Söder advocates the closure of ski areas across Europe – Coronavirus –

Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) supported the Italian initiative to keep ski areas in the Alps closed during Christmas. “If we want to keep the borders open, we also need a clear agreement on skiing. Otherwise, it will be a difficult development,” he said. “I would prefer that we have a uniform agreement at the European level: there are no ski lifts open anywhere and no vacations anywhere,” said the Bavarian politician.

South Tyrol extreme mountaineer Reinhold Messner, for his part, believes Europe should not make the mistakes of summer during the Christmas season because this would lead to another wave of epidemics. “After the first wave of epidemics, Europe and the regions gave in to economic pressure. The result was an explosion of new infections,” Messner said in an interview with the Roman daily “La Repubblica”. “The best gift that the institutions gave their citizens for Christmas.” You have to show that you set priorities. First health and school and then the rest, ”Messner said.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte had a conversation with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday about anti-Covid requirements to be taken during the Christmas season. Conte has plans to possibly close the ski slopes during the Christmas period and thereby take action against the corona pandemic. Urges that ski holidays be banned throughout Europe.

The northern regions of Italy are protesting against the government’s plans in Rome to close the ski slopes during the Christmas period. Measures and regulations have been drawn up “that allow the normal start of the ski season in complete safety,” Veneto President Luca Zaia told the Milan daily “Corriere della Sera”. Austria is also not happy with Rome’s plans.

If Rome decides to ban ski holidays during the Christmas holidays, this should apply to all of Europe. “You cannot ban skiing in South Tyrol and allow it in Carinthia, that would be unacceptable,” said Zaia. The mayor of the famous mountain town of Cortina in the heart of the Dolomites, Gianpietro Ghedina, warned of the dramatic effects of the ski holiday ban on the local economy. “The world of skiing is connected to hotels, restaurants and shops. Mountains live off skiing. The Christmas holidays account for 30 percent of the ski season. If we were to close during the Christmas holidays, this would be devastating.” Ghedina told radio station RTL 102.5.

The Italian Hotel Association is also concerned that Italy may unilaterally ban skiing at Christmas. That would only lead vacationers to move to other countries. “So we give tourists to our neighboring countries like Austria, Switzerland and France, while we have to remain closed,” protested the president of the Italian hotel association Federalberghi, Bernabo Bocca, according to the Italian news agency ANSA.

The head of the association calculated the losses for the Italian hotel industry in the black epidemic of 2020 at 14,000 million euros. This corresponds to a decrease compared to 2019 of 57 percent. The prospects for 2021 are not positive either.

Italy’s health authorities are pushing for skiing to be banned across Europe at Christmas. “If Italy bans ski holidays but ski facilities in Austria, France or Switzerland are open, the problem will not be solved,” said the director general of the Ministry of Health, Gianni Rezza. The president of the Supreme Council of Health in Italy, Franco Locatelli, said that in view of the high number of deaths and infections in Italy, it was not possible to open the ski facilities.

Rome’s decision to ban skiing at Christmas stirs little joy in Austria. Finance Minister Gernot Blümel and Tourism Minister Elisabeth Köstinger (both ÖVP) immediately demanded money from Brussels in case there was a ski ban at Christmas. Chamber of Commerce president Harald Mahrer sees no obstacles to Christmas skiing in Austria. The green-led Ministry of Health is reluctant.

“I can’t win anything with the Italian advance,” said Köstinger (ÖVP). “Winter holidays in Austria will be safe. Our companies already have comprehensive safety concepts for ski holidays. There will be no après-ski this year, for example,” he assured him. Tourism and gastronomy are not responsible for the high number of infections, he defended his industries. If the EU thinks of restrictions, it must offer compensation to the companies concerned. The tourism and leisure industries directly and indirectly secure jobs and income for around 700,000 people.

Finance Minister Blümel said: “If the EU really wants the ski areas to remain closed, it will cost up to 2 billion euros. If the EU really wants that, it will have to pay for it.” Blümel suggests direct transfers to the federal government, which would then be distributed to interested companies, or a reduction in payments from the Austrian EU by this amount.

The Ministry of Health expressed its hope and you will see. “Our common goal is to dramatically reduce the number of infections and, therefore, the number of hospitalizations, as well as the use of intensive care beds in the coming days and weeks. If we succeed, they will follow the initial steps, which will be accompanied of comprehensive protection measures. Can be established depends on the development of the number of infections. The focus is on health protection, “he said.