Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Luigi di Maio has declared that the state of emergency due to the spread of the coronavirus will continue for a long time, and the economic consequences of the state of emergency can be compared with the damage caused by a war, Financial Times published the foreign minister’s letter Monday.

The emergency linked to the coronavirus has affected each of us. It has changed our habits and created difficulties for the more vulnerable sectors of the population. This will be a long-term state of emergency, the impact and economic consequences of which are similar to those of a war,” he said.

According to the minister, for years, the European Union has always been able to prevent the development of such events by maintaining fundamental principles. He added that the created situation “must give not only Italians, but also all citizens of the European Union something to think about”.