Posts tagged European Union
Europe’s Handling of the Ukrainian Refugee Crisis Raises Important Questions of Equity

“The superior treatment of Ukrainian refugees is most likely due to a multitude of factors, the first one being the most obvious: EU citizens are better able to empathize with Ukrainians due to racial, linguistic, and religious ties according to research from Lamis Abdelaaty, an assistant professor of political science at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University.”

Read More
Germany’s Election: New Parties, Old Problems

“As the polls closed, Germans awaited what may be their most monumental election in the post-WWII era. Now, the SPD and the CDU seek the support of smaller parties, striving to form a coalition. This zero-sum game will not only revolutionize Germany’s political landscape but also the country’s role as a burgeoning world power amidst a declining Pax Americana.”

Read More
Turkey Reaffirms Desire to Join the European Union - will This Time be More Fruitful Than the Past?

“An influential NATO ally, Turkey has sought membership into the EU since 2005, and the country has been a member of NATO since 1952. Yet accession negotiations to join the EU -- beginning in 2005 -- have followed a cycle of slow progress and disappointment. Notably along the way, Turkey has been at odds with several EU nations (and sometimes the entire EU altogether), with two of the most notable countries being France and Greece. So, the question that the international community and world order asks itself is: How, if at all, will Turkey’s current push to join the EU result any differently than before?”

Read More
Greece Heightens Turkish Border Security over Refugee Concern

“Greece has made it clear that they are not open to letting in Syrian migrants. In addition to building a wall, Greece has fired tear gas at refugees, shot at the sea near dingeys, and recently suspended registration of asylum claims - a violation of 1951 Geneva Convention on Refugees. The anti-refugee action in Greece has been supported across the EU, with the President of the European Commission describing Greece as Europe’s “shield” from refugees entering.”

Read More
Tensions Simmer in the Eastern Mediterranean over Potential Oil Riches

“What was previously a local dispute over maritime borders between Greece and Turkey has become a matter of international interest after a 2010 study by the US Geological Survey estimated 1.7 billion barrels of recoverable oil and 122 trillion cubic feet of gas in the Levant Basin. Turkey’s survey vessel -The Orus Reis - crossed into recognized Greek territory in early August. It was originally supposed to finish its mission last Monday, but on Saturday evening, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced that it would remain in the region for another 90 days.”

Read More