The effects of coronavirus on the European Union free movement

Asst. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Direkli, Head of the Department of International Relations Department from the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Cyprus International University (CIU) stated that due to the European Union's (EU) effective lifting of its internal borders, hundreds of millions of Europeans travel comfortably between EU countries, but that unlimited freedom has become an unpredictable threat in the event of the COVID-19 epidemic crisis.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Direkli pointed out that there are legitimate reasons for not relying on an unlimited world state “because no one carries a thoughtful responsibility until the end”.

Only states that have a sovereign region, a state power, that is, a state with its own executive body and law, can do this with their courts said Direkli and continued  “The creators of this situation lose their ability to act. Protecting people's safety from criminal acts, freedom and private property, and democratic decision-making are increasingly reduced because the responsible ones are no longer willing or unable to make decisions”.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Direkli mentioned that COVID-19 is spreading out very fast in the EU, because sanitary measures are not taken at the borders, and "neither France nor Spain could protect itself against the disease spread from Northern Italy due to the free movement of people in the EU".

Austria wanted to control its border with Italy more strictly, however, whis was immediately denied by Brussels, the WU headquarters, reminded Direkli and added that globalization has been misunderstood for the last thirty years.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Direkli stated that some of the EU countries are experiencing the most painful consequences of this process. “As a result, this may be the end of the Schengen Treaty and the free movement of persons in the EU. Perhaps the biggest impact of COVID-19 on the 70 years of EU‘s history will be in this direction,” said Direkli.