Eurotopics.net

In most European countries governments have set up emergency programmes of one form or another to mitigate the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis. But is everything possible being done for everyone, and are the programmes effective? Commentators have their doubts.

Countries with particularly liberal economic systems, such as the UK and the US, have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic. And although the effects of the crisis on the global economy are being felt everywhere, the global financial markets have so far remained comparatively stable. For commentators, this all highlights the dysfunctional aspects of today's economy.

Covid-19 travel restrictions are still in place in most European countries. But with the holiday season fast approaching, above all regions that are heavily dependent on tourism are working on strategies that make rest and recreation possible while maintaining distancing measures. The crisis should also be used to improve the problematic aspects of the tourism industry, commentators stress.

Conspiracy theories are thriving on social media and also at demonstrations. According to them "evil forces" are behind the pandemic, politicians, journalists and doctors are "carriers of dark secrets", and there is talk of censorship, compulsory vaccination and surveillance. Commentators see this as a highly dangerous trend.

Russia's president has declared that the period of not working announced at the end of March is over and that restrictions on trade, services and everyday life will now be set at the regional level. Yet the country is still in the grips of the epidemic and the number of new infections per day has just reached a new high at 11,656. Commentators take a critical view of Putin's crisis management.