Germany does not intend to compensate the European producers of vegetables affected by the statements pointing to Spain as origin of the E. coli outbreak that has killed 19 people in Europe, said Saturday the German ambassador in Paris.
“Look at the disaster. I think that it is worse than the losses of some producers, moreover not only from your country but from us as well”, said Reinhard Schafers, in an intervention at the radio station Europe 1.
“I can not imagine a financial compensation, because disaster is there. We had to warn people. When this was done, something had been found in some Spanish cucumbers. When you have an information at a specific time, it’s your duty to warn people”, he said.
At least 19 people died in Europe due to contamination with E. coli, but German authorities have acknowledged that the illnesses were not caused by cucumbers imported from Spain. However, producers of vegetables in European countries, and especially Spain, have suffered considerable financial losses.
The origin of bacteria remained unknown Saturday and vegetable producers hope they will be able to obtain compensation.
“It’s not for Germany to do so. We are victims of an epidemic and this is what concerns us now. There are mechanisms at European level for such situations”, added the German ambassador in Paris.