CoV loosening for: Greens against, NEOS
politics
The debate about easing the CoV restrictions continues. A political scientist explains the demand for opening with pressure from the economy on politics. Salzburg’s governor Wilfried Haslauer (ÖVP) is feeling the resistance of the green coalition partner. The NEOS support him in government.
The latest push by Salzburg’s Prime Minister Haslauer to withdraw some CoV provisions and regulations as early as next Monday is met with incomprehension by the Salzburg Greens.
Haslauer sees a great opportunity: “Fill in the ditches”
Haslauer is calling for the lockdown for the unvaccinated to be lifted and for this population group to be able to shop again with masks and current tests. Furthermore, high incidences are no longer decisive for Haslauer. The number of occupants in the hospitals would be the decisive factor, says the man from Salzburg. And the hospitals continue to be relatively underutilized: “Omicron gives us the opportunity to shake hands and fill in ditches again.”
Schellhorn will wait for the wave crest
Loosening already from Monday? For Haslauer’s coalition partner, that’s happening far too quickly, like his party leader and LHstv. Heinrich Schellhorn (Greens) emphasizes: “In my opinion, Monday is too early. I was surprised by this move. Actually, we should wait for the peak of the omicron wave. We have record numbers in Salzburg today. There is no question that the wave is already over. For me, openings are only an option when the number of cases is falling again.”
Political scientist sees economic pressure
For the political scientist Franz Fallend from the University of Salzburg, the background to the Salzburg ÖVP’s desire for easing is obvious: “The provincial governors in the western federal states remain true to their known line. They think very strongly about economics and what the constraints are on that meaning.”
Haslauer’s deputy Schellhorn says that there is also a lot of pressure from the economy in Salzburg: “That’s obvious. In Salzburg there is also pressure from a football club. But maybe we can make it to the game against FC Bayern.”
NEOS support the Haslauer line
However, a state government or a state parliament alone cannot determine the relaxation of the CoV regulations that apply throughout Austria – not even if the NEOS were on board as the second coalition partner in the state of Salzburg. By the way, their party leader Andrea Klambauer is pleased that the ÖVP has now taken up the demands of her party with the easing.