EU summit: Leaders reach landmark €1.82 trillion COVID-19 recovery deal and budget

Speaking to reporters, European Council president Charles Michel called it a "good deal", stating that "Europe is solid".

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, meanwhile, underlined important concessions made in the search for a compromise, saying she regretted the cuts to "modern policies" in research and innovation.

French president Emmanuel Macron called it an "historic day for Europe".

The recovery plan includes €390 billion worth of grants and €360 billion worth of loans due to a compromise with the so-called frugal four, now five, countries — Netherlands, Austria, Finland, Sweden and Denmark.

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EU summit: Leaders reach landmark €1.82 trillion COVID-19 recovery deal and budget | Euronews

EU summit: Talks entering 'crucial phase' as leaders meet for fourth day

Leaders left the marathon summit early Monday morning without an agreement and are set to resume talks at 16:00 CET. The summit was originally planned to end on Saturday.

Von der Leyen told reportershat "after three days and three nights of negotiation marathon, we're entering now in the crucial phase but I have the impression that European leaders really want an agreement."

"I'm positive for today, we're not there yet but things are moving in the right direction," she added.

Talks have focussed on a proposed €1.68 trillion package, a seven-year budget and a coronavirus recovery fund.

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EU summit: Talks entering 'crucial phase' as leaders meet for fourth day | Euronews

EU: COVID-19 situation update for the EU/EEA and the UK, as of 19 July 2020 Coronavirus.

Read all the details re Coronavirus EU/EEA Statistics
COVID-19 situation update for the EU/EEA and the UK, as of 19 July 202

EU - Summit Coronavirus Bailout Fund: Spanish vs Dutch views on the EU Recovery Fund - by Monika Sie Dhian Ho and Charles Powell

Dutch PM Mark Rutte being stingy

The Netherlands and Spain are at opposite ends of the debate about the EU's recovery package. But they must realise they are in the same boat.

The Covid-19 pandemic has triggered an unprecedented recession in Europe which has hit the EU at a delicate moment. It could be the toughest test for European integration yet. A strong, fast and coordinated, response is essential.

The European Central Bank has deployed an unprecedented asset-purchase programme, the European Commission has for the first time ever lifted restrictions on fiscal expansion and state aid, and the Eurogroup agreed new European Stability Mechanism credit lines, emergency measures to support those unemployed, and new funds for the European Investment Bank. Now it is time for the heads of state and government to rise to the challenge

The internal market, the monetary union and the Schengen travel zone are at risk, and populist anti-EU voices stand ready to exploit disagreements that have emerged among member-states.

A piece of unfinished business is the so-called EU Recovery Fund.

It is based on a Commission proposal, and is integrated into the EU's draft seven-year budget. It would allow for investment in the EU of almost two trillion euros, some of it in the form of debt issued by the Commission.

The sooner a deal is reached, the quicker the money can be The sooner a deal is reached, the quicker the money can be released and the faster the recovery will be.

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Spanish vs Dutch views on the EU Recovery Fund

Netherlands Opens Borders for Couples Separated by COVID-19 Entry Ban

The Netherlands has joined the group of European Union Member States reopening their borders for non-EU lovers who have their ‘other half’ in the EU.

The decision has been taken by the Dutch Minister of Justice and Security Ferdinand Grapperhaus, who sent a letter to the House of Representatives today, also on behalf of Minister Stef Blok of Foreign Affairs and State Secretary of Justice and Security Ankie Broekers-Knol.

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Netherlands Opens Borders for Couples Separated by COVID-19 Entry Ban - SchengenVisaInfo.com

The Netherlands: Sun-starved Dutch flock to all-inclusive 'Med resort' facing the bracing North Sea

The sky is blue, beach chairs are out and the wine and beer are flowing. Butdespite the sound of someone playing Turkish music on their mobile phoneand stuffed vine leaves on the buffet, holidaymakers at ‘Costa Holanda’are a long way from a Greek island or the Mediterranean.

In fact, the 250 people nestled inside smart, black windbreaks at theCorendon beach club are mostly in their home country, having swappedcancelled holidays abroad for an all-inclusive break enjoying the NorthSea and the changeable weather of the Netherlands.

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Sun-starved Dutch flock to all-inclusive 'Med resort' facing the bracing North Sea

Suriname: Who is Chan Santokhi, Suriname's new President?

Suriname's new President Chan Santokhi (61)

President Chan Santokhi (61) born in Suriname, which is a former Dutch colony.

He studied at the police academy in the Netherlands. After his return to Suriname, he became a police inspector and in 1991 was named chief of police.

From 2005 to 2010 he served as minister of justice. He ran for the presidency in 2010 but lost to Bouterse.

Bouterse was re-elected to a second term in 2015 and was confident of winning a third consecutive term in the elections this May 2020, but it was Mr Santokhi's party which emerged victorious.

The Progressive Reform Party won 20 of the 51 seats in the National Assembly, enough to form a coalition government with the General Liberation and Development Party. The latter is led by Ronnie Brunswijk, who will serve as vice-president.

President Chan Santokhi faces the difficult task of having to fix a totally mismanaged and bankrupted Suriname economy left behind by his corrupt predecessor, Desi Bouterse . Bouterse will also have to appear again in court soon, following his earlier 20 year jail sentencing for his part in the"December murders" in 1982, when he was the dictator of Suriname, and orchestrated the killing of fifteen prominent young Surinamese men who had criticized his regime.

Almere-Digest