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In a joint press conference, Pamela Rendi-Wagner (SPÖ) and Beate Meinl-Reisinger (Neos) make five demands on the government before approving the regulation. FPÖ club boss Herbert Kickl announced that he would reject the measures in parliament.
One or another measure that the government will announce today will need parliamentary approval. The turquoise-green government is trying to get the opposition to join a large majority. That is why the Federal Chancellor, Vice Chancellor and Minister of Health will invite the parliamentary parties to a videoconference today at 3:00 p.m. But a deal with the opposition seems difficult: SPÖ leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner describes it as a “professional video conference”. Together with Neos boss Beate Meinl-Reisinger, she makes five demands. Otherwise, there will be no approval from the SPÖ and Neos, the two party leaders announced. But this is not absolutely necessary anyway. And the head of the FPÖ club, Herbert Kickl, also spoke immediately before the conference: the government’s dealings were “a mockery of parliament.” Immediately after the meeting, Kurz will appear in front of the media. “You cannot change a period or a comma.”
But back to the SPÖ and Neos and their joint appearance: “I don’t expect much from video conferencing,” says Rendi-Wagner. Integration is too late, an hour-long meeting is too short, new suggestions, ideas and concerns can no longer be incorporated. After all, a press conference to announce the measures was scheduled for 4.30pm. “This is not an honest participation of Parliament.”
The boss of Neos sees it similarly. The fact that the media was informed first and only after the federal president, the states and the parliamentary groups was “completely unacceptable”. The government has only “stumbled from press conference to press conference” for weeks. There have been “dramatic omissions” in recent weeks.
“Collateral damage cannot be denied”
Basically, both the SPÖ and the Neos see the need to act in light of the increasing number of infections. However, they are partially satisfied with the announced restrictions. Because, as Rendi-Wagner put it, the “dramatic social and economic consequences” must also be taken into account. According to Meinl-Reisinger, a balance is needed between protecting the healthcare system from overload and protecting the economy and jobs. “Because collateral damage cannot be denied.”
Therefore, the two party leaders provide five demands in:
- Quick and unbureaucratic compensation is needed for businesses.
- Schools and kindergartens must remain open.
- Nursing homes and retirement homes should be specially protected.
- You should not give up contact tracing, that is, contact tracing.
- And transparency is needed.
The last point in particular took up a lot of space at the press conference. The government still does not provide enough data. The Agency for Health and Food Safety (Ages) even has a muzzle. “That is unacceptable for parliamentarism, democracy and transparency,” said Beate Meinl-Reisinger. It is not yet known where exactly the clumps form and in which areas there is a high risk of infection.
In this sense, some of the announced measures are incomprehensible. The night curfew, for example, is “a measure that corresponds to martial law” and therefore “a disproportionate reduction,” Meinl-Reisinger said. Nor can they understand the closure of cultural institutions. “I would like to see the evidence.”
Both the heads of SPÖ and Neos have spoken out against the closure of educational institutions. A closure of the upper classes is currently being discussed. “We are destroying gigantic opportunities here,” says Meinl-Reisinger.
Herbert Kickl speaks of a “deception maneuver”
FPÖ club boss Herbert Kickl shared, unsurprisingly, a bit tougher. He initially criticized the fact that the Chancellor had personally invited social partners and media representatives to a meeting on Friday. Kurz will also report personally to Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen. But he only invited parliamentary parties to a video conference. “All this is a single deception, there can be no question of participation.”
Kickl also rejects the content of the measures. He spoke of “pure arbitrariness”. Why you can visit churches and mosques but no longer go to the inn is completely incomprehensible. He also had some other questions for the Chancellor and Minister of Health: “Why did he lie to the population?” Until recently, Sebastian Kurz said there were no exit restrictions. And Rudolf Anschober responded negatively to the question of a planned shutdown.
Therefore, the FPÖ will reject the measures in the main committee.
(jn / ib)
