BERLIN (AP) – Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday withdrew plans for a five-day closure in Germany for Easter, prompting confusion and criticism. He said the idea was a mistake and apologized to the Germans.
Merkel announced the decision after convening a video conference in a hurry on Wednesday with Germany’s 16 state governors, who are responsible for imposing and lifting restrictions. The same group had come up with the unexpected plan for deeper restrictions during Easter, which was announced early Tuesday.
The plan was to make next week’s Thursday, the day before Good Friday, a “day off,” with all stores closed, and only allow supermarkets to open on Easter Saturday. Since Friday and Monday are already holidays, this would have created a five-day closure of public life, in addition to the existing blockade restrictions, which were extended until April 18th.
The plan had raised many questions about logistical details, which were still unresolved, and was also criticized because there had been no public discussion on the issue before it appeared in the wee hours of Tuesday after the long haggle.
“The idea of an Easter closure was worked out with the best of intentions, because we urgently need to come to a halt and reverse the third wave of the pandemic,” Merkel said. “However, the idea … was a mistake; there were good reasons, but it couldn’t be implemented well enough in that short time.”
“This mistake is just my mistake,” he told reporters. “You have to make a mistake as a mistake and, above all, correct it and, if possible, it has to happen.”
“At the same time, of course, I know that this whole issue is causing more uncertainty; I am deeply sorry and I apologize to all citizens,” he said.
The number of infections in Germany has increased again as the most contagious variant of the virus first detected in Britain has become dominant in the country.
Germany has recorded more than 75,000 deaths since the pandemic erupted a year ago. The country’s disease control center also reported 15,815 new cases of infection in the past 24 hours on Wednesday; a week ago there were 13,435 new cases.
Merkel said that even without the closing of Easter, the decisions she has made with state governors provide a “framework” for fighting the new wave of coronavirus infections.
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