Ski resorts, European stop? From Bavaria ok to the Italian line, Austria against. Macron: “I can’t open during the holidays”

The debate on the closure of the ski resorts during winter to prevent a new acceleration of infections. After the prime minister Giuseppe Conte announced that he is working on a “community initiative“To prevent snow vacation across the continent, sparking protest from the Alpine arc regions that are already working at the start of the season, the Bavaria supported the line of a shared choice: “I would prefer a single agreement at European level: there are no open elevators anywhere or there is no vacation anywhere“The president declared Markus Soeder. The head of the Elysee is even clearer Emmanuel macron: “It seems to me impossible imagine an opening for the holidays. Better orient yourself for a reopening during the month of January“He announced on live TV, talking about a”query ongoing with the government “and with”neighbor countries“. L ‘Austriainstead, he rejects the proposal. “I cannot agree with the Italian initiative. In Austria there will certainly be a winter tourism“, Declared the Minister of Tourism Elisabeth koestinger. If skiing were imposed directly by Brussels, the requirement is that at least one compensation to the sector It employs more than 700,000 people.

The objective is to avoid repeating scenes like those in March, when the crowd on the slopes accelerated the first wave of Covid. The president of the Higher Health Council is also convinced of this Franco Locatelli, according to which “I current numbers they don’t make one compatible reopening hypothesis because it would mean exposing the whole country to a resumption of the epidemic curve“. A European concertation, he adds,” is absolutely basic“The reason is clarified by the Director of Prevention of the Ministry of Health. Gianni rezza, who spoke at a press conference in Rome. “There is a need for European coordination because if the Italian ski lifts close but not the others, many could go abroad. In this matter we must be very cautious and avoid risky situations, because optimism about the effects that they have had so far can lead us relax too much“Ultimately, the fear is that winter holidays will have the same consequences as summer holidays. Rezza is aware that around skiing” there are strong deal“, But warns:” We must remember that last year between February and March we saw many sugli skylift file and many infected people left the spas feeding sprouts Coming home. exist risk conditions“.

The fact is that the Palazzo Chigi proposal is still being debated in the EU. In Austria (in emergency shutdown until December 6) the Minister of Tourism assures that “tour operators will have a extensive security protocol, the apres ski, that is, night entertainment and fun in the ski resorts, for example will not be allowed“According to him, the responsibility for infections should not be attributed exclusively to tourism and public establishments. The Minister of Finance Bluemel he speculates that a stop would weigh approximately 2 billion euros and therefore proposed direct funds that the state could redistribute to interested companies or a reduction of the contribution that Austria pays to the EU. Bavaria’s president Soeder is quite different, aligned with the position of the Italian government. “If we want keep borders open, we also need a clear agreement on skiing. Otherwise, it is difficult to continue ”.