Compulsory vaccination only with effective vaccines
If the vaccination does not take effect, however, you will have to rethink the project, says Edtstadler in an APA interview. The minister is opposed to the content of the corona demos, but she upholds the right to demonstrate.
Interfering with fundamental rights during the pandemic
The constitution minister believes that fundamental rights encroachments must have taken place during the pandemic. Because the state has the constitutional task of protecting people’s health. She does not see a maximum period for such cuts: “As long as we see that the health system is actually at risk, it WILL be necessary to take measures again and again.”
Decision for mandatory vaccination “painful”
In this context, Edtstadler also argues that vaccination is mandatory, which should be effective from February. The decision to do so was “painful”, but she thinks this can mean that one no longer has to go from lockdown to lockdown. Here the vaccination obligation is the minor encroachment on fundamental rights.
From the point of view of the minister, the mandatory vaccination is legally feasible as long as the goal of the health systems can be achieved with it. Edtstadler emphasizes that the means for this are “after the vaccination, including what concerns Omikron, but not without commenting:” Of course, we will continue to look at when and when the vaccination and can also do so after it has come into effect. “
Edtstadler upholds the right to demonstrate
As constitution minister, she wanted a law that also corresponds to the constitution: “That is only the case if the vaccination is effective. If it does not work, of course you have to reconsider it.” However, Edtstadler points out that there is also the possibility of adapting the vaccines.
The compulsory vaccination fueled the demonstrations against the corona measures. Edtstadler shows understanding for those affected, the media or, for example, health facilities that have recently been exposed to threats. Nevertheless, she emphasizes: “I warn against saying generally that one could restrict the freedom of demonstration.” In addition, there is also the legal possibility of holding spontaneous demonstrations: “In a democracy that must be possible.”
Anti-Semitism on corona demos
Edtstadler is concerned that extremist ideas are also being voiced within the framework of the movement. There is an “enormous influx of anti-Semitic conspiracy myths”. Apparently it is easier to recruit people for a “crazy ideology” in times when one is thrown back on digital content with its echo chambers: “Here we see a boost from the pandemic.”
For the minister, who is in charge of the fight against anti-Semitism, it is positive that Austria is doing a lot in this area. Edtstadler refers, for example, to the adopted national strategy with 38 individual measures. The specially established staff unit, the Austro-Jewish cultural law and the “flagging” for advertisements are particularly provided by her. This means that anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist motives are also noted in criminal offenses. In Edtstadler’s opinion, this could be related to the fact that there has also been an increase in the number of cases. This does not automatically show that there are more incidents, but also that sensitivity has increased – that it is not a trivial offense to make an anti-Semitic joke.
Minister on statements by Karner
When asked, the minister confirmed that “unfortunately” there are also conspiracy theories and anti-Semitic codes in Austria’s politics. This is “to be condemned in the strongest possible way”. When asked about earlier statements by today’s interior minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP), who had raved about “gentlemen from America and Israel”, Edtstadler said that he had apologized for his statements.
(Source: APA)