Worth a read, if only for this: “despite their natural sympathy for the UK, many Czechs complain of being ignored by the British” – if we made an effort, a UK EU vision could happen

A very reasonable explanation. But if the amendment was designed for propaganda, why give them what they wanted, exactly?

The best response I’ve seen to the latest offshoot of Gordon Brown’s ill-considered (and repeatedly failed) obsession with generating a new kind of populist nationalism for the UK

Very nice final quote for all EU-based Russia-watchers… I love Putin – great value for money.

“It is not that the EU is unwelcome in our southern province… But there has to be a clear legal mandate for any such commitment — and this can only be achieved by getting the approval of the Security Council.”

Now this is interesting – the potential ramifications here are massive…

Sounds like a promising article, right? But this is worth reading only as an example of gloriously biased, partisan writing with precisely no analytical merit. Am I wrong to expect better from Der Spiegel?

I was looking for a profile of Berlusconi’s heir apparent, Gianfranco Fini (Italian election campaign’s kicking off), and this is ideal. Also Dutchman Filip Dewinter and Austrian Jorg Haider

Great analysis of the nature of Russian democracy by the last British Ambassador to the Soviet Union (and first British Ambassador to the Russian Federation). Tip-top.

A step in the direction of transparency at last. But why so little reporting on this after the (ongoing) MEP expenses scandal? The vote was two days ago – another example of dire EU communications…