Germany defends Covid border curbs

Published February 23, 2021

A German minister has defended the latest border restrictions as necessary to curb the spread of more contagious variants of the coronavirus as the EU faces a fresh wave of disjointed travel curbs.

“These measures obviously put a massive strain on border regions, commuters and the transport of goods and the single market, but the protection of our citizens is paramount,” German Europe Minister Michael Roth said ahead of talks with his EU counterparts, Reuters reported.

He indicated, however, that Germany was trying to prevent on its border with France restrictions akin to those in place on the Czech and Austrian frontiers.

German border police officers check a car at the A17 motorway near the Czech-German border after controls between Germany and the Czech Republic have been re-established. — Reuters/File
German border police officers check a car at the A17 motorway near the Czech-German border after controls between Germany and the Czech Republic have been re-established. — Reuters/File

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