Germany plans to gradually open its EU borders on Saturday

The German government has approved measures to gradually ease border controls, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said, according to the DPA.

The agency notes that this is happening at a time when EU countries are working to restore free movement in the union in the middle of next month.

The Luxembourg border will be the first to open after it was decided not to continue border controls after the current deadline on Friday, the German interior minister told reporters in Berlin.

He added that talks were being held with Denmark to open its border with Germany “once the Danish government has completed consultations with neighboring countries.”

According to France, Switzerland and Austria, Germany decided to keep its borders with those countries closed until June 15, after the originally scheduled deadline expired this weekend.

Austria and Germany reopened their borders on June 15

Germany closed its borders on March 16 and only allowed travelers for good reason such as truckers, cross-border workers, and doctors. Seehofer said there were discussions about adding other groups to the list.

Under the plan, Germany will reopen all of its border crossings, with controls, after many of them were completely closed in recent weeks.

These inspections will also be eased slightly, with federal police conducting on-site inspections rather than systematic checks, the interior minister said.

He stressed that the implementation of the plans will depend on whether data on the infection continues to show progress in the fight against Germany and its neighbors against the new coronavirus.

Restrictive measures against the pandemic in the last two months have practically eliminated the tourism sector, which directly or indirectly generates around 10 percent of the EU’s economic product.

However, the European Commission said today that EU countries could reopen their borders with other member states for the tourist season if the coronavirus epidemic is under control and their health systems are well prepared, the DPA notes.

Almost 800 new cases and 101 victims of the coronavirus in Germany

The EU’s external borders will remain closed until June 15 if the 27-nation bloc joins the Commission’s council last week.

Although the decision to facilitate border controls is in the hands of all EU countries, Seehofer noted that such measures would only make sense in coordination with neighboring countries.

French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner announced today that France will maintain control of the border with Germany until June 15, although there will be some relief measures to facilitate people who have to cross the border regularly, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.

Novini.bg gives you the opportunity to follow the latest facts about deadly coronavirus in real timeme: