European press review

The sinking of a decommissioned Russian nuclear submarine attracts comment both at home and abroad.

With less than two weeks left before Sweden's referendum on adopting the euro, two Swedish-language newspapers suggest the 'yes' camp will have a difficult time ahead.

And a controversial road toll in Germany features heavily in the country's press.

Sunken sub

The sinking of the K-159 submarine is a reminder of what a considerable environmental challenge former Soviet nuclear submarines continue to represent Norway's Aftenposten

According to a scientist interviewed by Russia's Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the K-159 submarine which sank in the Barents Sea on Saturday was an accident waiting to happen.

"How anyone could have come up with the idea of towing such a giant weighing 3,500 tonnes on floats, is beyond belief. This is obvious stupidity," Captain Ivan Povalyayev told the newspaper.

Captain Povalyayev questioned why people were on board the submarine in the first place and blamed "poor professional preparation" for the accident.

Norway's Aftenposten is concerned about the environmental impact of the sinking, describing it as both "a tragedy" and "a reminder of what a considerable environmental challenge former Soviet nuclear submarines continue to represent".

The paper says it is "unacceptable" that Russia did not notify the Norwegian authorities of the accident because of the danger of radiation.

The Russian authorities must take the threat represented by almost 200 old Soviet submarines on the Kola Peninsula and in the Arctic Ocean more seriously, it adds.

Euro blunder

In Sweden, a referendum on whether to adopt the euro currency is fast approaching, but the Aftonbladet newspaper suggests that referendum fever is hardly gripping the nation.

It fears a low turnout on 14 September. "It seems harder to tempt voters for referendums than parliamentary elections," it says.

Recent polls have suggested that Prime Minister Goeran Persson is losing the campaign to persuade Swedish voters to dump the Krona in favour of the euro.

In Finland, Swedish-language daily Helsinki Hufvudstadsbladet feels that Mr Persson did nothing to increase the 'yes' vote by admitting recently that he had never wanted a referendum in the first place.

"Persson's message to the Swedish people is therefore mixed, to say the least: vote 'yes', but it would have been best if you hadn't voted at all. Does he really think that he can convince those who are uncertain with that message?"

Olympic trial

With an impeccable organization, those in charge have fulfilled their pledges - for Paris a way of displaying its ambition as an Olympic city France's Le Monde

France's Le Monde focuses on the athletics world championships, which ended on Sunday. It describes the event as an all-round success which captured the imagination of the French public.

"Through a strange effect of being swept along, through constant word of mouth, men, women, whole families made their way to the Stade de France or chose to experience the event in front of their television sets," it says.

The paper believes that the competition will have strengthened the city's bid to host the 2012 Olympics

"With an impeccable organisation, those in charge have fulfilled their pledges - for Paris a way of displaying its ambition as an Olympic city," it concludes.

Back to school blues

But in the French education sector the picture is less rosy. According to Le Figaro, the return of teachers to their schools was marked by "bitterness and resentment".

"Despite their mobilisation in the spring, teachers feel that all they have obtained is scraps," it says.

But the paper adds that in most schools on Monday there seemed to be no desire to immediately restart the protest movement.

It also notes that the education minister "seems determined to re-establish contact with teachers".

Heavy toll

In Germany, the start of tests of a new high-tech road toll system for heavy goods vehicles has come in for criticism in the country's press.

The Berliner Zeitung says the system has been hit by "massive technical errors" which has already led to the first launch date being postponed.

Another Berlin daily, the Tagesspiegel, is more optimistic about the scheme.

"The system is complicated and ambitious and could become a model for Europe - once it works," it says.

But the paper is concerned by what it sees as the self-confident tone of the toll system's designers.

"The most honest solution would be to speak of a launch date only once the system is up and running."

The European press review is compiled by BBC Monitoring from internet editions of the main European newspapers and some early printed editions.