Merkel again against border closure

The closure of the borders in the first wave of the coronary pandemic was “something very severe”, the Christian Democrat politician said during a meeting of the German-French parliamentary assembly organised in virtual form due to the pandemic. The “in the situation created then was apparently inevitable to close borders. But I admit that such a thing should not be repeated.” But this also requires strong coordination. “I believe, that we have already learned” lessons, Merkel said.

The Chancellor in the fight against pandemic drew attention to a regional co-ordination in Europe. „We also know what trials mean, the measures of protection from infection for our Europe without borders”, Merkel stressed in the joint presentation with French Prime Minister Jean Castex before the parliamentary assembly. „We respond as partners to common challenges. ”

Bundestag President Christian Democrat Wolfgang Schäuble at the same meeting called it „monotheism” closing the borders at the beginning of the pandemic. „Should be clear, that „sometimes should not repeat such an uncoordinated action”, Schäuble said.

Government spokesman Stephen Seibert noted the federal government's continued efforts to achieve a unified regulation across the EU in terms of travel.

“Aty where there are no uninames, we continue to try for this”, Seibert said.

Even Interior Minister, responsible for protecting the borders, Christian Horst Seehofer currently „sees no cause for border controls”, the spokesman said. The Ministry of Health also said that „in the meantime no changes have been planned for” travel.

Lands tougher than federation?

Some prime ministers of German countries ask the government to act. Saxony Prime Minister Christian Democrat Michael Kretschmer demanded stricter controls for those returning from the holiday. The nation's „is, so now we don't allow the behavior of coronary from outside”, he told the newspaper „Funke-Zeitungen”

Hamburg Mayor Social Democrat Peter Tschentscher spoke of stricter regulations for travel because of the coronary. The current regulation according to him is in some weak aspects, he is expressed to the newspaper „Welt”. It requires that all inoculations returning from past holidays to high-deciphered infection should be introduced into quarantine, which at least could be abolished after five days with a test presentation PCR.

Bravaria Christian Prime Minister Markus Söder requires clearer rules for those who return from vacation. Refining to the Söder travel peak season said, that <x0federata must clearly give once again recommendations for summer holidays.” Actual obligations, to submit the test after vacation, must be checked.

“The only bizonal parliamentary assembly in the world”

The German-French parliamentary assembly, founded in 2019 that meets once every two years in Paris and once in Berlin, consists of 50 Bundestag deputies and the French National Assembly. At the online meeting Monday (28.06) Chancellor Merkel and French Prime Minister Castex answered parliamentary questions not only about the pandemic. The theme was also climate, refugees, foreign politics, and economics.

Bundestag President Schäuble named this assembly „i success and as a unique binational parliamentary chamber”. It is at the time of the coronary crisis that parliamentary co-operation between the two countries has proved valuable. / DW