Eurotopics.net

Liviu Dragnea, head of Romania's Social Democratic Party (PSD) and of the Chamber of Deputies, is refusing to step down despite having been sentenced last week in the first instance for abuse of power. Thousands took to the streets in protest on the weekend. Romania's press hopes that the growing pressure will topple Dragnea eventually.

In the World Championship game between Sweden and Germany the Swedish player Jimmy Durmaz fouled in the last minute leading to a free kick and victory goal for Germany. This in turn prompted a storm of racist abuse on social media against Durmaz, who has Turkish roots. The Swedish press is appalled.

In the run-up to the EU summit at the end of June leading politicians are searching for a solution to the refugee dispute. EU Council President Donald Tusk has proposed setting up centres for processing asylum applications outside the EU. Commentators are sceptical that this will deliver the all-important compromise in the escalating dispute over whether to open or close doors to refugees.

The Eurozone finance ministers decided on Thursday to pay a final installment to Greece, freeing up the country to act independently on the lending markets as of August. In addition deadlines on debt repayment have been pushed back ten years. Discussing the country's tentative return to economic growth commentators praise Athens and criticise its money lenders.