Today's front pages

The European Commission intends to punish Budapest for its budget deficit, which it deems excessive, and is threatening legal action if the laws regarding the judiciary and the national central bank are not modified.

EU reprimands Orbán – Gazeta Wyborcza

They want to crush the country – Magyar Hírlap

Growth fell by 0.25% in the fourth quarter of 2011, raising fears of a recession.

German economy loses steam – The Wall Street Journal Europe

Conservative PM David Cameron, his deputy Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democrats and Labour opposition leader Ed Miliband join forces against Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, who wants to hold a referendum on independence in 1000 days.

Parties unite to fight Scots independence – The Independent

According to a study, France, along with Finland, is the European nation that works the least number of hours annually, relaunching the debate on the 35 hour working week with three months to go before the presidential election.

French work six weeks less than Germans – Le Figaro

The Czech president has warned the prime minister that he will oppose the creation of a fiscal union in Europe, while influential foreign minister Karel Schwarzenberg has threatened to resign if the country does not sign up.

Klaus writes to Nečas: I will block the treaty with EU – Lidové noviny

Communist candidate and former central bank governer Leonid Talmaci, and political scientist Oazu Nantoi, have declared their candidacy for the Moldovan presidential election on 15 January. Acting president Marian Lupu, who failed to obtain the necessary parliamentary majority to become president himself, is not standing.

Nantoi and Talmaci yearn for the presidency – Adevărul