Ambassador Christian Berger, head of the European Union Delegation to Turkey, who was in Brussels during the outbreak, said that each country has something to learn from each other during this period. “One of them is acting together. The European Union or the international community, when we act together, then we are stronger,” he said.
Where do you spend your time during the epidemic?
I was here in mid-March during President Erdogan’s visit to Brussels. I wanted to go back to Ankara afterward but stayed here because all flights were canceled. I’m in Brussels, waiting for the flights to start again. I didn’t like it very much at first. But in the end, working from home works from home. It’s no different than being at my house in Ankara or Brussels. We work by phone and video conferencing. In Brussels, the commission, the council, everyone works from home, so I’m not going to the office here either, and I’m not allowed to go anyway. So you can connect from almost there and communicate through technology. This process is more difficult if meeting with others is the most important part of your job. Because now you’re just coming together through these little phones or computer screens. You don’t get a chance to sit together and have tea and coffee in any way.
How’s the process going as an ambassador? Have your priorities changed? Can you say that the measures to protect against the epidemic are more pronounced than the relations between Turkey and the EU?
I can’t say it’s more important, but of course, it does. You have a responsibility to a lot of people, especially when you’re in charge of such a large structure. In such a crisis, we have taken certain measures. While making it possible for our employees to stay healthy, we also took measures to make it possible for them to work from home. If you look at it, companies also have plans for the future of a business. They made plans to keep the company going if anything happened. That’s what we’re doing. Besides, we continue to work on European Union-Turkey relations. The president’s visit to Brussels in March was more about the agreement between the European Union and Turkey in 2016 regarding migrants. It was said that various talks must be tightened further for this agreement to continue to be implemented. Work on this issue is ongoing. Also, trade and exchange of goods between the EU and Turkey must continue. There’s a lot of work to be done in this area, too. This is still going on. And people need to be made to travel when they have to. For example, we cooperate closely with the authorities in Turkey to provide flights for citizens who want to return home to Europe. Also, the exchange of information between Turkey and Europe continues. A new and important point has been added to the relations between the entire European Union and Turkey. This crisis and the subject of coronavirus is a new area. But inter-country diplomacy continues. Our job is to ensure that these existing relationships continue.
WE HAVE SOMETHING TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER
How do you find Turkey’s struggle against the epidemic? Are the measures taken according to you sufficient?
We are facing an unprecedented crisis in terms of both scope and speed. It’s affected the whole world and countries. There was a starting point; It started in China, from there it reached out to Europe and then spread to America. We’re all impressed, we have so much to learn from each other. We need to learn and learn from what some countries have implemented and succeeded in. In any country, the starting point was different. I mean, I don’t know. Each country started from a different point when viewed from angles such as the health system, the number of intensive care beds it had, the number of ventilators, how quickly the disease spread in the country, the size of the country. Therefore, each country has determined for itself how to fight this crisis. Countries in Europe had to react immediately. Countries, cities and municipalities have taken their precautions. But all the work that is currently being coordinated at the European Union level. The same goes for at the international level. We need to talk to each other all the time and exchange of information. We have to learn from each other.
TURKEY HELPS OTHER COUNTRIES
If we look at the measures in Turkey, there are measures similar to other countries. Like wearing a mask, closing restaurants, reducing working hours, limiting public transportation. Competent agencies, such as the Ministry of Health, need to carefully monitor how these measures affect case numbers. Everyone’s talking about flattening this curve. There are also reports in Turkey that the infection curve is starting to flatten. So these measures seem to be working. Turkey is also helping other countries. Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom, for example, sent aid. He is helping Turkey in the EU. Calibration equipment has been sent to Turkey. So we have to help each other and get support. Together, we will overcome crises.
THE BIGGEST FEAR IS THE SECOND WAVE IN AUTUMN
Measures against the epidemic are being loosened in Europe and the United States. What do you think of this, could it be too soon?
That’s what I’m asking. If I share the answers I’ve received, some countries seem to be leaving the worst behind them. Looking back at the last three months, the virus is always moving west. He came to Europe from China, from here he spread to America. I hope he doesn’t come back to us in a full circle. Some countries have left behind the worst rate of infection and death. But you still have to be careful. In some Asian countries, these measures have been softened and there has been a second wave due to outsiders in those countries. So you have to be very careful. Every country will decide for itself what to do in this situation. In my own country, these measures are being eliminated. But wearing a mask and paying attention to social distance is still the way it is. It’s never going to be the same to get back to normal. It’s always going to take precautions. We will see in time how long we need to take these measures. But there’s also this fear. We’re going to get through this crisis, but they say a wave of influenza is going to hit the world in autumn and winter. That’s the biggest fear. I hope not, but logically, it’s possible. In some countries, these measures have been going on for a very long time. This one has some consequences. You’re in a closed place, the whole family is together, what about the children’s education… It has both psychological and social dimensions. For example, will the elderly, the most vulnerable groups, be re-visited? The starting point will be decisive in how quickly it enters the country and what the development course should do.
WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED
They say the world won’t be the same after the outbreak. What do you think of this?
I don’t know what kind of order it’s going to be. What I do know is that we need to learn from what we’ve been through during this period. One of them is acting together. The European Union or the international community. When we act together, then we’re stronger. We’re stronger when we put our resources together. The President of the European Commission also recently sent an important message about being prepared. The message I want to send is that we should learn these lessons and prepare for the next period. If we face another crisis like this, we have to be prepared. He also gave the message that various structures, such as hospitals and the health care system, be stronger than the commission chairman. Hopefully, if we face a crisis again in the same way, we will be able to cope without stopping the economy and social life. Because although necessary, these restrictions have been going on for weeks and have been difficult for people. At the international level, closer co-operation and multilateral approach are also efficient. In 1945, world no. After World War II ended, several structures were established, such as the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. I don’t know if there’ll be anything similar about the new world order, the new world design, but I’m hoping we’ll learn a lesson.
How do you spend your time at home? How many hours do you work?
You need to make your day as if you were going to the office. Our secretary-general has issued a holiday message to employees before Easter. Because people are either in front of the screen or on the phone until it’s too late, if not 24 hours a day, in their homes. At the same time, I think it’s important to maintain personal relationships. Because we have friends who are in a difficult situation. It’s important to support them. I thought I’d have free time, but I never did. I thought I’d do things I couldn’t do before, like reading a book, making a meal I loved, but I couldn’t. I could do very little. I only do that on weekends. But I’ve been able to do it for the weekend before. The only difference is we can’t go anywhere and we can’t get out when we want to. It’s hard, but I and my family are doing everything we can to live our normal lives. I and my colleagues work from home, but some can’t work from home. Health workers, businesses like supermarkets or bakeries. These people deserve a lot of respect. Because they’re out there so life can go on. Every evening in Brussels, at 8 p.m., people go up to windows and balconies and applaud those who continue to work outside.
What kind of activities do you do to make your home life more enjoyable?
It’s very rare, but the whole family is together. This is really important. You find things to do. But I’m counting on my wife’s creativity to make life at home more enjoyable.
I MISSED THE PEOPLE IN ANKARA
Did you miss Ankara and your home here?
I miss people in Ankara more. Hopefully, we will return as soon as possible and spend our time in Turkey in a pleasant way.
