Eurotopics.net

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.

The EU Parliament has called for construction work on the German-Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline project to be halted following the arrest of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny. The EU must put an "immediate stop" to the completion of the pipeline, a resolution adopted on Thursday states. Commentators also call for sanctions that have a more tangible impact.

French President Emmanuel Macron has received a report commissioned by the French government and compiled by historian Benjamin Stora. It contains proposals for improving relations between former colonial power France and Algeria, which remain tense 60 years after the Algerian War of Independence. Media from both countries see this as an important opportunity that must be seized.