According to the Russian News Agency reported on the 23rd, German Chancellor Angela Merkel admitted that sometimes the color of the clothes she wears will be related to certain political signals, and pointed out that after she stepped down as German chancellor, "a new era is beginning."
German Chancellor Angela Merkel Infographic Source: Visual China
Asked in an interview with Germany's Suddeutsche Zeitung, Merkel replied, "Sometimes [the color of the clothes is linked to political signals]." She also said she was not prepared to give her clothes to the museum, "the clothes will be sent to the clothes recycling station that donates old clothes for those in need." I do this on a regular basis and don't leave my clothes for the museum."
In the interview, Merkel also explained why she always avoids saying the term "immigration crisis." She said, "Yes, that's true. In principle, I avoid using the term because refugees are not a crisis for me, but human beings. In her view, the mistakes associated with the influx of illegal immigrants "were committed long before the fall of 2015 ,the peak of the migrant crisis."
Merkel added, "Obviously, there are issues that have nothing to do with me. Merkel's name is sometimes associated with the influx of refugees into Germany. "Everything I do is something that's been done, it's been done," she says. ”
Image source: Visual China
Merkel lamented, "The political climate in this country [referring to Germany] has become more harsh. When I was prime minister, I didn't have a smartphone yet. Social media Facebook has only been available for a year, and Twitter will be released a year later. We live in a world where the media has completely changed, and this [political climate change] has to do with it. ”
In addition, Merkel said that as early as 2001, when Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke in the German Bundestag, she realized that there were serious differences with Putin. Merkel said, "I have always been very clear that as early as 2001 when he [referring to Putin] addressed the German Bundestag, I realized that there are major differences between us. For the Russian president, the collapse of the Soviet Union was a sad thing, but on the contrary, we were happy for the end of the Cold War and the reunification of Germany and Europe. ”
Merkel and Putin Infographic Source: Visual China
She went on to say, "But when I took office [as Chancellor of Germany], I couldn't even imagine him annexing Crimea and such a military conflict in eastern Ukraine – actually right next to the European Union. ”
Merkel also argues that despite Germany's wealthy status, Germany's role in the world is declining because of a "radical change in the balance of power" in the international community. "When I became chancellor, China's GDP was $2.3 trillion, slightly lower than Germany's $2.8 trillion," Merkel said. Today, China's GDP is $14.7 trillion, and our GDP has grown to $3.8 trillion. To that end, we should strategically and intelligently build our relationships. Today, we must continue to work to maintain our importance. Now, she argues, "every effort must be made to find a path that unites Europe."
Putin's speech in the German Bundestag on September 25, 2001, recalled the long tradition of Russian-German relations, the contribution of Germans to Russia's economic and cultural development, and talked about ensuring global security and other issues. (Editor: HHJ)