German media report Rama's clash with German Health Minister

Jens Spahn was expressed a few days ago that travelers returned last year from Turkey and the Balkans greatly contributed to the rise in the number of infections in Germany. Spahn referred to reports on the status of the Robert Kóch (RKI) Institute by the end of the summer, writes FAZ.

If you look at the countries where there have been infections, in the first 10 countries there are especially Western Balkan countries and Turkey and the main countries where the Germans travel”, the German minister said on Wednesday, notes FAZ, which also refers to the reaction of Prime Minister Rama after those statements. The other “was Prime Minister Edi Rama, who had accused Spahn of using stereotype prejudices against the Balkans. ”

FAZ also refers to the then data published by the German Institute Robert Koch then. “According to then RKI reports in August 2020, indeed, half of the infections were linked to countries like Kosovo, Croatia, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bulgaria. This led to a slight increase, but overall in time from July to mid-September the infection figures remained at relatively low levels. ”
Also Thursday, the German newspaper “Merkur” refers to contested statements by Jens Spahn. Albania's prime minister, Rama reacts uninhibited, writes “Merkur”, citing Rama's statement once again.

Federal Health Minister just wants to protect a balance that seems to be bad” Even in social media, Jens Spahn is severely criticised, writes “Merkur”. While German television “ntv” pays attention to the debate, saying that Albania's prime minister “is angry about federal Health Minister Jens Spahn's statements about connection between Balkan trips and increasing Corona infections. ”

Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama has named German Minister Jens Spahn “a scandal” in the German newspaper Bild.

German news agency, dpa, has quoted Rama as saying that “is a scandal, which a German minister publicly brands the Balkans and degrades with this people with migration background. ”

Rama had indicated that he would not allow Albania to appear as a danger zone for holiday travel, that there are no figures proving it. Both Prime Minister Rama and the Turkish Community in Germany expressed outrage at Jens Spahn's statements. According to the dpa, Turkish Community spokesman Serhat Ulusoy criticised Spahn, which puts in “general changes to whole groups of the population” and that he “wants campaign at any price at the expense of the” people.

Albania has been removed from the list of endangered countries in Germany since early May. /DW