Closed opposition against “free trials” – Coronavirus Vienna

The turquoise-green federal government is likely to fail with its plan to allow the end of the personal crown lock on January 18 through “free trials.” Following the FPÖ, the SPÖ and NEOS also made it clear on Sunday that they wanted to block the project in the Federal Council. A timely entry into force would be impossible, the persistent decision of the ÖVP and the Greens would come too late.

“If new infections do not remain stable below 1,000 by the end of next week, we don’t even need to discuss relaxation,” SPÖ leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner emphasized at a press conference: “This is exactly why. the one that is needed the epidemic law with the proposed amendment. ” not this way. “Instead, you need a smart new testing strategy for Austria. This is the only way to avoid a fourth lockdown with certainty until protective vaccination coverage has been achieved.

The SPÖ also criticizes the focus on the week of January 18-24. The government plans for retailers, restaurants and hotels to be able to reopen on January 18, but access should only be allowed until January 24 with a negative corona test.

The federal government’s proposals do not make sense to Rendi-Wagner: the results of two-week-old tests should also be used, and they want to go far beyond specific entrance tests, for example, for cultural institutions or homes of seniors. “Therefore, the SPÖ will not accept this amendment in this way.” The proposed law issues the government a “legally questionable blank check.” He also criticized the short review period of a few days and the fact that the parliament’s website had collapsed in view of the numerous statements: “These are anything but favorable conditions.”

In any case, the SPÖ faces all discussions, including the round of talks with Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Greens), scheduled for Monday, Rendi-Wagner said. His group wants to accept the extension of the exit restrictions by the main committee because the number of infections is still too high.

NEOS had previously said no. “We don’t want to give this minister any more clearance,” health spokesman Gerald Loacker said at an online news conference. The anchor regularly exceeds the limits imposed by law. What must be decided now amounts to Parliament’s own task.

Loacker also called tomorrow’s appointment with the minister after the short review period “cheek and slap.” “This is a mock conversation,” he said. If the law is not significantly changed and the health minister’s scope of regulation is massively restricted, the NEOS certainly could not agree.

On the FPÖ’s side, Vice President Susanne Fürst called the draft in a broadcast “clearly unconstitutional for various reasons.” Here he mentioned the short review period, but most of all the fact that the possibility of forcing people to take a negative test with them became permanent.

“The measures violated several basic rights: the right to freedom of personal movement, the right to privacy and the basic right to freedom of employment. The principle of equality is also massively violated. All this without even trying to present a factual representation proportionality – that too is clearly unconstitutional, “Prince said.

In view of the threatened sanctions, one could not speak of voluntary participation in the planned mass test. “The bill also violates the principle of legality because the law does not even begin to provide a sufficiently specific legal basis for the Health Minister’s ordinances,” Fürst criticized.