Europe Nations In Controversial Lockdowns
By Stefan J. Bos, Special Correspondent Worthy News
(Worthy News) – Governments in several European countries have tightened coronavirus restrictions ahead of Christmas despite mounting protests and upcoming vaccines.
The Netherlands even entered a five-week lockdown, with non-essential shops, theatres, and gyms all closing. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte speaking from his office in a live televised address to the nation competed for attention with anti-lockdown protestors outside.
He said the demonstrators did not understand the coronavirus’s seriousness, which he regards as more severe than a tough flu. The measures came while neighboring Germany announced it would enter a hard lockdown from Wednesday after the number of infections hit “record levels.”
In Hungary’s capital Budapest, a Worthy News reporter earlier witnessed heavily armed soldiers taken up positions in several streets. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán asked the army to help impose a night curfew and other measures to battle the pandemic.
Budapest’s mayor has criticized the presence of troops prompting an angry response from mayor Gergely Karácsony. “Along with many, I also don’t know what the goal was of the counter-terrorist units patrolling the empty city “in full armor,” he said.
“Not fear-mongering and threats, rather honest talk free of political slogans and false propaganda is the way to achieve people’s cooperation” he added.
Elsewhere in Europe, France lifted its lockdown, but widespread measures remain in place with authorities saying the infection rate is still high. Italy, Spain, France and Britain are among the countries that claim to have recorded the highest number of cases during the pandemic.
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