Eurotopics.net

Russia has become the first country to approve a vaccine against the coronavirus for general use. Sputnik V is effective and offers sustainable immunity, Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin announced on Tuesday. Scientific data on the vaccine has yet to be released. Journalists point to flaws in the test procedure and complain that the assessment of the vaccine does not focus on product quality.

Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya left Belarus for Lithuania on Wednesday. Before her departure she had tried to lodge a complaint with the election commission in Minsk against the official election results and was detained for seven hours. Commentators discuss what this means for the opposition movement in Belarus and call on Europe to adopt a clear stance.

Calm has not returned to Lebanon even after the government's resignation on Monday. In a speech made shortly before stepping down, Prime Minister Hassan Diab said the political system was partially responsible for the devastating explosion in the port of Beirut. Observers expect the protests to continue and warn of the risks of radical reforms.

The British government plans to take steps to ensure that fewer migrants enter the country via the English Channel. Around 4,000 people have already made the crossing this year - twice as many as in the whole of 2019. Home Secretary Priti Patel has complained that France was doing too little to stop the crossings. Royal Navy ships are to be deployed to force small boats carrying migrants to turn back. The national press is divided on the issue.

Andrej Kiska, Slovak President from 2014 to 2019, has announced that he is leaving politics at the age of 57 for health reasons. Kiska never shied away from confrontation with the Fico leadership and many Slovaks consider him to have considerably advanced the rule of law in the country. Commentators discuss how lasting his legacy will be.