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Union politician Weber: "You have to understand that in Berlin too"
Photo: Justin Jin
The leader of the European People's Party (EPP) in the European Parliament
Manfred Weber
is in response to the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny the controversial Nord Stream pipeline 2 for grabs.
Germany's rigid adherence to the project has been causing frustration in Europe for years, according to the CSU politician.
In order to make the EU more effective in foreign policy, Weber asked Commission head Ursula von der Leyen to work for an end to the unanimity principle. The demonstrators who campaigned for democracy and freedom in Belarus and Hong Kong should have no doubt that Europe is on their side, said Weber.
Read the whole interview here:
SPIEGEL:
Mr. Weber, the federal government has issued a corona travel warning for Brussels, and the Belgian government recommends that you go into quarantine when entering from your home in Lower Bavaria.
How is it that you are still here in your Brussels office?
Weber:
There is an exception under strict conditions for EU parliamentarians and diplomats, because democracy has to function in times of crisis.
But it is also clear to me that this jumble of corona regulations must be ended.
In Austria the rule is one meter, in Luxembourg it is two, in Germany one and a half.
Nobody understands that.
The EU Commission must make proposals on how we can live together and practically with this virus.
SPIEGEL:
At the beginning of the corona crisis, Europe was unable to prevent the arbitrary border closings of some EU states.
Is EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen missing another crucial moment in the crisis?
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