Major crisis, meager budget
The 2010 budget presented by the Portuguese government will cut the country's deficit by one percent to 8.3%. But in the context of nervous markets and fretting European partners, the reduction will not be viewed as a sufficient response to the crisis, notes Público. The daily explains that "not much has changed between 2009 and 2010: the economy is still in crisis, the budget deficit remains close to an all-time record high," and unemployment is expected to rise to 9.8%. The civil service pay freeze and cuts in public spending in the budget have been strongly criticized by the country's public sector unions. However, the austerity measures have the support of the country's main political parties. As Público explains, "the most important aspect of the budget is neither financial nor economic, but has to do with the negotiations which paved the way for its acceptance."
In a time of crisis with high unemployment, young Lithuanians are following in the footsteps of their emigrant ancestors. Tens of thousands have left the country in search of a better life, mainly in the British Isles and Scandinavia. The weekly Veidas reports: 
Two camps, two theories, and two visions of France: 18 years after the massacre of 800,000 Tutsis, the precise role played by Paris is still the subject of heated debate, fueled by the findings of successive criminal investigations. 
Agree to new austerity measures or risk being kicked out of the eurozone: that’s the alternative presented to Athens on the day the euro group is meeting. It’s a situation Greek politicians have failed to avoid, regrets To Vima.