Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz

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May 20, 2020 The proposal by Germany and France on the Recovery fund, 500 billion euros for the countries most affected by the crisis (and which according to Commissioner Gentiloni could end with at least a thousand), will have to overcome the strong doubts of Austria, Denmark, Sweden and countries Netherlands. The proposal should arrive at the EU presidency by 27 May and at the leaders' table by mid-June, but the stance of the Northern European axis, headed by Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, is tough.

In fact, Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden will present a counter-proposal to the Merkel-Macron plan. This was announced by Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz in the Oberosterreichischen Nachrichten newspaper (News from Upper Austria). "We want to be in solidarity with the states that have been hit hard by the crisis, but we believe that the right path is mutual and not contributions," Kurz reiterates. "In the coming days we will present a proposal with a series of ideas. We are convinced that the revitalization of the European economy is possible without a communitisation of the debts". The chancellor says he is amazed at the Merkel-Macron proposal. "It is legitimate for two large states to make a proposal, but the decision must be taken by all EU member states."

Austria's distinctions on the moves of a united Europe also continue on other subjects, such as the reopening of borders. "Opening the border with Italy would be irresponsible". Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said in an interview with the Tiroler Tageszeitung newspaper, answering a question about the possibility of opening the borders between Austria and Italy. According to the head of the Vienna government, it is "very gratifying" that "despite a series of openings, the early and difficult measures implemented to contain the pandemic and the high level of discipline in the population have worked". For this reason, Kurz insisted, in Austria it is possible to start again before other countries that have reacted to the pandemic in a less energetic way than Vienna. "And these countries also have much greater humanitarian and economic damage," he added.