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Chancellor Angela Merkel: "Rules, ordinances and measures are of no use if they are not accepted by the people"
Photo: HANNIBAL HANSCHKE / REUTERS
During the general debate in the Bundestag, Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) called on people in Germany to be vigilant again with regard to the Corona regulations.
"We have to talk to each other because the number of infections is increasing," Merkel said to the citizens.
She asked to take the situation seriously and to prepare for the difficult situation of the cold season.
"We are currently seeing how caution is waning," said Merkel.
You feel no different.
She also misses spontaneous encounters.
But: "We are currently risking everything that we have achieved over the past few months," warned the Chancellor.
She wants to do everything possible to prevent a nationwide shutdown.
"Rules, ordinances and measures are of no use if they are not accepted by the people."
Merkel wants to return to the debt brake
In view of the high level of new debt as a result of the corona crisis, Merkel called for a quick return to the debt brake requirements.
"We have to return to normal and constitutional budget management as soon as possible," said Merkel at the beginning of the general debate in the Bundestag.
In the current situation, the high borrowing is "the right thing".
It is about investing in an "innovative Germany" during the crisis and "strengthening social cohesion in the country," said the Chancellor.
The federal budget is currently all about coping with the pandemic.
"We were able to react quickly and powerfully in an extraordinary situation, precisely because we had households without new borrowing for the past six years," she said.
The budget draft by Federal Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) for 2021 provides for 96.2 billion euros in new debt.
For the current year, Scholz had already secured the opportunity to take out EUR 218.5 billion in fresh loans with two supplementary budgets.
To this end, the debt brake set in the constitution was suspended, which sets limits on new government borrowing.
On the 30th anniversary of reunification on October 3, Merkel thanked civil rights activists and protesters in the GDR for the peaceful demonstrations.
With their commitment and courage, they made reunification possible, said Merkel.
"This anniversary is an occasion for great joy and gratitude".
It is also an occasion for gratitude "for the historically unprecedented achievement of a whole people in these 30 years to bring about the reunification inside and out".
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mfh / dpa
