a bitter defeat for Prime Minister Theresa May, or is she secretly delighted?

On a visit to Syria on Monday President Putin announced plans to withdraw most of Russia's soldiers from the country, pointing out that the Russian and Syrian army had jointly destroyed most of the terrorists in Syria. Soldiers will remain stationed at the air base in Hmeymim and the naval facility in Tartus. What does the announcement mean for the region?

Israeli flags were burned and anti-Semitic slogans chanted at protests in Berlin against US President Trump's decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem. In Gothenburg masked youths hurled burning objects at a synagogue, although no one was injured. Commentators warn of widespread, deep-rooted anti-Semitism.

Poland's media regulator has slapped a fine of just under 1.5 million zloty (around 350,000 euros) on Polish TV broadcaster TVN24. It accuses the leading independent news broadcaster of violating the rules of good reporting with its coverage of the protests that broke out in the Polish parliament over the media reform in December 2016. Last week commentators close to the PiS called for measures against anti-government media. Poland's independent media sound the alarm.

News of a breakthrough in the Brexit negotiations triggered a wave of relief last week. Brexiteers were delighted at the prospect of the start of negotiations on the UK's future trade relations with the EU. In the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland many were happy with the promise that there would be no hard border. But many questions and problems still remain unresolved, Europe's journalists stress.