Brussels, 21/08/2002 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder said that the battle by his government against the floods was the greatest operation since the Second World War and that he feared an increase in the number of victims. 50,000 soldiers, border guards and experts have been deployed to fight against the floods, which have caused 17 deaths with 25 unaccounted for. Mr Schröder welcomed the outside aid, not only from EU partners but also from Russia and the USA.
The tax reform report by the German government following the floods over recent days will not have a lasting impact on the economy, according to the President to the Bundesbank, Ernst Welteke, during an interview published in the Die "Zeit" newspaper on Thursday. He also reaffirmed that that a higher level of public debt would not be justified in view of the EU Stability Pact (see other article).
The Austrian foreign Affairs Minister, Benita Maria Ferrero-Waldner will be meeting her Danish counterpart, Per Stig Moeller (Acting President of the Council) in Copenhagen on Thursday. They are expected to discuss the Danish Presidency's priorities, as well as the situation in Central Europe after the floods.