VILNIUS: French President Emmanuel Macron called Tuesday for the European Parliament to return to its seat in Strasbourg as soon as possible after meetings were moved to Brussels amid the coronavirus outbreak.

"I strongly defend the idea that the European Parliament should meet in Strasbourg," Macron told students in Vilnius on the second day of a Lithuanian visit.

"If we accept that the European Parliament meets only in Brussels we are screwed, because in ten years everything will be in Brussels. And people will be talking only among themselves in Brussels. This is not the idea of Europe," he insisted.

On Monday, European Parliament speaker David Sassoli said MEPs will not be returning to Strasbourg just yet, despite a plea from Macron for an October 5-8 session to be held in the usual place.

The parliament has its headquarters in the eastern French city, where MEPs usually based in Brussels travel every month for 12 plenary sessions a year.

These have been held exclusively in Brussels, where the parliament also has a chamber, since March due to concerns over spreading the virus.

Sassoli said Monday that parliament's return to Strasbourg had been agreed "once the conditions allow".

This would not be next week, however, "given the increased rate of transmission of the virus in France, including in Bas-Rhin" where Strasbourg is located.