Eurotopics.net

For the first time in its history the EU Commission has triggered Article 7 of the EU treaties and initiated sanction proceedings against a member state. It accuses the government in Warsaw of undermining the independence of the judiciary and the values of the European Union. Is the step justified?

US President Trump's major tax reform which passed through Congress on Wednesday has been widely criticised by the press on the grounds that it mainly works in the favour of wealthy entrepreneurs. Journalists disagree as to whether other sections of society will also benefit.

On 1 January 2018 Bulgaria takes over the rotating presidency of the EU Council - six months earlier than originally planned. Bulgaria's presidency was brought forward because of Brexit. The country's commentators are less worried about the change in schedule than about certain particularities of Bulgarian politics.

A 100 years ago Lenin tasked the revolutionary Felix Dzerzhinsky with forming the first Soviet secret service. Founded on 20 December 1917 and renamed and reorganised in 1922, the Cheka became a symbol of terror and tyranny. Russia now marks December 20 as the Security Agency Worker's Day. Journalists describe how Russia's intelligence services still stand in the tradition of the Cheka today.

In his annual press conference Russian President Vladimir Putin again spent several hours answering journalists' questions. Over 1,600 media representatives jostled to get their questions in. A major media event in Russia, the conference is also closely followed by the rest of the world. Europe's journalists ask what the president's answers mean for future Russian policies.