The idea proposed by Chancellor Angela Merkel to close ski resorts in Europe this year to avoid a new rebound in Covid-19 contaminations would be "
fatal
" for the Finnish economy, the Finnish Ministry of the Economy protested on Friday November 27.
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“
Here in Finland, the majority of people who come to our ski resorts are locals.
It would be very bizarre to close these stations when the situation in our country with regard to the virus is nowhere near as bad as in other European countries,
”ministry spokesman Mika told AFP. Lintila.
Such a move would be "
a death blow
" for the tourism industry in Lapland, where the most popular resorts are located.
“
It is quite possible to respect the necessary distances on the slopes and in the ski lifts.
There are many places more dangerous than ski resorts,
”said the head of the Finnish Association of Ski Regions, Harri Lindfors.
In Sweden, state health services epidemiologist Anders Tegnell also said his country did not need to close its ski resorts.
“
You have to remember that there is a big difference between the ski resorts we have in the north and the ones you have in the Alps,
” he said.
Several other countries with many ski resorts, including Austria, have already expressed their opposition to Merkel's proposal.