Coronavirus in Europe. Spain, Sanchez asks for a state of emergency until June 21st
2020-05-31T11:12:12.994Z
In Spain, Premier Pedro Sanchez intends to ask Parliament for a further two-week extension of the state of emergency until 21 June. El Pais reports it, reporting that, after that date, the government will no longer impose restrictions on citizens' freedom of movement. The announcement was made by the premier this morning during a video conference with leaders of regional governments, in which Sanchez said that the lockdown will end on June 21st. The coronavirus death toll in Spain, according to data released yesterday, is 27,125, with a steady decline in daily deaths. For hundreds of Belgians hoping to spend time with French friends and relatives after nearly three months of confinement, the sunny holiday weekend turned out to be a sad disappointment. While families with ties in the Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg were able to cross borders and reunite, the French border remained closed. Belgian travelers without written reasons justifying entry into France were rejected by the French police, despite an announcement by their government authorizing shopping or family trips. There are those who had to go back in tears not having been able to visit their elderly parents this time either. "The police officer told us that there had been no coordination between the French and the Belgians," said a witness of the misfortune at the border, before the 100 kilometer journey to return to Brussels. The European Commission had attempted to coordinate the EU response to the global pandemic, but health measures are the responsibility of the Member States and the once largely borderless blockade is now a patchwork of regulations. "Since this morning, over 100 vehicles have had to reverse the border," confirmed a French police officer in the border town of Saint-Aybert. "We have not received new orders, so we execute those of before," he clarified. According to the rules of the French lockdown, travelers must have a signed declaration explaining the urgent need, such as an essential, cross-border work mission or accompanying a child to a parent in joint custody. However on Friday, the Belgian Interior Minister, Pieter De Crem, announced that from Saturday the Belgians will be able to visit their loved ones or simply shop in neighboring countries. Luxembourg welcomed him and travelers traveled smoothly through Germany and the Netherlands, but nobody seems to have told France.
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May 31, 2020 In Spain , Premier Pedro Sanchez intends to ask Parliament for a further two-week extension of the state of emergency, until June 21. El Pais reports it, reporting that, after that date, the government will no longer impose restrictions on citizens' freedom of movement. The announcement was made by the premier this morning during a video conference with leaders of regional governments, in which Sanchez said that the lockdown will end on June 21st. The coronavirus death toll in Spain, according to data released yesterday, is 27,125, with a steady decline in daily deaths. For hundreds of Belgians hoping to spend time with French friends and relatives after nearly three months of confinement, the sunny holiday weekend turned out to be a sad disappointment. While families with ties to the Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg have been able to overcome borders and be reunited, the border of France remained closed. Belgian travelers without written reasons justifying entry into France were rejected by the French police, despite an announcement by their government authorizing shopping or family trips. There are those who had to go back in tears not having been able to visit their elderly parents this time either. "The police officer told us that there had been no coordination between the French and the Belgians," said a witness of the misfortune at the border, before the 100 kilometer journey to return to Brussels. The European Commission had attempted to coordinate the EU response to the global pandemic, but health measures are the responsibility of the Member States and the once largely borderless blockade is now a patchwork of regulations. "Since this morning, over 100 vehicles have had to reverse the border," confirmed a French police officer in the border town of Saint-Aybert. "We have not received new orders, so we execute those of before," he clarified. According to the rules of the French lockdown, travelers must have a signed declaration explaining the urgent need, such as an essential, cross-border work mission or accompanying a child to a parent in joint custody. However on Friday, the Belgian Interior Minister, Pieter De Crem, announced that from Saturday the Belgians will be able to visit their loved ones or simply shop in neighboring countries. Luxembourg welcomed him and travelers traveled smoothly through Germany and the Netherlands, but nobody seems to have told France.
