Eurotopics.net

Millions of refugees in camps spread across northern Syria, Turkey, the Greek Aegean islands and Bosnia are forced to live in appalling conditions and freezing temperatures in the winter months in the midst of the pandemic. Journalists level harsh accusations at the EU and urge readers to show solidarity.

Delays in the coronavirus vaccination are piling up, and the two mutated strains of the virus from England and South Africa are so far proving to be more contagious than the original variant. This is prompting media from various European countries to demand tougher border controls and restrictions.

Czech supermarket shelves must be filled to 55 percent with domestic products as of next year, according to a parliament ruling that has yet to pass the Senate. That percentage is to increase to at least 73 percent by 2028. Criticism rains down - and not just from the EU. The Czech press is also dumbfounded.

EU leaders backed the European Commission's vaccination targets at their summit on Thursday: the goal is to vaccinate at least 80 percent of the over-80s as well as all care workers by the end of March, and 70 percent of the EU's total population by the end of the summer. Commentators question the initiative - and not just in view of the slow progress of the vaccination campaign in many places.

New regulations for public assemblies have triggered outrage in Greece. Journalist associations are condemning the new rules which allow the media to cover demonstrations only from a police-designated "protected zone", and force them to cooperate with a police liaison officer. The ministry in charge countered on Thursday evening that the provisions were merely optional. But the press regards this statement and the entire legislation as scandalous.

"You'll get square eyes if you watch too much television!" Anyone who grew up in the 80s and 90s will have heard this warning from their parents or other well-meaning adults. But what about young people today, who due to contact restrictions, home schooling and the current lack of other options are spending most of their time looking at screens? Commentators are concerned.