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Status: 02/14/2021 01:09 am
On the border with the Czech Republic and the Austrian state of Tyrol, border controls decided by Germany have entered into force. It is not yet clear how things will go with the tens of thousands of travelers.
As of today, stricter entry rules apply to the German border with the Czech Republic and the Austrian state of Tyrol. For fear of the most contagious variants of the corona virus that are widespread there, strict controls are carried out at the corresponding border crossings in Bavaria and Saxony.
According to an ordinance of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, only Germans and foreigners with a residence and residence permit in Germany can enter the affected areas. There are exceptions for geriatric doctors, nurses, and nurses, as well as truck drivers and seasonal agricultural workers. Anyone who wants to go to the funeral of a parent, spouse or child can also enter, as are parents for the birth of their child. The following applies to all travelers: You must submit a negative corona test and first go into quarantine in Germany.
Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has confirmed that entry rules are strictly controlled. “Those who do not belong to one of the few exceptions cannot enter,” Seehofer told “Bild am Sonntag.” Expect delays. “Controls can create wait times here and there. The federal police will not just shake up traffic.” However, the carrying out of controls adapted to the situation to avoid long delays was discussed with the Federal Police.
Bavaria wants exceptions for travelers
The government’s decision had previously caused much criticism, as numerous questions about the entry ban remain unanswered. The regulation for travelers is controversial. According to the new text of the Entry Quarantine Ordinance, Bavaria wants exceptions for cross-border travelers and cross-border travelers if their work is urgent and indispensable for the maintenance of operational processes and this is certified by the employer, the employer or the client. The federal government reportedly continues to ask for the exceptions to be more limited. The exceptions for medical personnel are indisputable, he said.
The Bavarian Prime Minister, Markus Söder, and the State Interior Minister, Joachim Herrmann, want to report today on the new border controls. At the border crossing from Schirnding to the Czech Republic, they meet representatives of the Federal Police and the Bavarian Border Police.
Tirol wants to reduce truck traffic from Italy
The Austrian state of Tyrol has announced that it will reduce truck traffic from Italy starting today to avoid extreme delays and a traffic collapse in Inn Valley. “We will not allow Tirol to become Europe’s car park. For this reason, a regulation will be issued in coordination with the federal government allowing us to carry out checks on the Brenner,” declared Tyrolean Governor Günther Platter and Regional Traffic Councilor Ingrid Felipe on Saturday.
Therefore, the background is the German requirement that truck drivers must register online in advance to enter and they are also required to take a negative Covid test that is no more than 48 hours old. According to Platter, all truck drivers are unlikely to be fully aware of this on the first day of the checks. Therefore, Austria will check the requirements for leaving Tyrol for Germany when entering Tyrol via the Brenner.
Industry sees supply chains at risk
In addition to the Czech Republic and Tyrol, the federal government in Berlin on Friday also classified Slovakia as an area with particularly dangerous virus mutations. The country does not have a common border with Germany. However, there were also protests from the Slovak side. “This measure will cause huge problems and our truckers can hardly be met in practice,” Slovak Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok said, referring to the obligation of truckers to have a negative corona test. Therefore, Slovakia has sent a diplomatic note to Berlin.
German industry warned that multi-border controls could cause a collapse in European supply chains. “There are foreseeable bottlenecks for foreign drivers in Germany, considerable delays when crossing the border and extensive alternative traffic,” said the director general of the Federation of German Industries, Joachim Lang. “Some transports will be completely eliminated, for example, because of a lack of personnel.”
