After mandatory vaccination criticism: Opponents see themselves confirmed
Coronavirus
After Salzburg’s governor Wilfried Haslauer (ÖVP) fired up the debate about compulsory vaccination again on Wednesday, critics of compulsory vaccination in the opposition and interest groups see themselves confirmed. The coalition partners in the country, the NEOS, are critical.
The governor of Salzburg, Wilfried Haslauer, made people sit up and take notice on Wednesday with his criticism of compulsory vaccination. He spoke out in favor of not “not sharpening” the vaccination requirement in mid-March. Because the hospitals are currently not overloaded because of the milder omicron variant. Details on this in Haslauer: “Suspend vaccination” (salzburg.ORF.at, February 9th, 2022).
Klambauer predicts loss of confidence
The criticism of the obligation to vaccinate and his advocacy of not imposing any penalties for the time being irritates Salzburg’s NEOS party leader Andrea Klambauer: “I see a great loss of people’s confidence in the politics of the federal government if the obligation to vaccinate is first decided for months, then decided and will soon be questioned again.”
Postponed but not cancelled
Greens boss Heinrich Schellhorn stands behind the governor and Salzburg ÖVP boss. However, if a wave of infection hits Salzburg again in the fall, compulsory vaccination will be the means to increase the appropriate vaccination rate. “Even if we don’t currently need vaccination, that can change quickly. Later we may need a high vaccination rate. If this can only be achieved with compulsory vaccination, then we need this instrument,” says Schellhorn.
“Haslauer unbelievable after change of direction”
The opposition parties see themselves confirmed, such as SPÖ state party leader David Egger. As a member of the Federal Council, he had even voted against compulsory vaccination, but no longer understood the “swing of opinion of the governor at all. He seems lost and unbelievable. Because a week ago, his deputies in the Bundesrat approved the vaccination law. Even that will not close the social rifts,” emphasizes Egger.
“Criticism right, but too late”
“Last week, approval was given at all levels, including by ÖVP deputies from Salzburg. The governor launched a verbal attack on us on this subject in the state parliament. And now, a week later, everything is supposed to be different. The water should be up to your neck there. But honest politics is different,” adds the state party leader of the FPÖ, Marlene Svazek. For the Salzburg MFG state spokesman Gerhard Pöttler, Hauslauer rowed back “much too late”. He predicts that the governor will lose favor with the voters and urges him to campaign for new elections.
WKS and AK also for evaluating compulsory vaccination
The Salzburg Chamber of Commerce explains in a statement that the omicron wave has changed everything and it is easy to see that the situation could now be reassessed. An assessment that the Salzburg Chamber of Labor also agrees with.