Merkel urges voters to reject nationalism in EU elections

Merkel's statement took place during a rally in the Croatian capital of Zagreb, while Austria's Chancellor announced the end of his government with Strache's far-right party following the publication of a secret video where his coalition partner appeared discussing government contracts with an alleged Russian investor.

“Pathriotism and Europe are not at odds, nationalism is trying to destroy Europe and we have to fight”, Merkel declared in front of a crowd of about 6,000 people gathered in a basketball hall, in the single event of the European Parliament's election campaign outside Germany.

The German Chancellor referred to Croatia's experience in the Balkan wars of the 1990s, while welcoming the European Union as a key factor in favour of peace on the continent.

“Europe is a peace project. We have 74 years of peace in Germany. You've had a war in the 1990s, you know what peace means “, Merkel said.

We can only keep this peace if we represent the interests of all member states and if we are able to get ourselves into the position of the other side to build bridges. ”

Merkel appeared at the rally together with Manfred Weber, European Commission presidential candidate of the centre-right Alliance of the European People's Party and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.

Croatia's main candidate, HDZ, Carlo Rester, was also at the event.

Merkel spoke mainly in German, but she completed her speech in Croatian, calling on people to vote in the elections.

“Support Europe peace, freedom and prosperity. Support PEPE and HDZ. Support Manfred Weber and Carlo Ressler “.