Eurotopics.net

Israel will elect a new parliament tomorrow, Tuesday, for the fourth time in two years. Once again, coalition-building looks set to be a difficult process. According to the polls, Netanyahu's national conservative Likud will again emerge as the strongest party, but his partners from the right-wing religious end of the spectrum are losing popularity. Commentators discuss his campaign and what changes the election might bring.

Bulgaria's intelligence services have uncovered a network of high-ranking officials suspected of spying for Russia. Five military and ex-military officers were arrested, including one who was in charge of classified information at the Bulgarian parliament, as well as the wife of one of the officers. The latter is suspected of having acted as intermediary. Chief Public Prosecutor Ivan Geshev described this as the biggest case of espionage since 1944. The national press is less impressed.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has given the green light for continued use of the Astrazeneca vaccine. It had launched a review after various EU countries stopped using it because a link to very rare cases of cerebral vein thrombosis could not be ruled out. Commentators welcome the review process and its outcome, but also warn against overreactions.

On Monday, the European Union initiated infringement proceedings against the UK for violation of the Brexit agreement. The move comes amid a row over checks on goods passing between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. London had unilaterally extended an exemption rule on this and complained that Brussels was trying to establish a new border within its national territory. How can the tensions be defused?

Denmark is seeking to toughen its laws to prevent 'parallel societies' in 'particularly vulnerable neighbourhoods'. The proportion of residents of 'non-Western' background in each neighbourhood is to be limited to no more than 30 percent within the next 10 years, according to a draft presented by the government on Wednesday. Commentators see this as unworthy of a humanistic country.