[ad_1]
“A green passport is needed for anyone who is vaccinated or who has had Corona and is therefore immune, or who has taken a new test,” Kurz said Wednesday in Vienna. Without a European solution, the project will be “tackled at the national level”. Although Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Greens) reacted cautiously, there was strong criticism from the FPÖ.
Kurz made his proposal public on the eve of the EU online summit, where he wants to address it. “We need the freedom to travel back within the European Union,” Kurz told reporters. A Green Passport for the whole EU could “provide a good basis to spend the summer properly”. Israel already has a similar system, insofar as it “hopes” “that we will also implement it in Europe.” Technically, it is easy to do. It should be a digital solution: everyone should be able to identify themselves with their mobile phone.
- Video: EU Summit – Kurz asks for a green crown passport in Europe
Kurz emphasized that he had already spoken with numerous EU officials, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, about this proposal. When asked about the reserves of some EU countries, he said that he “hopes to be able to break the reserves of the states as quickly as possible.” Fight for a European solution. “If it is unsuccessful, of course we will tackle this project nationally and try to find a common path with as many states in the neighborhood and beyond as possible.”
“He wants to go back to normal life”
Kurz emphasized: “We all want our normal life to return as soon as possible. We want the freedom to travel back within Europe, whether for business or pleasure, and above all we want the opportunity to go to cultural events, restaurants and hotels. to be able to go in and enjoy that too. ” Returning to normal in the summer is “absolutely realistic”.
Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Greens) declared himself on “Puls24” for a European vaccination certificate on Wednesday evening. The issue – the passport as “a door opener for unequal treatment in society, as is the case in Israel” – is an “ethical and highly political issue” and a “passionate discussion” that will take place. Anschober added that “if we want that it also depends on how large the proportion of those vaccinated is.” In an APA interview, Anschober had previously stated that a decision on relief for vaccinated people, as in Israel, would not be made in Austria before April.
SPÖ leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner was equally cautious on the question of possible freedoms for vaccinated people. “When I hear now that four percent of the population is vaccinated, (…) we all want to be vaccinated. As long as only four percent have the opportunity to do so, because the organization is very slow and vaccines are not yet available, the discussion does not arise, “he explained in the interview with” Puls24 “. Because that would be a disadvantage for those who want to vaccinate, but could not. In addition, scientific data would have to clearly show that a vaccinated person would not transmit the virus. the city of Vienna, Peter Hacker (SPÖ), said in “Puls 24” that a “deep discussion” should take place on whether there should be restrictions for unvaccinated people because there are many contagious diseases that “would never happen to anyone . “to do something like that.” It’s a real taboo, “Hacker said.
“Mandatory tests, mandatory vaccination, mandatory labeling”
The opposition FPÖ harshly criticized the chancellor’s decision. “Mandatory testing, mandatory vaccination, mandatory labeling. ÖVP Chancellor Kurz cannot get out of the dream of popular surveillance,” FPÖ-EU spokeswoman Petra Steger said in a broadcast on Wednesday night. The National Council member called Kurz’s argument that he wanted to achieve maximum freedom in this way as “frankly grotesque”, especially since it involved “total surveillance by the Crown.”
The virtual summit of EU heads of state and government on Thursday (starting at 3:00 p.m.) will revolve around coordination in the coronavirus pandemic and the procurement of vaccines. The topics will be faster approval procedures and an expansion of production capabilities through closer cooperation between manufacturers. In the debate over a vaccination certificate across Europe, some countries are reluctant. Germany and France fear unequal treatment of vaccinated and unvaccinated people, as long as not all citizens can get vaccinated. Others note that it is not yet clear whether a vaccine also protects against transmission of the virus.
