Corona summit: Despite fierce criticism from the country leaders - Scholz is sticking to the relaxation of the corona virus

Created: 03/18/2022, 04:52

By: Bedrettin Bölükbasi, Cindy Boden

The federal and state governments discussed the corona situation and the Ukraine war with the consequences for Germany at the MPK.

News ticker.

• The federal and state governments have come together for a Prime Ministers' Conference (MPK).

  The range of topics is wide

  .

  There were already many demands in advance

  (see update from March 17, 2:05 p.m.).

• The escalated Ukraine conflict * also plays a central role here

  (see update from March 17, 2:05 p.m.)

  .

  Scholz and Wüst have promised the refugees quick help

  (see updates from March 17, 5:24 p.m. and 5:47 p.m.).

• Wüst criticized the planned change in the Infection Protection Act

  (see update from March 17, 5:55 p.m.).

• This

  news ticker for the Prime Ministers' Conference

  is continuously updated.

Update from March 17, 6:23 p.m .:

The press conference after the Prime Minister’s conference between the federal and state governments has ended.

It mainly dealt with dealing with the arrival of refugees from Ukraine.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia Hendrik Wüst and Berlin's Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey emphasized the common challenge of financing the accommodation of refugees.

Accordingly, the federal and state governments want to face this task together and share the burden.

The refugees arriving from Ukraine were promised quick help.

The corona pandemic receded into the background for the first time in this MPK due to the Ukraine war.

Here, Wüst criticized the draft of the Infection Protection Act presented by the traffic light government under Scholz.

MPK with Scholz: Chancellor considers vaccination to be "required unchanged" - emphasizes Germany's NATO task

Update from March 17, 6:19 p.m .:

When asked about compulsory vaccination, Chancellor Scholz emphasized that, especially with a view to new waves next autumn and winter, it was still “necessary”.

Update from March 17, 6:16 p.m .:

The speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi “moved” him, says Chancellor Scholz.

It is something different than personal conversations when the Ukrainian President gives a speech in front of the German Bundestag.

Ukraine and its president would decide for themselves what was right and wrong for them.

In this context, Germany has a major task.

This task will continue to be carried out.

According to Scholz, Germany must also make a contribution to strengthening NATO.

The Chancellor refers to the package for the Bundeswehr in the amount of 100 billion euros.

MPK: Scholz ready to change the Infection Protection Act again, if necessary - "we'll see"

Update from March 17, 6:12 p.m .:

In response to a question about criticism from NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst on the Infection Protection Act, Chancellor Olaf Scholz replied that it had been agreed in any case that, with a view to further monitoring the situation, the law could be changed further at any time ready: "So we'll see."

Update from March 17, 6:05 p.m .:

Giffey announced that the Ministry of Defense would move 80 soldiers from the Bundeswehr to the large Ukraine arrival center in Tegel.

The soldiers would help there with registration, coordination and distribution.

"You have to imagine there will be 200 buses arriving there every day," says Giffey.

This is a major coordination effort.

Thank you for the support from the federal government.

Update from March 17, 6 p.m.:

Franziska Giffey now speaks.

Similar to Wüst, she emphasizes with regard to the refugee situation from Ukraine that the situation is different from 2015. There are good prerequisites "to do better this time".

Now you can integrate people better than in the past and lessons have been learned from the past.

She gives details of the working group announced by Scholz.

A systematic solution for a fair distribution of the burden and financing will be developed there.

In the end, there should be an “overall financing concept”.

In contrast to 2015, the course is now being set at the beginning of the crisis.

also read

New corona plan causes explosives: confusion about hotspot definition

From March 20, certain corona measures should only be possible in hotspots.

But even the federal government should not be in agreement about the regulation.

New corona plan causes explosives: confusion about hotspot definition

Corona rules: This applies to offices, restaurants and hotels from March 20th

Distances, masks or access rules: what kind of corona protection will actually still be necessary at work or in restaurants from March 20?

An overview.

Corona rules: This applies to offices, restaurants and hotels from March 20th

MPK: Wüst with open criticism of the traffic light’s draft law on protection against infection – “practically not feasible”

Update from March 17, 5:55 p.m .:

Wüst is now talking about the pandemic.

He also points to rising numbers.

Basic measures and a short response time are required to combat the pandemic.

In this context, Wüst criticizes the traffic light government's draft law, which brings the "exact opposite".

It is far too complicated, has long procedures and high hurdles, such as basic protective measures such as distance and masks.

The regulations are "legally uncertain" and "practically impracticable".

This is particularly the case for the hotspot rule.

The federal government "designed the law without the early involvement of the states".

Update from March 17, 5:49 p.m .:

In the current refugee crisis in Ukraine, Wüst sees a difference to 2015: “Here come women and children.

This is different from 2015.”

It is therefore necessary to ensure that these women and children “come into decent homes”.

Fast and concrete help is now "the order of the day," says Wüst. 

Ukraine refugees: Wüst calls for concrete agreements with the federal government - "safe and welcome"

Update from March 17, 5:47 p.m.:

Those who flee from Putin’s war are “safe and welcome” in Germany, Wüst appeals to refugees from Ukraine.

Helping the refugees is an "enormous" and "national" task.

It can only be tackled jointly by the federal, state and local governments.

States and municipalities would strive for additional capacities and need support.

The federal government has “fundamentally acknowledged its shared financial responsibility”.

Now concrete agreements are needed, says Wüst and refers to Scholz's announcement about the working group.

Update from March 17, 5:43 p.m .:

Now Hendrik Wüst speaks.

He, too, first talks about Ukraine.

He calls for "solidarity" and "concrete help".

There is a "huge willingness" to help.

The MPK discussed all dimensions of the war, including how the effects of the sanctions against Russia on the German economy and jobs can be "cushioned as much as possible": "Sanctions should work on Putin and not on the people here in Germany .”

There was agreement on a secure energy supply and need relief for the citizens.

Infection Protection Act: Scholz insists on the decision to take measures - despite harsh criticism from countries

Update from March 17, 5:37 p.m .:

Now Scholz comes to the pandemic: “The corona pandemic, it’s not over”.

The Chancellor draws attention to rising numbers.

This is not good news.

However, the good news is that the hospitals are not under strain compared to previous waves.

"Now we are entering a new phase of the pandemic, in which we, like almost all of our neighboring countries, will forego most protective measures," he explains.

The planned new Infection Protection Act includes “some basic measures” such as wearing masks on public transport or in hospitals and the hotspot regulation.

The countries would wish for more.

"Nevertheless, this is a legal basis that can now be built on for the future," says Scholz, responding to sharp criticism from the state leaders.

He thanks the MPK for the “constructive discussion”.

The Chancellor appealed to everyone to get vaccinated: "Because next autumn will definitely come."

War in Ukraine: Scholz promises refugees quick help - "shared responsibility" for finances

Update from March 17, 5:32 p.m .:

"I emphasized very early on: This is Putin's war," says Scholz.

The Russian President alone is responsible for the war.

That is why attacks on Russian citizens in Germany are unacceptable, stressed the Chancellor.

Update from March 17, 5:29 p.m .:

Coping with the challenge of refugees from Ukraine is a joint task of the state, explains Scholz.

The joint responsibility also extends to finances.

"That's why we agreed today to discuss the financial issues that naturally arise in this situation in a separate federal and state working group over the next three weeks," said the Chancellor.

They will be decided at the next MPK on April 7th.

Update from March 17, 5:24 p.m .:

Scholz states that they want to “provide refuge and support as quickly and as easily as possible” to the refugees.

The federal and state governments would join forces to do this.

"They can all enter the country without a visa - that was a quick, quick and very pragmatic decision by the EU - and receive a residence permit immediately," explains the Chancellor.

In addition, the refugees would have access to language and integration courses and be able to start work immediately.

Children would be able to go to school immediately.

Ukraine crisis: Scholz expresses solidarity - "Refugees are a big challenge"

Update from March 17, 5:20 p.m .:

Scholz continues to announce that they want to support the refugees from Ukraine.

"We know there will be many, the numbers are already very high," said the Chancellor.

In Germany, the numbers are constantly increasing: "We know that this will be a big, big challenge".

Update from March 17, 5:18 p.m .:

Chancellor Scholz speaks first.

With the Russian attack on Ukraine, another crisis has now “added” to the prime ministers’ conference alongside the corona pandemic.

It will affect “all of us too”.

Several million people are on the run.

More and more people would come to Germany "to seek protection," emphasizes Scholz.

"The federal and state governments agree: We strongly condemn this terrible war, which Russia's President Putin started," said the Chancellor.

They stand "in solidarity and firmly" with Ukraine and support the country with "financial, humanitarian and also military aid".

Update from March 17, 5:11 p.m .:

The joint press conference by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Berlin’s Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey begins.

MPK chairman and NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst is also there, but due to a corona infection only connected via video from Jerusalem.

MPK live: countries with serious allegations against the federal government - Scholz hardly reacts to sharp criticism

Update from March 17, 4:55 p.m .:

In the Prime Minister’s Conference, the federal states were bothered by the fact that the federal government wants to abolish the mask requirement in almost all areas of everyday life, and they consider the hurdles for the introduction of the so-called hotspot regulation to be difficult to implement in practice .

"Bavaria has 1,400 kilometers of external border and should involve the state parliament in each individual hotspot district," said Bavarian Prime Minister Söder.

Lower Saxony's head of state Stephan Weil also complained that the concept of "concrete danger" for stricter infection control measures is difficult to prove: "I think it's impossible that we can go into autumn on such a basis."

According to information from participants, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) did not respond to the massive criticism from the heads of government - including from his party friends.

Before the next item on the agenda was announced, he was only quoted by participants as saying: "Thank you for the discussion.

We will still have a lot of work to do.”

Update from March 17, 4:50 p.m.:

Across party lines, the federal states accused the federal government of irresponsibly going it alone in corona policy at the Prime Ministers’ Conference.

"Today, two years of common ground will come to an end," said Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU).

The action taken by the federal government hits the core of the states “who have been working hard to save lives for years”.

Baden-Württemberg's Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) emphasized: "There has never been such a way of dealing with the states." He imagines good, trusting cooperation differently.

He doesn't understand what the government is doing.

“So far we have worked well together for more than two years.

There are no rational reasons why this break on the part of the federal government comes about," says Kretschmann.

Thuringia's Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (left) made a similar statement.

His Hessian colleague Volker Bouffier (CDU) said: "There was no cooperation with the states." Criticism also hailed from the SPD states: "I do not think that is justifiable," participants quoted Lower Saxony's head of state Stephan Weil.

He now expects the federal government to take responsibility.

"The pandemic is not over.

This is not a good path that is being taken here,” he emphasized.

The Rhineland-Palatinate SPD Prime Minister Malu Dreyer said: "I can well understand the frustration of my colleagues." The procedure is against the recommendations of the expert council and "wrong".

From the SPD-governed Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, it was also said that they had no understanding of the procedure.

MPK live: Wüst demands further steps for energy prices - Söder accuses traffic lights of "going it alone".

Update from March 17, 4:35 p.m .:

The prime ministers’ conference (MPK) between the federal and state governments is also about rising energy prices.

While the federal-state summit is taking place, the MPK chairman and NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) commented on the decision made yesterday to double the heating cost subsidy.

"The doubled heating cost subsidy is a first step in the right direction to relieve citizens of the constantly rising energy costs," Wüst wrote on Twitter.

But it shouldn’t stay that way: “We need the energy price brake, which is now providing effective support to companies and households.”

Update from March 17, 3 p.m.:

A few pictures that the Prime Ministers have posted on Twitter show that the MPK is running with Olaf Scholz.

Among them is Markus Söder from Bavaria.

He posts a photo of himself with Health Minister Karl Lauterbach in the background.

Among other things, the ambassadors: “Going it alone with the traffic light in Corona against the overwhelming majority of countries harms the health protection of our citizens.” Lauterbach also vented his anger by mentioning Söders a few hours earlier

Update from March 17, 2:18 p.m .:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and the heads of government of the 16 federal states met on Thursday to discuss current crises.

The video conference is mainly about the planned far-reaching easing of the Corona requirements, about the war refugees from Ukraine and about the rising energy prices.

There was harsh criticism from the federal states of the planned abolition of all drastic corona protection measures on March 20th - according to dpa information also in the internal prime ministers' conference before 2 p.m.

MPK live: Prime Ministers Söder, Giffey and Co. on Ukraine refugees and their distribution

Update from March 17, 2:05 p.m .:

The number of war refugees from Ukraine in Germany is increasing day by day.

The heads of government of the federal states will discuss the situation with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) on Thursday afternoon.

Together with the municipalities, they demanded that the federal government distribute people better and cover all of the costs.

Here are a few concise statements before the summit at a glance:

• Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder

  (CSU) called for the federal government to make a "massive" financial contribution to the refugee costs.

  "The federal government cannot leave the states and municipalities alone," said Söder on Deutschlandfunk.

• "I expect a regulation on the assumption of costs," said

  Thuringia's Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow

  (left) to the newspapers of the

  editorial network Germany

  .

  "It's about everything that people need."

• "Berlin cannot handle this task alone, and we will not be able to finance it alone," said

  Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey

  (SPD) on RBB.

  It is about a joint national mastering of the task.

  About ten thousand people from Ukraine arrive in the capital every day.

• The head of

  government in Rhineland-Palatinate, Malu Dreyer

   (SPD), told the

  Rheinische Post

  : "We agree with the federal government and among the states that we should also help people here.

  The prime ministers' conference will focus on how this task can be tackled by the federal and state governments in solidarity."

It is "essential to register those who arrive quickly and easily," according to

- and AFP information in a draft decision by the heads of the state and senate chancellery of the federal states for the consultations with Scholz.

An "orderly and structured distribution process" taking into account the so-called Königstein key is necessary "to avoid one-sided burdens on individual countries".

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD, center), North Rhine-Westphalian Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU, left) and Berlin Mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) in February after the Corona summit © Michele Tantussi/dpa

MPK News: Corona cases among the prime ministers

Update from March 17, 1:48 p.m .:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz * will soon be connected to the MPK about Corona and the consequences of Ukraine.

The picture at the press conference afterwards will look a little different than usual today, because the chairman of the Prime Ministers' Conference, Hendrik Wüst, is in isolation in Israel.

He runs the MPK from his hotel room, he said on Twitter in the morning.

A CDU campaigner from Saarland also has to isolate himself because of Corona: Tobias Hans*.

Federal-state meeting currently: Working group on financial Ukraine issues is in the room

Update from March 17, 1:28 p.m .:

Corona not only plays a role at the MPK with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the compulsory corona vaccination was also discussed emotionally in the Bundestag today.

A vote on the motions is to take place in three weeks.

Update from March 17, 1:15 p.m .:

A topic that could cause a lot of explosives in the MPK is the financing of help for Ukrainian refugees in Germany.

reports on a draft resolution for the federal-state meeting that Reuters has received.

Accordingly, the federal government is committed to its financial responsibility, but an exact amount is not mentioned.

Rather, the draft speaks of a working group that is to present the results by the beginning of April.

It is still uncertain whether that will also be in the final version of the decision in the evening.

Video: Scholz says NATO will not intervene in the Ukraine war

MPK with Scholz live today: City day calls for a "conclusive solution" to refugees from Ukraine

Update from March 17, 12:55 p.m .:

The Prime Minister’s Conference should be about Corona, but also a lot about Ukraine.

Germany feels the consequences of the war.

The President of the German Association of Cities, Markus Lewe, told the

: "The federal and state governments must agree on a coherent solution at the Prime Ministers' Conference in order to distribute the refugees well among all cities and communities.

And we need a joint refugee summit of the federal, state and local governments with the promise: Caring for the refugees is a joint effort that we are tackling as one.”

A fierce discussion recently broke out about the financing of the aid.

It remains to be seen whether there will be an agreement at the summit.

How long the prime ministers will discuss with Chancellor Olaf Scholz from 2 p.m. is also open, as always.

But at least one follow-up appointment for Scholz as part of an event organized by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation was already scheduled for 7 p.m.

Corona and Ukraine MPK: Lauterbach expresses himself in advance with clear words on Twitter

Update from March 17, 12:10 p.m .:

Countries like NRW and Bavaria criticize the traffic light plan for the Infection Protection

.

Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach * (SPD) vented his anger shortly before the MPK: “Prime Ministers Wüst and Söder complain that the protective measures were no longer available.

They themselves decided to discontinue ALL measures at the last MPK from Monday.

If it weren't for the law I put forward, it would be EXACTLY going to happen Monday," he wrote on Twitter on Thursday afternoon.

"By March 20, the far-reaching corona rules are to be rolled back," was the tenor after the last Corona summit in February.

But basic protection was still important, it was said at the time: "For example, wearing masks on buses and trains or in closed rooms of public facilities," said the federal government after the summit.

The “basic protection” now planned by the traffic light outside of the “hotspot regulation” only includes the obligation to wear FFP2 masks or medical masks in facilities for people at risk such as clinics, nursing homes and practices, as well as in community facilities, for example for asylum seekers.

Lauterbach upset in front of MPK: "What would have been an alternative?"

In Lauterbach's tweet, however, a slight frustration and anger can also be heard: "Of course, the presented IFSG

is a compromise in the traffic light.

But it allows masks, distances, 2G+, hygiene concepts.

Prerequisite: High incidence and impending hospital burden.

What would have been an alternative?

Nationwide rule?

NEVER made countries themselves.”

With many capital letters, the Minister of Health still states: “Mask and 2G+ without the threat of overload?

Make neither courts nor FDP.

Don't like.

But it is like that.

So I fight for every possible improvement of the situation.

Feel free to criticize where appropriate.

BUT MORE IS NOT POSSIBLE NOW, YOU HAVE TO USE THINGS POSSIBLE IMMEDIATELY.”

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (right) and NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst at a past Corona summit.

© Metodi Popov/Imago

MPK on Thursday on Ukraine and Corona: Minister of Justice defends new measures

Update from March 17, 11:47 a.m .:

At the prime ministerial conference on Thursday, a lot will also revolve around the Ukraine war.

A resolution proposal from March 16, which is available on

, gives the first details*.

Among other things, it is about the costs of taking in refugees, energy prices and company help.

Update from March 17, 11:10 a.m .:

Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann (FDP), despite criticism from the federal states, has defended the omission of most corona measures from March 20th.

“We have had a stable situation in the normal and intensive care units for weeks now.

The situation is more manageable," he told the

.

"This eliminates the justification for many corona measures involving intensive intervention."

At the same time, the minister emphasized: “Nobody claims that the pandemic is over.

Every death is one death too many."

However, he points out “that more than every second person who dies is unvaccinated.

That's why I'm still advocating vaccination."

One cannot “take an entire country into custody because there are people who consciously choose to take an increased risk”.

Ukraine topic at MPK with Scholz: proposed resolution of March 16

Update vom 17. März, 10.34 Uhr: Die Ministerpräsidentenkonferenz beschäftigt sich dieses Mal nicht nur mit Corona. Der Ukraine-Krieg steht weit oben auf der Tagesordnung. In einem Beschlussvorschlag vom 16. März, die Merkur.de* vorliegt, wird Russlands Einmarsch als „eklatanter Bruch des Völkerrechts und ein Angriff auf die europäische Friedensordnung sowie auf Freiheit und Demokratie“ verurteilt. Die Bundesregierung fordert Russlands Präsidenten Wladimir Putin* zum sofortigen Kriegsende auf. Den Geflüchteten müsse „schnell und unbürokratisch“ geholfen werden.

Aber auch in Deutschland bestehe Handlungsbedarf. Die rasant in die Höhe schnellenden Energiepreise müssten gestoppt werden. „Dazu werden sich Bund und Länder zeitnah abstimmen.“ Ferner will sich Deutschland unabhängig von russischem Gas machen. Auch Alternativen wie Flüssiggas* würden geprüft. Rund um die finanzielle Situation, woher das Geld etwa für Hilfsangebote kommt, gibt es noch viele unterschiedliche Formulierungen in dem Beschlussvorschlag vom 16. März. Da wird scheinbar weiter drum gerungen.

MPK zu Corona und Ukraine: Söder kritisiert neue Corona-Vorgaben

Update vom 17. März, 10 Uhr: Was tun im Ukraine-Krieg? Die Folgen für Deutschland werden heute bei der MPK eine Rolle spielen. Vermutlich werden die Teilnehmer ihre Entscheidungen auch unter dem Eindruck der Rede von dem Präsidenten der Ukraine, Wolodymyr Selenskyj, im Bundestag fällen. Er hielt am Donnerstagmorgen eine stark historisch geprägte Rede und sprach Olaf Scholz persönlich an.

Update vom 17. März, 9.50 Uhr: Bayerns Ministerpräsident Markus Söder hat nochmals die geplanten neuen Corona-Vorgaben der Bundesregierung kritisiert. „Während Corona steil ansteigt, steigt die Politik quasi aus“, sagte der CSU-Chef am Donnerstag im Deutschlandfunk. Ein Infektionsschutz in der Schule mit Masken sei mit den neuen Vorschriften nicht mehr möglich. „Da droht auch die Gefahr einer Durchseuchung.“ Im Bundesrat könne der Freistaat den Plänen nicht zustimmen. Es zeichnet sich damit deutlich ab, dass es beim Corona-Gipfel der Ministerpräsidenten mit Olaf Scholz ordentlich Zoff geben könnte.

Corona-Gipfel: Wüst richtet im Vorfeld Forderungen an Scholz

Update vom 17. März, 9.25 Uhr: Der Vorsitzende der Ministerpräsidentenkonferenz, NRW-Landeschef Hendrik Wüst (CDU), hat Nachbesserungen am Infektionsschutzgesetz gefordert. „Wir wünschen uns die schnelle Reaktionsfähigkeit, wenn es mal schwierig wird“, sagte er zu den Wünschen der Länderkollegen vor den Beratungen mit Kanzler Olaf Scholz (SPD) im ARD-„Morgenmagazin“. Es müssten klare Regelungen geschaffen werden, was ein Corona-Hotspot sei. In der vorliegenden Fassung sei vieles „Wischiwaschi“, sagte Wüst. „Da werden wir uns schnell vor den Gerichten wiedersehen.“

Wüst sagte, entgegen der Behauptungen aus der Ampel-Koalition würden die Bundesländer kaum Möglichkeiten zum Handeln bekommen. Eine Blockade durch die Bundesländer sehe er nicht, „wir sind verantwortungsvoll“, so Wüst. Allerdings sei der Bund auch bei den Arbeiten an dem Gesetz an den Ländern vorbei gegangen: „Der Bund macht da jetzt sein Ding, das kann er tun, aber er muss da auch die Verantwortung tragen.“ Wüst wurde für das Interview aus Israel zugeschaltet, wo er sich nach einem positiven Coronatest während einer Israel-Reise in Isolation befindet.

MPK zu Ukraine-Folgen und Corona: „Wir dürfen die Kommunen nicht im Stich lassen“

Außerdem forderte Wüst den Bund zur Kostenübernahme für die aus der Ukraine kommenden Flüchtlinge auf. „Wir dürfen die Kommunen nicht im Stich lassen.“ Die Länder müssten in die Lage versetzt werden, ihren Städten und Gemeinden gut zu helfen. Wüst sagte, die Hilfsbereitschaft der Menschen und auch der Kommunen sei sehr groß. Der Bund müsse aber auch „ein Stück weit mehr in die Koordination, in die Verteilung“ der Flüchtlinge gehen. Während in manchen Bundesländer sehr viele Flüchtlinge ankommen, seien es in anderen nur wenige, obwohl die Menschen und Kommunen dort auch zur Aufnahme bereit seien. Hier müsse der Bund die Federführung übernehmen.

Update vom 17. März, 9.12 Uhr: Gegen 9.30 Uhr starten offenbar interne Beratungen der Ministerpräsidentenkonferenz, bevor dann gegen 14 Uhr Kanzler Olaf Scholz mit berät (siehe Update vom 17. März, 5.40 Uhr). Es geht einmal mehr um Corona, aber auch um die Folgen des Ukraine-Kriegs. Unklar war im Vorfeld allerdings, ob die MPK mit Scholz Beschlüsse fasst. 

Corona-Gipfel mit Scholz: Auch Ukraine-Krieg und Energiekosten werden Thema

Update vom 17. März, 5.40 Uhr: Die Ministerpräsidentinnen und Ministerpräsidenten der Länder beraten am Donnerstag (14.00 Uhr) mit Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz (SPD) über den Umgang mit den Kriegsflüchtlingen aus der Ukraine. Aus den Ländern gibt es Forderungen an den Bund, die Verteilung der Neuankömmlinge besser zu koordinieren und außerdem die Kosten für deren Versorgung zu übernehmen. Bisher wurden in Deutschland rund 175.000 Ukraine-Flüchtlinge registriert, ihre tatsächliche Zahl dürfte weit höher sein.

Weiteres Thema der Bund-Länder-Runde ist die Corona-Politik. Ab Sonntag gelten nur noch wenige Corona-Eindämmungsmaßnahmen flächendeckend. Weitere Schutzmaßnahmen sind für Hotspots, also besonders betroffene Regionen, möglich. Mehrere Bundesländer halten die Regelung aber für zu unpräzise und kritisieren zudem das Zusammenstreichen des Maßnahmenkatalogs als verfrüht.

Ukraine- und Corona-Gipfel mit Scholz: Flüchtlingsversorgung und Infektionsschutzgesetz werden diskutiert

Erstmeldung vom 16. März, 20 Uhr: Berlin - Laut vorläufiger Tagesordnung sollen bei dem Gipfel mit Kanzler Olaf Scholz* (SPD) die Folgen des Ukraine-Kriegs für Deutschland und die Corona-Pandemie besprochen werden. Auf der Tagesordnung steht auch die Entwicklung der Energiepreise in Deutschland infolge des russischen Kriegs gegen die Ukraine sowie die Beschleunigung der Energiewende.

Beim Thema Coronavirus* dürfte es um die weiteren Maßnahmen nach dem geplanten Ende der meisten Corona-Auflagen in Deutschland zum 20. März gehen. Am Morgen werden Gespräche der Regierungschefs untereinander erwartet, gegen 14 Uhr sollen dann die Beratungen mit Scholz starten.

Thema, dass die Länder und Kommunen zurzeit sehr beschäftigt: die Unterbringung und Versorgung von Geflüchteten aus der Ukraine. Bayerns Ministerpräsident Markus Söder forderte für Donnerstag bereits nachdrücklich „ein ganz klares Signal“, dass der Bund die Kosten übernehme.

MPK mit Scholz zu Ukraine und Corona - Kritik von den Ländern im Vorfeld

Bezüglich Corona äußerten viele Länder vor der Ministerpräsidentenkonferenz teils scharfe Kritik an den geplanten Änderungen des Infektionsschutzgesetz. „So können wir doch nicht eine vernünftige Pandemiebekämpfung machen“, sagte etwa Markus Söder am Dienstag im bayerischen Landtag. Auch die niedersächsische und die baden-württembergische Regierung kritisierten den vorliegenden Entwurf und forderten Änderungen.

The Bundestag dealt with the bill for the first time on Wednesday - before it became an issue in the MPK on Thursday.

The Bundestag and Bundesrat are to decide on Friday.