Strong criticism of the turquoise green government shutdown draft – coronavirus –

The Austrian government wants to present new measures on Saturday to contain the increasing number of coronavirus infections in the country. Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) wants to inform the public at a press conference (4.30 pm) in Vienna. Before that, he meets with the heads of the federal states, as well as with the opposition and the federal president. The planned measures and from when they will be applied initially were left open.

Many media speculate on a partial blockade similar to the German measures. In addition, according to the media, nighttime restrictions on going out are a matter of debate. On Friday, Austria, which has a population of just under 9 million, recorded a record 5,627 new cases in 24 hours, more than 1,000 cases up from the previous day’s high. The government warns of an imminent overload of hospitals.

says in his opinion on development. From mid-September at the latest.

– Erich Neuwirth (@neuwirthe) October 30, 2020

In a draft regulation already in circulation on Friday, the de facto closure of restaurants and hotels is scheduled for late November. This is regulated, as in the spring, through “entry bans”, for which there are only a few exceptions. In addition, an exit restriction limited to ten days between 8:00 pm and 6:00 am is being considered.

During this time, you should only be allowed to leave the apartment under the five exceptions set out in the Covid 19 Measures Act, which include emergencies, work, shopping, and outdoor recreation. As of Thursday night, entry bans are also included in the draft for many leisure facilities and sports facilities if there is physical contact.

The well-known government draft for tough new crown measures has come under heavy criticism from the SPÖ and FPÖ. SPÖ federal director Christian Deutsch spoke of a “democratic political scandal” and a mockery of parliament and the social partners. The leading deputy of the federal FPÖ party, Manfred Haimbuchner, saw a “political declaration of surrender by a federal government that was overwhelmed at all levels.”

Deutsch was particularly concerned about the early publication of the draft regulations. The consultations with the social partners and the opposition scheduled for Saturday are thus apparently only “mock talks” to get the procedure approved; for the federal director general of the SPÖ, a “deeply authoritarian approach of the Turkish People’s Party”. In a broadcast, Deutsch calls on the ÖVP, in view of the dramatic development, to finally put an end to these “unworthy power plays” to overcome the crisis together.

For Haimbuchner, the well-known closing draft is “the declaration of bankruptcy of a government that would rather indulge in political-partisan power games than assume its political responsibility and simply never lived up to its task.” Haimbuchner already considers the “failure” of the government, which allowed eight months to go unused, “a matter of national security.”

NEOS education spokesperson Martina Künsberg Sarre addressed the following appeal to the federal government: “The government’s goal should also be to prevent the closure of kindergartens and schools. Both are important places for young people to socialize. the smallest of us can take part in the discussions The social partners and opposition parties are not left behind. Austria has to follow the example of Germany, where kindergartens and schools remain open. ”

The closure in spring caused a lot of problems for students and parents, said Künsberg Sarre.

Therefore, the NEOS education spokesperson demands: “The objective of the measures should not only be to maintain medical care, but also to focus on the education and care of our children.”

After a meeting with the government, the social partners called for complementary measures for the next second “blockade”. The president of the Chamber of Labor, Renate Anderl (SPÖ), declared after an hour-long conversation that she was ready to support the measures. At the same time, he insisted that schools remain open and workers receive special attention time. The president of the Chamber of Commerce, Harald Mahrer (ÖVP), calls for faster compensation for entrepreneurs this time.

ÖGB President Wolfgang Katzian (SPÖ) said after the meeting that the government had not yet presented a concrete catalog of measures. Katzian said he had not yet seen the draft ordinance that was already in circulation at the time. However, like Anderl, he filed the lawsuit by the workers’ representatives for a legal right to special care leave for parents.

Additionally, Katzian again insisted on a “Thousand Crown” for employees. “These are the people who are supposed to work now.” That too should be honored. Also, there is a need for protection for employees in the home office. Anderl also hopes that the government will steer towards the German package of measures and that therefore schools and kindergartens will remain open.

Mahrer demanded swift, bureaucratic compensation for industries affected by the shutdown so companies wouldn’t have to wait months to get the money back. He did not consider the closure of the restoration necessary, but could not make this decision for the government, said the president of the Chamber of Commerce. In any case, a delivery period is necessary so that companies can adjust to the measures.

National supermarket chains have prepared for higher customer demand due to the expected tightening of the crown measures. Stores are full, food retailers said in an APA broadcast.

“Our warehouse, purchasing department and all processes are well prepared for increased demand, we can supply all markets regularly and with all products,” said Spar spokeswoman Nicole Berkmann. Spar has been seeing generally higher demand for “a few days.” At Rewe (including Billa, Merkur, Penny) they have also adjusted to higher demand. “As a precautionary measure, we increased stocks and allocations,” Rewe said. At the moment “there are hardly any inventory purchases”.

Discount store Hofer sees no cause for concern either. “We can reassure our customers that overstock purchases are not necessary because our warehouses are well stocked and we can respond very quickly to increased demand for individual items on short notice,” Hofer said. There are “some items, like flour, yeast, or toilet paper, that are in somewhat higher demand these days.”

The Lidl discount store feels well prepared, too. “Our warehouses are full. There is enough food and hygiene items in Austria and we will ensure supply to the population as usual, even in a situation that has recently deteriorated,” said Lidl Austria boss Alessandro Wolf. “Even if we all face difficult weeks here again, there is no reason for buying hamsters or uncertainty.”

During the first crown lock in Austria around March 13, there were massive inventory purchases. For a short time there were partially empty shelves, for example for toilet paper, pasta and canned food. In general, however, supermarkets were able to meet the increasing demand from customers at that time. Sometimes army employees would help out at the grocery store.