Eurotopics.net

Gary Lineker, former British striker and presenter of the popular British TV sports programme Match of the Day, has been suspended by the BBC after sending a tweet in which he denounced the British government's plans to change asylum law as "immeasurably cruel". He said the use of language in the policy resembled the rhetoric of Germany in the 1930s. Lineker draws both declarations of solidarity and criticism in the commentaries.

After massive demonstrations, Georgia's government has officially withdrawn its draft law "on the transparency of foreign influence". The law would have made it possible for media outlets, media workers and NGOs to be classified as "foreign agents" and their work restricted, as is already the case in Russia. Europe's press praises the country's civil society and calls for vigilance.

For months Hungary has been delaying its ratification of Sweden and Finland's bid to join Nato. A delegation led by Csaba Hende, Hungary's deputy parliamentary speaker, visited the two countries this week to discuss the issue. Commentators review the reasons for Orbán's delaying tactics and whether this strategy could succeed.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is travelling to Paris on Friday for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. This marks the first summit meeting in five years after relations between London and Paris cooled significantly over Brexit. This time round the focus will be on finding a coordinated response to migration. Commentators hope relations between the two countries will enter a new phase.

Petr Pavel was sworn in as Czech president in Prague on Thursday. Unlike his predecessors, the 61-year-old former Nato general is considered pro-Western and pro-European. Commentators anticipate a return to the values cherished by Václav Havel which were put on the backburner over the past two decades.