According to Armin Laschet, Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, “numerous problems” arose during the planned “Easter rest” - he is now emulating Tübingen Mayor Boris Palmer.
NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet praises Chancellor Angela Merkel's (CDU) surprising “Easter break”.
Ordering meat or baby food would have caused problems, said the CDU chairman.
"We need Tübingen everywhere", explains Laschet moreover - and announces a corona easing model project for NRW.
Aachen wants to apply.
Update from March 24th, 7.42 p.m.:
After Easter, NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet and his cabinet want to introduce corona easing on a trial basis in selected municipalities.
The state government intends to carry out the project for a limited period with an IT-supported test concept.
They should start in five to six cities and counties.
Now, Aachen, the first city, has announced that it wants to submit its application for the test project.
According to Michael Ziemons, head of the health department in Aachen, they are already well prepared.
"We now have well over 100 public test centers, pharmacies and medical practices that offer the citizen test," said Ziemons.
The municipal health department also meets the technical requirements.
"We already use shared software for the test centers and can therefore start testing quickly and easily."
Corona in NRW: Laschet stands behind Merkel's Easter turnaround and announces a relaxation model project
First report from March 24th, 3:38 pm:
Düsseldorf - "We can't go on like this" - NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet (CDU) calls for a new style of government.
The resolutions of the so-called “MPK” (Prime Minister's Conference) with Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) on Monday disappointed the people, Laschet confessed self-critically on Wednesday in the Düsseldorf state parliament.
Probably the political hit this Wednesday: Merkel withdrew the planned "Easter rest" in the corona pandemic.
"The regulation by a federal ordinance is now not intended for the holidays," confirmed Laschet.
This was decided in the MPK, which was set up at short notice, the NRW state chief informed the parliament.
Laschet on Merkel's "Easter break" turn in the Corona crisis: "We all agreed to it"
After a legal review by different ministries, numerous problems would have emerged in declaring Maundy Thursday and Holy Saturday to be rest days.
"That was a mistake in this form and so unenforceable," admits Laschet.
For example, there were problems with the supply chains for meat or baby food.
Laschet said that the withdrawal of the controversial resolutions was good for the political culture in Germany.
“We all agreed to this.” Laschet appealed to the population to allow as much Easter rest as possible.
Corona in NRW: Laschet praises Tübingen - and wants to transfer the model to other regions
But: “Just closing has reached its limits,” says Laschet.
His state government therefore wants to relax the corona requirements in selected NRW municipalities after Easter - coupled with an IT-supported test concept.
The temporary model projects are to be implemented in five to six cities and districts.
This made it possible to “get out of this permanent cycle of lockdown”.
It is still unclear where exactly the concept will be rolled out.
The Baden-Wuerttemberg city of Tübingen with nationwide rapid tests serve as a model.
For a week now, cinemas, theaters and restaurants with outdoor areas have been allowed to reopen there with the project “Open with Safety”.
"We need Tübingen everywhere," said the Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia.
"We have to learn to implement this with us."
The federal and state governments cleared the way for these model municipalities with their resolution on Monday.
According to this, "temporary model projects" should be possible in individual regions.
(dpa / AFP / frs)
