The German president quotes Bergamo and asks for solidarity with Germany: “We are strong only if our neighbors are strong” – La Stampa

“Germany cannot get out of the strong and healthy crisis if our neighbors don’t come back strong and healthy.” To make an appeal for European cohesion is the President of the country who least of all seems to show understanding for the difficulties of states like Italy which, in these difficult days, coronavirus emergency, struggle with the health crisis and the need not to sink the economy. It is German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier who speaks to the nation on Holy Saturday exceptionally, and his words have amazed and gone around the Union. In fact, he usually gives his speech live to Germany once a year, at Christmas. But the period is particular, and his country is accused by many of being deaf to the demands of Southern Europe. And then, “30 years after the Reunification and 75 after the end of the war”, Steinmeier calls the Germans to solidarity with other neighboring peoples and indeed, even more, invites them to take help as a commitment. According to Steinmeier, in fact, the coronavirus crisis will cause significant changes in our European societies: “I think we are now at a crossroads,” said the German president, the pandemic is not a war, but a “test of our humanity”.

Covid-19 rediscovers the “vulnerability of our states and economies,” he continued. “Maybe we believed too long to be invulnerable, that we could have gone faster, higher, even further. It was a mistake.” The possible directions of our common future were clearly outlined: “Each for itself, outside the “elbows, bringing your flock to safety? Or will the commitment just awakened towards others and towards society remain, all the creativity and availability that we have brought out?”.

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The Holy Saturday speech, therefore, was an invitation, indeed a call for Germany to think of economic instruments that are not too oppressive for the states such as Italy, France and Spain, most affected by the coronavirus, so that economies can restart collectively. Steinmeier has chosen the opposite line from that of the French president, Emmanuel Macron, who will speak again to the nation on Monday evening, and who on March 16, in a martial appeal to his fellow citizens, had uttered the word “war” four times. «We Germans are not simply called to show solidarity with Europe, we are required to do so! – continued his colleague from Berlin -. At this time, there are no nations opposing other nations. There are no soldiers against soldiers. It is a test of humanity. We show other people the best that is within us. And please also show it to all of Europe, let’s show the best part of us ». The Social Democratic President then addressed a thought to the many people who died “in our country, in Bergamo, in Alsace, in Madrid, in New York and in many other places in the world. These images pain us. We mourn for those who die in solitude “, and made an appeal to the States for the vaccine:” The poorest countries in the world, which are the most vulnerable, should have the same access to treatment, when there will be “. Steinmeier had called our president, Sergio Mattarella, on the phone yesterday morning before the recording of his speech, and had assured him of Germany’s solidarity in the difficult situation facing our country, moreover worried by the arm wrestling in Brussels on MES, Eurobonds and other economic packages to support the recovery economy.