EU-Turkish Relations: Rising EU-Turkey tensions take center stage with Borrell visit to Ankara

Tasked with addressing a growing list of grievances between European Union member states and Turkey, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell wrapped up a two-day visit to Ankara Tuesday.

From migration to the Libyan war and conflicting resource claims in the eastern Mediterranean, Borrell sought to mediate rising EU-Turkey tensions on multiple fronts as some European leaders have criticized Ankara for taking increasingly unilateral actions at the bloc’s expense.

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Rising EU-Turkey tensions take center stage with Borrell visit to Ankara

The Netherlans: Campari completes move to Netherlands

Davide Campari-Milano said Sunday that it has completed the transfer of its registeredoffice to the Netherlands.

The Italian maker of Campari and Aperol said it has adopted the Naamloze Vennootschapstatus, becoming Davide Campari-Milano NV.

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Campari completes move to Netherlands - MarketWatch

Middle East: Turkey: Emerging From the Pandemic, Turkey Rolls Out a More Assertive Foreign Policy - by Marc Pierini

Turkey has been swift to implement its own brand of diplomacy during the coronavirus pandemic, including deliveries of medical supplies and plans for long-term cooperation on medical equipment. This cooperative diplomacy goes hand in hand with an assertive foreign policy, illustrated by military interventions and challenges to the legal order in the Eastern Mediterranean. While consistent with the government’s strategy for 2023—when Turkey will hold both a presidential election and celebrations of the country’s centennial—this policy is bound to create increasing difficulties for Ankara’s partners.

Turkey has been sending supplies of medical equipment to countries and regions chosen for a variety of strategic ends—whether to maintain stable ties (as with Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom), further geopolitical interests (as with the Western Balkans and various African partners), or attempt to win favors (as with the United States). Using its long-haul military cargo planes, Turkey was able to promote these deliveries to 116 countries through ceremonies carefully choreographed by Turkish diplomats.

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Emerging From the Pandemic, Turkey Rolls Out a More Assertive Foreign Policy - Carnegie Europe - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

EU-Turkey relations, Politics versus Reality: Why hasn't the EU lifted travel ban on Turkey?

Beginning with July 1, The European Union opened its borders to visitors from 15 countries. The full list of the first 15 countries ranges from Algeria to Uruguay, from Georgia to South Korea, from Serbia and Montenegro to New Zealand, from Morocco to Canada. Europe will open its borders to China as well, provided China opens up to travelers from the EU. 

European doors will remain closed to travelers from the United States, Brazil, and Russia, due to the rate of the spread of coronavirus. Turkey, a candidate member of the EU, which performed well above the EU average in the Covid-19 struggle, however, is among those countries that the travel ban from and to the EU will remain in effect. 

Given the success of the Turkish Covid-19 strategy, the disappointment expressed by the spokesperson of the Turkish Foreign Ministry for the decision was not unexpected.  

Indeed, Turkey’s coronavirus statistics, for instance, in comparison to EU member Sweden, are much better. The Turkish population is almost nine times as much as Sweden, but the number of cases per 1 million is 2,370 in Turkey, while the figure stands at 6,777 in Sweden. The death rate in Turkey is 60.8 per 1 million in Turkey, and 528.1 in Sweden. Even in comparison to Germany, which has roughly the same population as Turkey and is lauded for a successful Covid-19 strategy, Turkey seems to be doing as well as Germany. The number of total confirmed cases in Germany is some 200,000 and in Turkey is some 195,000.  

The reason for Turkey’s exclusion from the EU’s reopening can be explained by political reasons instead of public health concerns.

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Why hasn't the EU lifted travel ban on Turkey?

Paris's Louvre reopens on Monday after lockdown losses of 'over €40 million'

The Louvre in Paris, the world's most visited museum
and home to the Mona Lisa, reopens on Monday but with coronavirus
restrictions in place and parts of the complex closed to visitors.

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Paris's Louvre reopens on Monday after lockdown losses of 'over €40 million'

USA: At Mount Rushmore rally, Trump says anti-racism protesters working to 'wipe out our history'

 Speaking to a largely maskless crowd at Mount Rushmore, U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that protesters have waged "a b merciless campaign to wipe out our history" amid demonstrations against  racial injustice and police brutality.

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At Mount Rushmore rally, Trump says anti-racism protesters working to 'wipe out our history' | CBC News

Germany: Angela Merkel: the right leader at the right time?

“With this Council presidency the Chancellor can take steps thatpoliticians usually shy away from. ... Merkel has reached the end of her political career. She does not want to be re-elected. So she no longer needs to show so much consideration and can use the Council presidencyto press ahead with projects that are not hugely popular with her home audience, particularly the conservative part of it.

There are many fairly drastic developments ahead. The resistance will be considerable both within Germany and within the EU. But it's Merkel's successors who will have to deal with that.”

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Angela Merkel: the right leader at the right time? | eurotopics.net