Merkel

On the occasion of the upcoming virtual Berlin Process Summit, scheduled for Monday, hosted by Germany, in a video message on Sunday, Merkel said she was happy, although it would only be a virtual meeting, which would allow her to continue working with the heads of state and government of the Western Balkans, launched in 2014 as part of the Berlin process at Germany's initiative.

France, Germany and other European countries demanded answers on May 31 following reports the U.S. spied on its allies using Danish underwater cables, as questions mounted over whether Denmark knew about the operation.

Angela Merkel has performed a U-turn on plans to put Germany under a hard lockdown over Easter following a critical backlash, describing the decision to close churches and shops over a five-day period as a "mistake".

Addressing the Bundestag, Merkel said that vaccination is progressing better and better, that the number of infections is declining.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned the public to stay vigilant during the "difficult" winter ahead, saying that 2020 was the toughest year of her tenure. She also confirmed she will not seek reelection in 2021.

"I don't think I am exaggerating when I say that never in the past 15 years have we all experienced such a difficult year," she said in the annual address that is broadcast to millions of people.

Prime Minister Ludovic Orban had a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday, with the discussions aimed, among others, at the situation of Romanian seasonal workers in Germany.

The head of Angela Merkel's cabinet told local media that she does not think the plans of the German Chancellor not to run for a fifth consecutive term have changed, BNR reported, citing Reuters.

Helge Braun's statement comes after an article in the Bild newspaper that Merkel might have changed her decision to step down.

The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented challenge. Overcoming it in the EU, which is highly integrated, is impossible without coordinating efforts, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said in a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The two discussed measures to combat COVID-19. Germany is interested in the protective clothing and equipment manufactured in Bulgaria.

Chancellor Angela Merkel in a rare nationally televised address today urged all German citizens to help fight the spread of the coronavirus by sticking to rules aimed at reducing direct social contact and avoiding as many new infections as possible.