Burgundy white wine, Belgian chocolate... EU leaders gave Merkel a 66th birthday gift
[Global Times reporter Aoki] According to a report from the German weekly "Focus" on the 21st, July 17 is the 66th birthday of German Chancellor Merkel. On this day, as the prime minister of the rotating EU presidency, she presided over the EU summit in Brussels. On the day of the summit, the leaders of the European Union gave Merkel birthday gifts one after another, and these birthday gifts have their own meanings.
Data map: German Chancellor Merkel. Photo by China News Agency reporter Peng Dawei
French President Macron and Luxembourg Prime Minister Bettel gave the country’s specialties-Burgundy white wine and sparkling wine, respectively, in the hope that Merkel would enjoy her birthday. The President of the European Commission Von der Lein gave her a box of Belgian chocolates, which means life is sweet and sweet. Bulgarian Prime Minister Borisov presented a bottle of rose essential oil to wish Merkel forever young and beautiful. In contrast, the gift of Lithuanian President Nauseda is more symbolic. What he gave is a baton, which means that he hopes Merkel will command the EU well. The gift from the Portuguese Prime Minister Costa is also very meaningful. It is the representative work of the late famous Portuguese writer Saramago and the Nobel Prize winner Saramago, "The Story of Blindness". Costa hopes to remind Merkel that, as the prime minister of the EU's rotating presidency, he will surely rescue Europe from the crisis of the new crown epidemic.
German government officials said that Merkel celebrates her birthday this year. In fact, the gift she most hopes for is that EU leaders can approve the 750 billion euro recovery fund and trillion euro budget on her birthday, but the agreement was not passed on that day. After four days and four nights of hard work, Merkel finally received the belated "gift" on Tuesday.