“Bizarre”, says Vera Tax, MEP for the PvdA. “This is indeed preferential treatment for MEPs. Vaccination is only done on the days when Parliament is in Strasbourg. Side effects of the vaccine are not taken into account. The risk is that employees and MEPs will not enter the building after vaccination because they have elevation and can’t work at all.”
“I don’t think I’m the only one who is very angry about this. If there are more people there is still a chance that it will turn, and Strasbourg will still be called off.”
‘Better only after the summer to Strasbourg’
Samira Rafaella of D66 also finds it “irresponsible” to travel to Strasbourg during a pandemic. She believes that the President of the European Parliament has yielded to French pressure to meet there again. She herself does not go to Strasbourg. “I can also do my work online just fine. And no, I haven’t been vaccinated yet, but wait for my shot until it’s my turn.”
Esther de Lange, MEP for the CDA, does not want to go to Strasbourg either. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s better to go to Strasbourg after the summer. The corona situation makes it far too complicated that you should want this next week.”
“As a European Parliament, we have said very consciously: we do not want priority for members over Brussels residents, and with this French offer it will come,” said De Lange. “Also in order to avoid such discussions, it is better if we do not go to Strasbourg next week.”
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