The coronavirus pounded the European Union this week with the biggest
test of its political, economic and social fabric since the refugee
crisis of five years ago.
Most
dramatically, the Turkish government this week backed off from its
commitment made in 2016, in return for 6 billion euros in EU funds, to
prevent Syrian refugees from entering Europe. That followed a Thursday
airstrike by Russian-backed Syrian forces in Syria’s Idlib province,
killing at least 33 Turkish troops, with some turkish sources claiming
more than 150 troops killed.
Even as Turkey ordered police, coast guard and border security
officials to allow would-be refugees to pass into the EU, Bulgaria
responded by
sending an extra 1,000 troops to the frontier with Turkey and Greek police
launched smoke grenades at one crossing to dissuade migrants.
Containing
pathogens is a much different business than managing waves of refugees.
However, what unites the two issues is how dramatically the European
Union’s response will shape public attitudes about the institution’s
relevance, responsiveness, and effectiveness at a crucial historic
moment.
The impact of coronavirus on Europe’s future has the
potential to be even more significant than the migrant crisis,
particularly as it unfolds in almost biblical fashion atop a plague of other European maladies.
Tourist
wearing protective respiratory mask tours outside the Colosseo
monument were a common sight in the center of Rome..
The
coronavirus pounded the European Union this week with the biggest test
of its political, economic and social fabric since the refugee crisis of
five years ago.
The ripples from the
European migrant crisis
of 2015 continue until today with its dual shock to the EU’s unity and
domestic politics. It triggered a wave of populism and nationalism, the
United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU, and Germany’s political
fragmentation behind the weakening of Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Even as Turkey ordered police,
coast guard and border security officials to allow would-be refugees to
pass into the EU, Bulgaria responded by
sending an extra 1,000 troops to the frontier with Turkey and Greek police
launched smoke grenades at one crossing to dissuade migrants.
Containing
pathogens is a much different business than managing waves of refugees.
However, what unites the two issues is how dramatically the European
Union’s response will shape public attitudes about the institution’s
relevance, responsiveness, and effectiveness at a crucial historic
moment.
The impact of coronavirus on Europe’s future has the
potential to be even more significant than the migrant crisis,
particularly as it unfolds in almost biblical fashion atop a plague of
other European maladies.
They include, but by no means are limited
to: economic slowdown and possible recession (made more likely by
coronavirus), the rise of populism and nationalism (stoked as well by
the virus),
disagreements about how to handle trade talks with a departing United Kingdom (which start Monday),
internecine fights over the European budget, and ongoing German leadership crisis and French social upheaval.
The
coronavirus morphed this past week into an increasingly global
phenomenon that experts agree can no longer be contained. The hit to
stock markets was $6 trillion, the biggest weekly fall since the 2008
financial crisis. By Friday, the WHO
reported more than 78,000 cases and more than 2,790 deaths ion China – and 70 deaths in 52 other countries.
In
Europe, what began as northern Italian phenomenon – where there have
been more than 800 infections – has now reached Spain, Greece, Croatia,
France, the UK, Switzerland, Romania, the Netherlands, Austria,
Germany, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, North Macedonia, and
San Marino.
For Europe the Corana Virus is certainly a wake-up call and a national European Medical Emergency.
Read more at: Coronavirus could be a bigger test for the EU than the refugee crisis
