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Markus Söder sees the federal government on the right track
Photo: Peter Kneffel / dpa
Ambitious goals for the vaccination campaign, introduction of a general compulsory vaccination: In a joint meeting, Chancellor Angela Merkel, her designated successor Olaf Scholz and the Prime Ministers discussed far-reaching measures against the corona crisis. And even if nothing has been officially decided yet, it is now clear how the fourth wave is to be broken. The formal resolutions are to be made at a short-term conference of the Prime Ministers (MPK) on Thursday - the Bundestag is also to become active.
That is quite a remarkable result of a round that was actually only intended to be used for the exchange of information. Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder spoke of a good and productive conversation on Tuesday afternoon after the several hours of switching. "We are heading in the right direction," said the CSU chief. Progress has been made on the subject of general vaccination requirements. Scholz had also given the promise that the old regulations in the Infection Protection Act could be applied beyond December 15.
The designated Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz SPD announced after the meeting a legal regulation for a general compulsory vaccination.
This could therefore be initiated this year.
The MPs should be able to vote freely according to their conscience, said Scholz on the broadcaster "Bild TV".
He justified the project with the necessary protection of the population.
He had also announced the project to the internal group.
One question, however, remains open: Who should coordinate the efforts as a line minister?
The SPD and Scholz are sticking to the plan of not announcing the federal ministers they have appointed until the beginning of next week - i.e. also naming the person who will head the Ministry of Health.
"We'll do an overall performance," said Scholz.
North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst announced a restriction on the number of spectators in football stadiums after the deliberations.
"What matters is: There can and will not be pictures like the one from the weekend in Cologne." The game between 1. FC Köln and Borussia Mönchengladbach was attended by 50,000 spectators in the stadium last weekend.
That had caused a lot of criticism in the face of overburdened intensive care units.
Wüst did not commit to a specific number of possible viewers on Monday.
One will wait for the decisions of the Bund-Länder-Round on Thursday, which will then also be implemented in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Woidke praises "great cooperation"
Brandenburg's Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD) praised the cooperation with the incumbent and the future federal government in the corona pandemic.
After the top-level discussion between the federal and state governments, Woidke said that there was "great cooperation, great support, so that we will not get a break in fighting the pandemic".
Everyone is aware of their responsibility, said Woidke.
Everyone also behaved according to their responsibility, so that the change of government "can take place with good organization, without harming the common cause - namely a good pandemic fight."
There was agreement on many points, it was said after the meeting on Tuesday.
Scholz and the Union countries proposed a general vaccination requirement, which the SPD politician wants to have implemented by the end of February.
He also advocated mandatory 2G in retail.
The union and green-led federal states also proposed a nationwide uniform implementation of new corona measures, such as the closure of bars and clubs or audience limits for major events as well as drastic contact restrictions for unvaccinated people.
Kretschmer praises decision for General Breuer
Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) praised the fact that the Federal Armed Forces General Carsten Breuer should head the new Corona crisis team in the Federal Chancellery.
Kretschmer described Breuer's appointment as a "very good decision".
In Saxony, Breuer is known as an important advisor and, as a brigadier general of a tank grenadier brigade, he helped to cope with the flood disaster.
Before Merkel and the Prime Ministers, Scholz had a "national task" in which solidarity with the "highly infection countries" had to be shown.
The countries with lower incidences should accept restrictions that are not directly related to their specific situation.
But that is important for the entire country.
The federal government has set the goal of
administering
30 million vaccinations
by Christmas
, i.e. first, second and booster vaccinations. Scholz had said in the internal group that one could break the wave that way. For this, however, more vaccination options are needed. That is why pharmacists, dentists and veterinarians should be included in the vaccination campaign: "If I understand the Bundestag correctly, it is ready to get it started now," said Scholz about the relevant legal adjustments.
According to Scholz,
access to
facilities, events and also the retail trade
should only be available nationwide for vaccinated and convalescent people, in some cases with additional compulsory testing.
In addition, "clear contact restrictions for unvaccinated people" must be established: Those who have not been vaccinated should only be allowed to meet privately with their own household and two people from another household, with the exception of children under 14 years of age.
svs / asa / ulz / dpa
