Angela Merkel is hailed as a wonder, the world stays alert for the next Brexit blunder, and burglars in Parliament make off with MEP plunder
You can’t possibly have missed it! On Wednesday, Germany took over the rolling EU presidency and in Berlin the Brandenburg Gate was lit up to mark the occasion.
With those beautiful pictures from the #BrandenburgGate marking the start of the 🇩🇪 #EU Council Presidency we would like to thank our friends at @EU2020HR for all the hard work under the most difficult conditions during the last six month. Hvala vam puno! #EU2020DE pic.twitter.com/bN5V1zh30g
— EU2020DE (@EU2020DE) July 1, 2020
Cue lots of Twitter throwbacks to 13 years ago, when Germany took over the Presidency of the Council. And Angela Merkel was Chancellor. Plus ca change!
13 years ago, Germany took over the Presidency of the Council.
And Angela Merkel was Chancellor.Today starts @EU2020DE .
And Angela Merkel is Chancellor. pic.twitter.com/0KprD4BfX5— reuwind (@reuwind_) July 1, 2020
You don’t need to speak French to wear the crown tweeted Jack Parrock
You don’t need to speak French to wear the crown.
— Jack Parrock (@jackeparrock) July 1, 2020
As David Carretta dubbed Merkel Queen Europe
Queen Europe pic.twitter.com/5IEvg0e5Ul
— David Carretta (@davcarretta) July 1, 2020
Sadly the QueenEurope parody account was curiously silent on the matter. C’mon satirists, step up your game!
Meanwhile Jennifer Rankin said it was hard to think of a politician more different to Boris Johnson as Merkel told the Bundestag that “Progress in Brexit talks is, to put it cautiously, very limited.”
Angela Merkel has told the Bundestag that Germany and EU must be prepared for no-deal. "Progress in talks is, to put it cautiously, very limited." via @Reuters
Hard to think of politician more different to Boris Johnson who was talking last month about outline deal in July.
— Jennifer Rankin (@JenniferMerode) July 1, 2020
And speaking of Brexit, at midnight on Wednesday the option for the United Kingdom to extend the transition period expired.
David Allen Green urged people to BRACE for the worst on 31 December as
there are currently no alternative arrangements in place.
Midnight
The option has now expired for the United Kingdom to extend the Brexit transition period
The transition period will now end, by automatic operation of law, on 31 December 2020
There are currently no alternative arrangements in place
Brace, brace
— david allen green (@davidallengreen) June 30, 2020
However Brexiteer Lance Forman thinks that calls for a celebration.
The thirtieth day of the sixth month of the twenty-first year of the twenty-first century is now over.
There will be NO EXTENSION to the #Brexit transition period.
That calls for a CELEBRATION. pic.twitter.com/9BTvpThdKR
— Lance Forman (@LanceForman) June 30, 2020
Femi said that Boris Johnson’s NewDeal sounds a lot like turning the UK into a corporate tax haven post Brexit.
Boris Johnson's #NewDeal sounds a lot like turning the UK into a corporate tax haven post Brexit.#BorisJohnsonSpeech pic.twitter.com/Dr9OkY8Q4W
— Femi (@Femi_Sorry) June 30, 2020
And this, folks, explained Berlaymonster is the real reason the EU is insisting on the Level Playing Field.
And this, folks, is the real reason the EU is insisting on the Level Playing Field.
No state aid rules, no check on tax advantages… https://t.co/KvwQVX3VWK
— Berlaymonster (@Berlaymonster) June 30, 2020
Finally this week, pilfering in the Parliament!
At least 50 MEPs had their offices burgled while the building was virtually empty, during lockdown.
Thieves had an easy time of it, said Dave Keating, but how’d they get in, when even journos and assistants couldn’t enter, he asked.
As MEPs return to their offices in EU Parliament this week, many are finding they've been burgled.
Thieves had an easy time of it while parliament was mostly closed the past 4 months. But how'd they get in, when even journos and assistants couldn't enter? https://t.co/KvPpBj3ehO
— Dave Keating (@DaveKeating) July 2, 2020
MEP Nico Semsrott exposed the thievery on YouTube, but said that neither the European Parliament nor its president, David Sassoli, seems to care.
My parliamentary office was broken into – and so were at least 50 others.
Neither the European Parliament nor its president, David Sassoli, seems to care.
¯_(ツ)_/¯
(Now with english subtitles!)@Europarl_ENhttps://t.co/L1sAJ2xmmZ
— Nico Semsrott (@nicosemsrott) June 30, 2020
Before distributing some amusing security signs.
Inspiriert von @nicosemsrott neues Sicherheitssystem in meinem Büro in Brüssel installiert. pic.twitter.com/mV93JfYKDp
— Terry Reintke (@TerryReintke) July 1, 2020
Thank you @nicosemsrott for these security signs. It’s finally safe in the @Europarl_CS ! #LOL pic.twitter.com/WxGs1jgjRy
— Tomáš Zdechovský (@TomasZdechovsky) July 1, 2020
The thieves mostly made off with tablets, computers and other valuables, but papers were rifled through as well
Leading Sam Morgan to query:“Where did you last see your right to legislative initiative?”
“Where did you last see your right to legislative initiative?”
— Sam Morgan (@SamJamesMorgan) July 1, 2020
Spoof account Martini Seltzermayr was unmoved: thieves have been taking items from within MEPs’ offices, desks and skulls for “weeks if not years” he said.
BREAKING: thieves have been taking items from within MEPs’ offices, desks and skulls for “weeks if not years”, sources say pic.twitter.com/Xtd7w65abv
— Martini Seltzermayr (@mseltzermayr) July 1, 2020
