Eurotopics.net

The EU Parliament has once again criticised conflicts of interest in the case of Czech prime minister and multi-billionaire Andrej Babiš. It stresses that his former holding company Agrofert, with which he is still associated today, receives more EU subsidies than any other in the Czech Republic. Anyone who makes political decisions on the allocation of funds should not profit from them as an entrepreneur, it argues. Commentators from the Czech Republic and other countries examine the issue.

In Belarus, members of the opposition will for the first time have the chance to run against the country's long-ruling President Alexander Lukashenko in presidential elections slated for 8 August. But after the government arrested two rivals, citizens took to the streets in several cities on the weekend, protesting with human chains and signatures for the opposing candidates. The state reacted with arrests. Will the situation escalate?

In Serbia's parliamentary elections President Aleksandar Vučić's conservative SNS has consolidated its dominant position, garnering around 63 percent of the vote. It is now likely to increase its representation in parliament from 131 of the 250 seats to 189. The SNS has been in power since 2012 and has seen its popularity rise during the coronavirus crisis. What does the outcome mean for the Balkan state and its leader?

The total number of new coronavirus infections continues to decline in Europe - although easing measures have been reversed in several countries after the key figures once again started to rise. Commentators take stock these weeks: what lessons has the pandemic taught Europe, and what do we still need to learn?

Saturday night saw plundering, street brawls and clashes between police and protesters in the German city of Stuttgart. Bottles and stones were thrown at police officers. According to some reports the riots were triggered when a youth was stopped by police and checked for drugs. The riots have made waves beyond Germany and other countries are also seeing violent clashes between citizens and police.

A TV commercial by the opposition left-wing party Syriza has sparked controversy in Greece. In the ad money falls from the sky as a journalist excitedly praises the prime minister - in reference to the close ties between the government and numerous media outlets, which have been further tightened by the state providing 20 million euros in coronavirus aid to information services in a non-transparent manner. Do Greek media deserve this scolding?