BERLIN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th April, 2020) The COVID-19 pandemic has become the greatest challenge for the European Union since its foundation, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at a press conference in Berlin on Monday.
"From my point of view, Europe, the European Union is facing the greatest challenge since its foundation. This is a big challenge for the health of our population, population of all EU member states, because everyone is equally affected," Merkel said.
The chancellor added that the eurozone finance ministers would hold a meeting on Tuesday to develop proposals for how support the economies of European countries against the background of the pandemic.
"We can see how connected our economies are and what happens if the free exchange of goods is not ensured. Therefore, there can only be one answer: more Europe, stronger Europe, well-functioning Europe in all its parts, that is, in all its member states," she concluded.
Merkel also told reporters that in case of deterioration of the situation with COVID-19 in Germany, the government could support the idea of obliging people to wear face masks, noting that it was crucially important to use protective masks in a proper way.
According to the chancellor, it is impossible today to determine an exact date when the restrictive measures imposed in Germany to curb the COVID-19 pandemic could be lifted.
To date, more than 1.2 million people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, of whom some 70,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. Europe is currently the most-affected region in the world.
