Mitsotakis teleconference with Merkel, Draghi, Costa, Michel, Von der Layen on the subject of the pandemic and the vaccination certificate. [ Ссылка ] The chancellor reportedly told a closed-door meeting of conservative lawmakers that Germany is already in a "third wave," and warned against a hasty reopening.

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Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made his proposal for the introduction of a European vaccination certificate that, when epidemiological data allow the relaxation of travel restrictions to facilitate safe travel, during a teleconference he held on Tuesday with EU leaders. of the European Council meeting of 25 and 26 February.
The main topic of discussion was tackling the pandemic and coordinating the Member States of the European Union, in the light of the latest developments in health and the issue of vaccine distribution.

Mr. Mitsotakis also reiterated the importance of the rapid licensing of new vaccines by the competent Community institutions, always with respect for all safety protocols but without bureaucratic obstacles.

The teleconference was attended by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, Antonio Costa, Prime Minister of Portugal, which holds the six-month Presidency of the EU Council, the Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel and Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi.

The leaders also exchanged views on the issue of Turkey in the run-up to the March 25th and 26th European Council.

We don't just work for Germany! Draghi's fury at Merkel over eurozone policies

MARIO DRAGHI lashed out against German Chancellor Angela Merkel, as he defended the European Central Bank's independence after criticism from Germany that rock-bottom euro interest rates were hurting savers and fuelling right-wing nationalism.

The former President of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, has been sworn-in as Italy's next Prime Minister. Mr Draghi, a prominent economist, accepted the top role on February 12 and later that day read out a list of ministerial picks designed to create consensus among political parties. Italy's government crisis was triggered in January when former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's Italia Viva party withdrew its support from the coalition, amid a row over how to spend the €200billion plus that Rome is poised to receive from the EU’s coronavirus recovery fund.

The expectations that Mr Draghi will be able to reverse Italy’s fortunes are therefore as high as the stakes.

Among his first major tasks will be to accelerate a vaccination programme as Italy strives to emerge from the coronavirus pandemic, which has so far left 93,000 people dead.

At the same time, he will be expected to rescue the economy from its worst recession since World War 2.

If he prevails, Mr Draghi is likely to bolster the entire eurozone, which has long fretted over Italy’s perennial problems.

As EU leaders all watch the next steps of the former President of the European Central Bank (ECB), a newly resurfaced interview with Mr Draghi has resurfaced, which sheds light on his relationship with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

In 2016, a war of words broke out between Berlin and the ECB, as the pair came to blows over how to save Europe's ailing economy.

As sentiment between the two reached an all-time low, Mr Draghi told German politicians to stop meddling after they publicly criticised ECB actions.

Mr Draghi said: "We have a mandate to pursue price stability for the whole of the eurozone not only for Germany.

"We obey the law, not the politicians, because we are independent as stated by the law."

The outburst came after German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble blamed the ECB for the declining popularity of Mrs Merkel's ruling party.

He said the bank was causing "extraordinary" problems for Berlin and was in part to blame for the rise of the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD).

The ECB had slashed interest rates further, a move which was hammering German savers, but the Bank was faced with the more pressing problem of a struggling eurozone economy.

Mr Draghi had also unleashed a fresh round of quantitative easing, injecting billions of pounds worth of cash into the economy in a bid to kick-start growth.

Former German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel also blasted the move, stating the policy had reached its limits.
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