Eurotopics.net

Poland is banned from logging in the ancient Białowieża Forest, the European Court of Justice has ruled, upholding a complaint filed by the EU. The court concluded that the country had broken EU environmental laws with its large-scale logging, which it argued was necessary to protect trees from an outbreak of bark beetle. Warsaw has said it will respect the ruling. Commentators find it noteworthy that this time a major confrontation appears to have been avoided.

On the occasion of the Commonwealth Meeting currently taking place in London British Labour MP Emily Thornberry has called on Britain to apologise for the suffering it caused in its former colonies. Not all commentators agree with this view of the country's past.

In Montenegro Milo Đukanović, who has been prime minister for many years, has been elected as president. The 56-year-old Đukanović and his party have governed the country for almost 30 years. His pro-European stance and domestic stability have protected him against justified criticism regarding corruption and clientelism, commentators maintain.

Cuba's 86-year-old President Raúl Castro will step down today. In 2006 he took over government duties from his ailing brother Fidel Castro, who died in 2016. Castro's current Vice-President Miguel Díaz-Canel is the most likely successor. How long will "tropical socialism" survive under the new leadership?

In the wake of Trump's threat to attack in Syria, the US government is apparently divided and has yet to reach a clear decision on military intervention. Voices in Europe now ask what stance the US's allies should take. Commentators focus particularly on France, Germany and the UK.