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Vienna: The crowned borders between Germany and Austria will be fully opened on June 15. This was announced by the Federal Chancellery on Wednesday. Starting Friday, there will only be random border checks, the Chancellery confirmed the two-stage opening process outlined on Tuesday by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Seehofer said that starting Saturday all crossings at the borders with France, Austria and Switzerland should be used again. Instead of systematic checks, there would only be “random checks” there. The Swiss border will also be open from June 15.
📽 video | Local inspection at the border crossing in Tirol
Briefly satisfied, the Swiss border will be open from June 15
Chancellor Kurz was pleased to see the planned border openings with Germany starting June 15. Kurz is also currently working on a similar solution with Switzerland and Liechtenstein. There are also talks with neighboring countries in the east.
“We have agreed with Germany that we want to fully open the borders between Austria and Germany from June 15,” said the chancellor after the Ministerial Council meeting in Vienna, which was followed by a press lobby for the first time since the end. of exit restrictions.
📽 video | The borders with Germany and Switzerland open on June 15.
Switzerland and Liechtenstein are in contact “to achieve a similar procedure,” Kurz said. There is also “very intense contact” with neighboring eastern countries.
The Swiss Department of Justice and Police (Ministry) in Bern had previously confirmed to the Keystone-SDA news agency that the Swiss border with Austria and Germany would be opened on June 15. The condition for this is that the development of the pandemic remains positive, it was said on Wednesday.
There is no prospect for Italy
Kurz said that due to the infection, there was no possibility of opening a border with Italy. It is clear that some states like Italy are in a special situation. Therefore, a different approach is necessary there. In view of the still very high contagion numbers “there are no prospects of opening the borders soon”.
“I don’t see the basis for this at the moment.” The head of government also did not want to name a possible time horizon: “We are not all fortune tellers.” Basically, he again pointed out that the government is happy with everyone who spends their holidays in Austria.
© APA
In the announced easing of border controls with Germany starting Saturday this week, Kurz said that thereafter all border crossings should be usable.
The group of people for whom the transfer will be possible will be expanded somewhat, for example to include couples living in different countries. There will also only be random checks.
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Dish: opening edge “important message”
Opening the borders between Germany and Austria is for Tyrolean Governor Günther Platter (ÖVP) a “significant message for the entire industry”. “This is the biggest support for tourism in Tyrol. Planning is now possible,” Platter said in the Tyrolean state parliament on Wednesday.
The governor also announced “massive tests” of employees in tourism companies for the next time. This is necessary to ensure the safety of the guests. In the case of a positive Corona case, the foreign host should be quarantined in the future in their home country, Platter said.
Bilateral agreements are needed here. In the case of Germany, a federal working group is currently working on such an agreement. Interior ministers, foreign ministers, and health ministers are involved.
📽 video | Confusion on the Bavarian border
Several small border crossings have already been opened
Already on Wednesday, several smaller border crossings between Bavaria and Austria were opened for travelers and residents. Upper Austria is about the Grenzberg-Hinteranger / Vorderanger and Voglau border crossings, which will now be open every day from 7 a.m. at 8 p.m., and Bad Füssing-Obernberg (6 a.m. at 8 p.m.).
As announced by the Home Office, the Salzburg border crossing at Großgmain-Bayerisch Gmain will also be opened, but only for travelers living or working in these two municipalities or in Bad Reichenhall. According to German information, the Reit im Winkl-Kössen and Oberjoch-Schattwald border crossings should be opened for Tirol. Additionally, there will now be other border crossings available to farmers and foresters.
Border closings from mid-March
Austria had closed its borders to virtually all neighboring countries in a few days in mid-March to inhibit the spread of the coronavirus. Starting with Italy, foreign citizens could only enter with a negative coronavirus certificate, while people with permanent residence in Austria had to commit to a two-week home quarantine. Meanwhile, regulations have been relaxed a bit, for example for family visits, but also for travelers. For foreign workers, such as nurses, separate transports were arranged, including tests. (APA, TT.com)
