German chancellor Angela Merkel has called on the EU to close all ski resorts over Christmas and New Year in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus, putting her on a collision course with Austria.
In a statement to the Bundestag, Ms Merkel appealed to people to avoid all tourist travel. “The skiing season is approaching, [and] we will push for a vote in Europe to close all ski resorts,” she told MPs.
She acknowledged, however, that an EU-wide ban would be difficult to achieve because Austria, whose winter sports industry is a key pillar of the economy, was opposed to the idea. Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Wednesday it was “not a matter in which the EU should interfere”.