On behalf of Germany, Angela Merkel has apologized to the families of 10 people murdered by a neo-Nazi group between 2000 and 2007. She was speaking at a ceremony in Berlin while a minute's silence was observed throughout the country.
"I ask your forgiveness" – Die Welt
The European Commission foresees a recessionary - 0.3% in growth in the eurozone for 2012. It believes that member states should continue their budgetary efforts, but the issue of growth will be discussed at the EU summit on March 1 and 2.
Europe seeks to parry deepening recession – Les Echos
The European Commission has called on Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to present a new budget. While Madrid hopes to avoid having to reduce its deficit to 4.4% of GDP, ECB president Mario Draghi warns that interest rates on debt will rise if the Commission's objectives are not complied with. The EU forecasts a 1% decline in Spanish GDP for 2012.
Brussels and the ECB inflexible over Spanish fiscal adjustment – El Mundo
In a letter signed along with France and Italy, Vienna has asked that Serbia's candidacy for EU membership be accepted at the upcoming meeting of EU foreign ministers Monday, February 27. Germany opposes such a decision as long as the situation in Kosovo is unresolved.
Austria pushes to open door to EU for Serbia – Die Presse
Romania risks seeing a freeze on its EU structural fund programme POSDRU (Sectoral Operational Programme for Human Resource Development). In five years it has used only 13% of the funds available to it, mainly because of corruption and inefficent administration.
How we managed to lose 3 billion euros – România libera
Artist Roman Týc has been sentenced to one month in prison for tampering with 50 traffic lights in Prague in 2007. He replaced the common symbols of red and green men with comic ones (walking a dog, urinating, suicide etc.) "to help them relax". His sentence could be extended because of an altercation with the police.
An artist goes to jail. Absurd or lawful? – Mladá Fronta DNES
Princess Viktoria, heir to the Swedish throne, and Prince Daniel, a commoner, are the parents of a baby girl called Estelle. The birth relaunches the debate about the place of the monarchy in the country.
Born: a 51 centimetre princess – Dagens Nyheter
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