Austria opens its borders to all of its neighboring countries. Just not to Italy. Whether this really only has the health policy reasons put forward by Vienna can be doubted. A comment by Merkur editor-in-chief Georg Anastasiadis.
In the Corona year, Vienna missed few opportunities to mess with the left-wing government in Rome: first the conservative chancellor had the border to Italy cordoned off without warning, then he made himself the mouthpiece of the "frugal four" against Roman financial wishes , and now he is opening all borders to Austria 's neighboring countries - only not to Italy.
The reasoning sounds a little flimsy: there are still too many new corona infections south of the Brenner Pass. Really? In fact, Italy, which was brutally affected at the beginning of the epidemic, now counts no more new infections than Germany after the toughest lockdown in Europe. Germans, however, are again very welcome in Austria, the country of tourism, and contrary to previous announcements, even now. Apparently, the curious race for wealthy holidaymakers, which got underway overnight in Europe, also triggered hectic activity in the Vienna Chancellery.
It is difficult to see anything other than an unfriendly act towards the southern neighbor, whom the tourists want to be snatched away, in the decision that Austrians can now travel freely everywhere again, only not to neighboring South Tyrol. For a country that is responsible for the corona scandal itself, even with Ischgl, this is not the fine way. Such selfishness is not good for Europe, which has been wounded by the corona crisis. After all: Bavarian travelers passing through to Bolzano or Lake Garda allow Austrian border guards to transit. But only gritting her teeth, as one may assume.
