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The opposition is furious over the “freestyle” bill on the confinement. The turquoise green government’s approach was “a bottomless cheek and an attack on basic democratic principles,” FPÖ chief Herbert Kickl said on New Year’s Day, venting his anger. The SPÖ also criticized it, because the review period was “extremely short”. The NEOS also place “a contempt for parliament.” Together, the opposition parties could put the change of law in the Federal Council in the background.
AUSTRIA. The opposition parties are angry. On the last day of the year, the ÖVP and the Greens sent an amendment to the Law of Epidemic Measures and Covid for evaluation. The change in the law is intended to allow the government’s plan to “try for free” outside the lockdown. It stipulates that people with a negative Corona test will be able to access shops, restaurants, and hotels starting January 18. Those who have not been evaluated cannot enter until January 24.
Exceptions for “free trial”
The amendment introduced Thursday allows people with a negative test and all those who have survived crown disease in the past three months to be exempt from exit restrictions. However, the details about this must first be regulated by the corresponding ordinances. The law is now under review until January 3 and should take effect on January 18 before the planned end of the third shutdown.
The opposition could delay the law to the point of futility
But together, the coalition opposition parties could spit in the soup. All three have the option of delaying the law in the Federal Council so long that it would be practically useless due to the timing. The FPÖ has already announced that it will delay the law in the Federal Council. SPÖ and NEOS left their focus open.
“We will now examine the bill and then evaluate its content,” said SPÖ Deputy Chief Jörg Leichtfried of the APA. “But one thing must be said: in view of the fact that it may contain constitutionally sensitive provisions, the review period is once again extremely short.” Furthermore, it must be taken into account in principle that the infection rate is always the decisive factor in corona measures. If the numbers are still too high by the end of next week, “there is no need to discuss easing.”
Kickl: “Contestants for democracy and parliament in power politics”
FPÖ club president Kickl harshly criticized Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) and Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Greens). In one broadcast, he described the two as “despisers of power politics in democracy and parliament.” He also called on Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen to “press the stop button and finally put an end to the continuing autocratic course of the ÖVP Chancellor”. Kickl also called for an extension of the review period to January 15 and a health committee at the National Council that includes a hearing of experts. The draft was “the most massive invasion of Austrian fundamental rights and freedoms to date,” Kickl emphasized.
Should there be advantages to “free trials”?
NEOS: “A contempt for parliament”
The NEOS were also outraged, describing the post on New Year’s Eve and the short review period as “an indifference to Parliament.” In addition, the specific design of the crash-free test and the question of controls have yet to be resolved, deputy club chief Nikolaus Scherak told the APA.
“The opposition parties cannot seriously examine a law, the most important parts of which are unknown, because they will be introduced later by ordinance in the future.” Well-done and planned tests could be a logical step out of the hard lockdown, Scherak said, “but the way the government is planning it doesn’t seem well thought out.” Therefore, the announced regulations will be awaited. Only then can the next steps be agreed in the National Council and the Federal Council.
Control “unreasonable”
Who should actually check corona negative tests in practice also seems to have been completely unclear. Chancellor Kurz recently called health authorities. However, this was ruled out by the city of Vienna. “Of course not,” Health Councilor Peter Hacker’s (SPÖ) office told the ORF. Therefore, a deployment of police assistance will be requested. Then they should be tasked with verifying the findings on the bars. Everything else is “unreasonable”.
The law allows “free trials” and blocking exceptions
