Eurosphere roundup: Bulgaria protests, Progress report: EU banking union, La Barroso bashing in France…

‘Le Barroso bashing’ continues in France

If you thought the wave of French attacks on European Commission President José Manuel Barroso was ebbing away, you were wrong. Today, it was the turn of French Socialist MP Claude Bartolone – who’s also the President of the National Assembly, the lower house of the French parliament – to fire on all broadsides.

Bulgaria, protest for the future

Bulgarian citizens are protesting across the country against the capture of their government and for a meaningful democracy. A memorandum from Sofia outlines the heart of their case.

Croatia: A cool reception on arrival

The nation is about to become the 28th member of the EU but many European capitals retain doubts about its economy and history of tackling corruption

European leaders to meet as concerns over future grows

Soaring youth joblessness and establishment of a banking union will be on the table during a two-day meeting of EU leaders that begins tomorrow

?No crisis with Brussels?, says French EU minister (News)

INTERVIEW / Ahead of an EU summit in Brussels, Thierry Repentin has dismissed as bluster the recent spate of attacks by French ministers against the European Commission. EurActiv France reports.

Germany?s Case Against the ECB

The German Constitutional Court’s decision last year to allow Germany’s government to accede to the European Stability Mechanism should leave little doubt about how it will rule on the ECB’s pledge to purchase distressed eurozone members’ sovereign debt. But, in courts, as in the open sea, predictions often prove unreliable.

ECB needs timely response to Fed tapering

ECB president Mario Draghi must act carefully so that the eurozone does not become a major casualty of US monetary policy, writes Ralph Atkins

Bulgarians confront the oligarchs

The streets of Sofia are awash with demonstators: the terms of this protest movement, as in Sao Paulo and Istanbul, are the twin themes of justice and equality.

Greece shows need for bankruptcy code

Those involved in sovereign debt restructuring could learn a lot from the US corporate bankruptcy process, writes Komal Sri Kumar

Is Greece?s bailout running out of cash?

Greek prime minister Antonis Samaras, centre, holds a cabinet meeting this week.

Flexibility is bad for Europe?s banks

Leaving EU governments to decide on a case-by-case basis who to save and who to let drown when a lender goes bust guarantees unpredictability

Jobs crisis: Europe’s great migration

Migration of Europe’s jobless fuels brain-drain fears

Progress report: EU banking union

Peter Spiegel, Brussels bureau chief, outlines how many of the main elements of the EU?s path to banking union have either been water down or delayed