DANIEL SMILOVASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOFIA AND PROGRAMME DIRECTOR AT THE CENTRE FOR LIBERAL STRATEGIES
Еurope will either come stronger out of this crisis, or it will no longer be a credible political project. There are three problems that need to be solved:
First, the coronavirus needs to be contained within reasonable time and in a non-catastrophic way regarding the economy.
Second, the emergency situation should not be allowed to consolidate the authoritarian and illiberal tendencies especially prominent in the eastern part of the continent.
Last but not least, Europe—both the EU institutions and national governments—should act together to deal with the economic consequences of the crisis in a way which is both effective and seen by the peoples of Europe as fair.
These are difficult but not impossible tasks. They require a lot of good will and intelligent coordination of action beyond what is available as established institutions and procedures. Of special importance is the economic recovery—if national egoism wins the day, the EU project will be in existential trouble.
On the bright sight, these tasks give the EU a clear purpose in times when it is often accused of having lost its way.