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WEATHER

Tourists ‘should brave flood mosquitoes’

Grab a bottle of mosquito repellent, a German minister urged on Monday, and head on down to show solidarity with Germany's worst affected flood regions for your holidays this year.

Tourists 'should brave flood mosquitoes'
Photo: DPA

A current plague of mosquitoes swarming over flood plains along the recently-flooded Elbe, Mulde or Donau rivers should not deter holiday-makers from the disaster regions, German Finance Minister Philipp Rösler told the Neue Presse newspaper on Monday.

“To those who haven’t booked a trip yet, I would recommend a visit to these regions,” said Rösler. “It will surely not only be a beautiful holiday, but at the same time is solidarity in practice.”

His comments received thanks from regional tourism groups, which had in places seen visitor numbers drop by up to 50 percent after last month’s flooding discouraged tourists from taking a riverside holiday this year.

“[Rösler’s comments] will really help us,” Lauenburg-based tourism manager Ulrike Sindermann told the paper. Business has been terrible in the Schleswig-Holstein town since it was swamped in June when the Elbe river burst its banks.

Yet most of the damage has long been cleared up, said Sindermann, leaving her wondering where everyone is.

The flood – the worst seen in the country for over 500 years – has hit the German tourism industry hard. Not only did it destroy hotels, campsites and restaurants right at the beginning of the season, but has also in many regions given rise to a plague of mosquitoes.

“One could talk of a massive plague in the flood regions on the Donau and Elbe. There, even during the day you get attacked by hundreds of mosquitoes and can hardly stay outside,” said Norbert Becker, scientific director of the German Mosquito Control Association (Kabs) told Die Welt on Monday.

The Local/jlb

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BERLIN

Disruption on roads in Berlin as farmers stage fresh protest

Farmers in Germany launched fresh protests in Berlin on Friday to call for the government to support agriculture, resulting in disruption across the city.

Disruption on roads in Berlin as farmers stage fresh protest

Berlin police said there were “considerable traffic disruptions” across the city and the outskirts and especially around Straße des 17. Juni, the government district and the Bundesrat .

Since Thursday morning, Straße des 17. Juni and other streets around the government district in Berlin-Tiergarten have been closed. There will also be closures on Leipziger Straße between Wilhelmstraße and Leipziger Platz through Friday.

A planned rally is due to take place from 12 noon to 5pm on Friday with tractors and lorries around Platz des 18. März, near Brandenburg Gate. 

The action is being held to protest the government’s agricultural policies.

It comes as relief measures – including reduced bureaucracy and tax relief for farmers – went to the Bundesrat on Friday to be voted on as part of the Growth Opportunities Act.

However, farmers are still pushing for their original demand of fully keeping the agricultural diesel subsidy.

READ ALSO: Analysis: Why are German farmers so angry?

Farmers in Germany have been staging similar protests against the policies of the government since the start of the year.

Where are protests taking place?

Here’s a look at the routes farmers are expected to take in Friday into Berlin where disruption will occur:

Frohnau: From the state border via B96 Berliner Straße, Roedernallee, Lindauer Allee, Residenzstraße, Markstraße, Schulstraße, Luxemburger Straße, Föhrer Straße, An der Putlitzbrücke, Stromstraße, Lessingstraße, Altonaer Straße and Großer Stern to Straße des 17. Juni

Lichtenrade: From the state border via the B96 Kirchhainer Damm to Tempelhofer Damm and then via Mehringdamm, Hallesches Ufer, Reichpietschufer, Klingelhöferstraße, Hofjägerallee and Großer Stern to Straße des 17. Juni

Mahlsdorf: From the state border via the B1/5 to Alexanderstraße and then via Karl-Liebknecht-Straße, Unter den Linden, Wilhelmstraße, Dorotheenstraße, Scheidemannstraße, John-Foster-Dulles-Allee, Spreeweg and Großer Stern to Straße des 17. Juni

Staaken: From the state border via B5 Heerstraße to Theodor-Heuss-Platz, Kaiserdamm, Ernst-Reuter-Platz, Straße des 17. Juni and Großer Stern to Straße des 17. Juni.

As we’ve already. mentioned, there will also be road closures on Leipziger Straße between Wilhelmstraße and Leipziger Platz.

Farmers at the Straße des 17. Juni early morning on Friday in Berlin in a demo for better agricultural policy.

Farmers at the Straße des 17. Juni early morning on Friday in Berlin in a demo for better agricultural policy. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jörg Carstensen

A large police presence was in place around the federal ministries and parliamentary buildings.

“We are taking preparatory measures before the farmers’ rally so that parliamentary work can take place smoothly on Friday,” said a spokesperson for the Berlin police on Thursday. 

During previous demonstrations, tactics – such as throwing manure and blockade attempts – have been controversial. 

On one occasion in January more than a hundred farmers blocked a ferry port as Economics Minister Robert Habeck tried to return from a holiday with his wife on the North Friesian island of Hooge.

According to media reports, some of the protestors tried to storm the ferry that the Habeck and his wife were on, preventing the Green Party politician from disembarking and forcing police to intervene. 

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