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TIRANA – Brussels had announced earlier on Monday it had proposed closing the EU’s borders to stop the spread of coronavirus but said a decision would not be made until the next day.he vast majority of people intending to travel to the European Union may be denied entry for the next 30 days, following an unprecedented proposal by the European Commission to fight the coronavirus spread, according to EUobserver.
The plan announced on by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen marks a new turning point in the global fight against Covid-19.
Brussels announced earlier on Monday it had proposed closing the EU’s borders to stop the spread of coronavirus but said a decision would not be made until the next day.
Meanwhile French President Emmanuel Macron has announced Europe’s borders will close at lunchtime on Tuesday for 30 days.
“All trips between non-European countries and the EU and the Schengen zone will be suspended for 30 days,” he said in a televised address to the nation.
Mr Macron also announced major support for businesses, including not having to pay taxes and bills, so “not a single French person will be left without resources.”
The second round of municipal elections will be suspended and any new reforms going through parliament will be halted from Wednesday, he said.
The UK’s Foreign Office was quoted by SkyNews as saying the UK is not included in the closure and told Britons in mainland Europe to continually monitor travel advice as it is changing rapidly. rmany, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a new raft of measures to minimize social contact: Religious services will be banned, and bars, clubs, discothèques and brothels shut. Restaurants will be allowed to open but only until 6 p.m., with wide spacing among diners, and hotels are being asked not to accept tourists. Schools across Germany were preparing for a prolonged shutdown.
Even if some criticized Germany’s response as slow, Ms. Merkel said that the measures were wide-reaching and an infringement on personal freedoms implemented only reluctantly. “In the 70-year history of the German Federal Republic, we have never had to do what we must do now,” the chancellor said.
The number of infections in Germany continued to climb rapidly, reaching 6,400 by Monday, but the fatality rate remains notably low: Only 16 people have died of the virus so far.
“The less travel, the more we can contain the virus,” Ms. von der Leyen said, after a discussion on Monday with Group of 7 leaders, including President Trump, in which they agreed to coordinate research into the new disease and their social and economic responses to it./compiled by argumentum.
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