Ukraine's new education minister and the EU border debate
A look back at 27 June 2020, two days after Serhiy Shkarlet's appointment, and at the EU talks over reopening external borders.
Who was running Ukraine's education system on 27 June 2020, and what was being decided about travel into Europe? The answers came from two developments in the preceding days.
On 25 June 2020, Serhiy Shkarlet was chosen as Ukraine's minister of education. As reported at the time, he had earlier been caught up in a plagiarism controversy and attracted attention for his fondness for expensive cars.
Separately, on 24 June 2020, ambassadors of EU member states met to develop criteria for reopening the bloc's external borders to travellers on 1 July. European Commission guidance said that non-EU countries would make the safe list if their COVID-19 situation was comparable to or better than the EU average. The assessment would look at the number of new infections, the trend in new infections, and testing and tracing. Other factors, such as reciprocity and links to the EU, would also be considered.
Under those rules, travellers from countries such as Brazil, Russia and the United States could be barred.
