However, I would not apologize for publishing the cartoons either. The Danish paper's editorial office had the full right to express its freedom of speech and publish the cartoons. Also, the apology has been forced by rioting and manipulated crowds conducted by Islamic militants whose aim is to destroy all Europeans in the Islamic world. These militants will not see the apology as a gesture of appeasement but as the backing down of the weak who therefore can be forced to make even more concessions. The European Union's role in this is embarrassing. It reminds me of the donkey that couldn't decide which food was better for him and starved to death. The EU looks like it's going to bury the idea of mutual solidarity in much the same way. The EU should have said a long time ago that "we are all Danish" and called on citizens to "buy for Denmark" because the stakes we're playing for are incredibly high: those of the freedom of speech. The same freedom that was tested years ago on Christians in the form of a poster for a movie about Hustler publisher Larry Flynt. However, we saw no hysteria, looting or burning of anything in connection with the poster.

Today we see one silent victim of the Danish cartoons and that's Turkey. Who would place a bet after all this on Turkey's EU admission? In Turkey, protests against the cartoons were few, thanks in part to the local army, which since the days of Atatürk safeguards the secular character of the Turkish state. The problem is that such an army privilege is in contradiction with EU membership. An alternative to this is Turkey under the pressure of militant Islamic leaders, Hanák writes.

I really do wish for young people to enjoy an increase in monthly maternity benefits to 7,800 Kč ($327.60), writes Jiřina Šiklová in Lidové noviny Feb. 13, but the problem is that in regions with a high unemployment rate, women will stay at home with their children as long as possible, which will eventually make it more difficult for them to seek jobs.

Fewer working hours will make it possible for mothers to better manage their double shifts, one at work and the second at home. However, it will by no means contribute to an equal position of women in the labor market. Those who don't work full time aren't entitled to requalification or promotion, and are in fact the first to go when a company suffers economic problems. One day this, too, shall reflect in these women's pensions. And thus, even if we do hear that new steps were taken to help women and boost the national birthrate, the result will be the opposite. The labor market will split into full time and part time, the latter being worse-paid — and obviously dominated by women. In the long run this will also worsen the social position of aging women. The Social Democrats' policy of divided jobs amounts to a good political slogan — in general the idea will lead to lower unemployment. The catch is that this will only be made possible because, while the state will continue handing out social benefits, many of them will be called by different names and covered from a different part of the budget, Šiklová writes.