Eurotopics.net

A week's holiday on full pay for the entire country, subsidies for businesses and the socially disadvantaged, and the postponement of the constitutional referendum scheduled for April 22: these measures to curb Covid-19 were announced by the Russian president in a televised address on March 25. Since then Putin has not appeared in public. The press wants to know why.

The Hungarian parliament on Monday passed an emergency law allowing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to rule by decree in the fight against Covid-19. Since the government camp has the necessary two-thirds majority, the law's adoption came as no surprise. However, commentators across Europe are concerned that there is no time limit on these special powers.

The crisis law passed on the weekend by Poland's ruling PiS party also affects the elections in May: all citizens over 60 may now also vote by absentee ballot. Critics say that with this measure the PiS is aiming to secure its election victory, since the party is particularly popular with the elderly. The press also condemns the law - and calls on the opposition to take action.

The 27 EU states have postponed taking a decision on the introduction of Eurobonds as a joint instrument for tackling the economic consequences of the corona crisis. While Italy and Spain are urgently demanding "corona bonds", countries like Germany, the Netherlands and Austria oppose the idea. Commentators analyse the origins of the conflict and look for ways out of the stalemate.