Eurotopics.net

After the most devastating bomb attacks on Aleppo since the start of the war in Syria, Russia and the states of the West are blaming each other for the escalating violence in the country. While some commentators accuse Moscow of seeking a military solution to the conflict, others blame the US and Europe for remaining idle for too long.

Sweden's red-green governing coalition is planning to have the police raid workplaces in a bid to track down rejected asylum seekers who have gone underground. The step will strengthen people's trust in the legal system, some commentators believe. Others criticise the Green Party's change of stance as inhumane.

A well-known artist couple in Romania has withdrawn their child from school and are having her schooled at home. This has triggered a lively debate about whether homeschooling is better than sending children to regular schools. Some commentators fear the erosion of the school system. Others say there are already too many private lessons after school.

After electoral defeats for her conservative CDU party in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, German Chancellor Merkel has admitted to making mistakes in her refugee policy in recent years. Her admission comes too late and won't make any impact on voters, some commentators believe. Others feel the move could give the chancellor and her party a boost.

Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia have opposed EU refugee quotas and instead proposed the model of "flexible solidarity" at the EU summit in Bratislava. The concept aims to allow member states to decide for themselves how they will help ease the crisis, taking into account their respective experiences and capabilities. Will the Visegrád states' anti-refugee stance win out?

The European Commission has blocked a retail tax introduced by Warsaw on the grounds that the levy, which means that companies with large turnover pay more taxes than those with low turnover, may breach EU state aid rules. Brussels wants to destroy Polish retailers, some commentators argue. Others warn Warsaw not to get into a fight with the European Commission.