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| Merkel warns coronavirus crisis 'still just the beginning' | Merkel warns coronavirus crisis 'still just the beginning' |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| German Chancellor Angela Merkel says her country must remain "clever and cautious" in handling the coronavirus crisis, as "it's not the end phase but still just the beginning". | German Chancellor Angela Merkel says her country must remain "clever and cautious" in handling the coronavirus crisis, as "it's not the end phase but still just the beginning". |
| "We will be with it for a long time," she warned parliament, ahead of an EU video summit on the crisis. | "We will be with it for a long time," she warned parliament, ahead of an EU video summit on the crisis. |
| She stressed the need for European cohesion in fighting the virus. | She stressed the need for European cohesion in fighting the virus. |
| And she said Germany should be ready to "make very different, meaning much higher contributions to the EU budget". | And she said Germany should be ready to "make very different, meaning much higher contributions to the EU budget". |
| The extra funding should be provided "in a spirit of solidarity" and for a limited time, she said. | The extra funding should be provided "in a spirit of solidarity" and for a limited time, she said. |
| Italy, at the epicentre of the pandemic in Europe, has been especially vocal in urging its EU partners to jointly guarantee debt, as part of a huge rescue package. | Italy, at the epicentre of the pandemic in Europe, has been especially vocal in urging its EU partners to jointly guarantee debt, as part of a huge rescue package. |
| But Germany, the Netherlands and Austria oppose any mutualisation of debt, in the form of so-called "coronabonds". Under current EU rules countries cannot be made liable for each other's debts. | But Germany, the Netherlands and Austria oppose any mutualisation of debt, in the form of so-called "coronabonds". Under current EU rules countries cannot be made liable for each other's debts. |
| On Thursday EU leaders are expected to sign off on a new €540bn (£470bn; $575bn) emergency fund to protect European workers, businesses and countries worst affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The details are yet to be worked out. | On Thursday EU leaders are expected to sign off on a new €540bn (£470bn; $575bn) emergency fund to protect European workers, businesses and countries worst affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The details are yet to be worked out. |
| Italy and some others want the emergency funds to go as high as €1.5 trillion. One plan is to expand the EU budget so that the European Commission can provide much bigger loan guarantees. | Italy and some others want the emergency funds to go as high as €1.5 trillion. One plan is to expand the EU budget so that the European Commission can provide much bigger loan guarantees. |
| French President Emmanuel Macron has lined up with Italy and Spain on the issue, warning that this crisis threatens the very existence of the EU. Italy, Spain and France - in that order - have the highest European death tolls from Covid-19. | French President Emmanuel Macron has lined up with Italy and Spain on the issue, warning that this crisis threatens the very existence of the EU. Italy, Spain and France - in that order - have the highest European death tolls from Covid-19. |
| On Thursday German officials said coronavirus cases nationally had risen to 148,046, and the number of deaths linked to Covid-19 had risen by 215 to 5,094. | On Thursday German officials said coronavirus cases nationally had risen to 148,046, and the number of deaths linked to Covid-19 had risen by 215 to 5,094. |
| Mrs Merkel said "it's the biggest challenge since World War Two, for the life and health of our people". | Mrs Merkel said "it's the biggest challenge since World War Two, for the life and health of our people". |
| She urged "maximum discipline", to avoid stop-start lockdowns. | She urged "maximum discipline", to avoid stop-start lockdowns. |
| "We must not waste what has been achieved already," she said, praising the efficiency of Germany's healthcare system and the armed forces' assistance in the national effort. | "We must not waste what has been achieved already," she said, praising the efficiency of Germany's healthcare system and the armed forces' assistance in the national effort. |
| Her government's decisions in this crisis "have no historical model", she said. | Her government's decisions in this crisis "have no historical model", she said. |
| "The question of how we can prevent the virus from overwhelming our health system and subsequently costing the lives of countless people, this question will for a long time be the central question for politics in Germany and Europe." | "The question of how we can prevent the virus from overwhelming our health system and subsequently costing the lives of countless people, this question will for a long time be the central question for politics in Germany and Europe." |
| She said Europe must strengthen its capacity to produce specialised medical kit, instead of depending on global supplies, which are now very stretched. | She said Europe must strengthen its capacity to produce specialised medical kit, instead of depending on global supplies, which are now very stretched. |
| She also called the World Health Organization an indispensable partner in the fight against the virus. President Donald Trump has suspended US funding of the body. | |
| "I know how difficult the restrictions are, it's a challenge to democracy, it limits our democratic rights," she said, adding that democratic transparency, such as a free press, helped to make the situation tolerable. | "I know how difficult the restrictions are, it's a challenge to democracy, it limits our democratic rights," she said, adding that democratic transparency, such as a free press, helped to make the situation tolerable. |
| "It's amazing how much understanding people have shown for each other," she said. MPs frequently applauded her. | "It's amazing how much understanding people have shown for each other," she said. MPs frequently applauded her. |