Eurotopics.net

In Moscow, journalist Ivan Safronov has been arrested on charges of treason for exposing secret dealings related to Russia's arms policy during his activities for business daily Vedomosti and other media outlets. Since the editorial conflict at Vedomosti he has been working as a consultant for the Russian state space agency Roskosmos. Safronov has now been charged with betraying state secrets to Czech intelligence agencies. Commentators voice concern.

In proceedings launched by a local association Turkey's top administrative court is examining whether the Hagia Sophia must remain a museum. If it rules that it does not have to, the government will decide its future. President Erdoğan wants the building to be reverted into a mosque and has described its use as a museum since 1935 a "big mistake". The political wrangling over the case is having a harmful effect, and not just for this Unesco world heritage site, commentators lament.

Around one third of all apartments in Lisbon city centre are rented out to tourists via platforms such as Airbnb. Lisbon's Mayor Fernando Medina has announced plans to change this after Covid-19 by offering financial incentives to landlords who make their housing available to those who live and work in the city permanently. Is this the right strategy from an urban planning perspective?

The government reshuffle in France is still a big topic of discussion. After the poor performance of the ruling party LREM in the second round of the municipal elections, President Emmanuel Macron redistributed key ministerial portfolios. Commentators suspect he is using the appointments to position himself for the 2022 presidential elections - but are at odds as to whether the strategy will pay off.

A runoff vote in Poland's presidential elections on Sunday will see right-wing incumbent Andrzej Duda pitted against the liberal mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski. Duda garnered 43.5 percent of the vote in the first ballot, Trzaskowski 30.5 percent. Commentators discuss the dividing lines running through the country's electorate.