Top EU lawmaker says German coalition lacks clear message on Belarus

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The new German ruling coalition has not been clear about its view on the standoff with Belarus over migrants that have made their way to the country’s border with the European Union, a senior German conservative member of the bloc’s parliament said.

“I think the coalition agreement is quite vague … having in mind the Belarusian situation, what is happening on the migration side,” Manfred Weber, head of the centre-right EPP grouping in the European Parliament told reporters on Thursday. “I missed … a clear message that you cannot blackmail the European Union, that all these attacks against the European border will be stopped and the German government is supporting this,” he added.

Weber said the government taking over from Chancellor Angela Merkel looks set to take an overall approach of continuity towards the EU, and had spelt out clear positions on China, Russia and the rule of law in eastern European member states. He said, however, the new government should work with French President Emmanuel Macron to give more momentum to the goal of a EU defence union and he wanted to see more commitment from Berlin to cooperation and trade with the United States.

(Reporting by Marine Strauss and John Chalmers)