Eurotopics.net

Yuri Dmitriev, head of the human rights NGO Memorial in Karelia, has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison. In a trial that has dragged on since 2016 he was charged with sexually abusing his foster daughter. Dmitriev has brought mass murders committed in Karelia during the Stalin era to the public's attention. The trial is clearly politically motivated, observers conclude.

After a four-day negotiation marathon the EU summit produced a result: of the 750 billion euros allocated to coronavirus recovery schemes, only 390 instead of the initially proposed 500 billion are to be distributed in the form of grants, while the rest will be paid out in loans. Moreover, payments from the EU budget will continue to be only loosely subject to adherence to rule-of-law criteria. But behind all the compromises commentators make out some clear decisions.

After months of downplaying the threat posed by coronavirus, President Trump has now called on the US population to wear masks. At a press conference, he encouraged people to use a protective face mask in situations where distancing rules cannot be observed. What has prompted this sudden change of heart?

Following Tuesday's historic agreement on a budget and financial aid package, the focus is now on the compromises made to secure a deal: of the 750 billion euros for coronavirus recovery schemes, only 390 instead of the initially proposed 500 billion will be distributed in the form of grants, while the rest takes the form of loans. Payments from the EU budget will continue to be only loosely subject to adherence to reforms and rule-of-law criteria. Is the price of this agreement too high?

The 750-billion-euro recovery package is a historic achievement: for the first time in its history the EU has put together a debt-financed stimulus package to counter the pandemic-induced recession. Tens of billions of euros will now flow into the coffers of individual member states. However, the joy of many commentators over a unique opportunity for a fresh start is mixed with marked scepticism in some countries.