The plan to be able to “freest themselves” to visit shops and restaurants has led to disagreements within the ÖVP. While Interior Minister Karl Nehammer sees the respective operator responsible for checking the tests, Tourism Minister Elisabeth Köstinger and the Economic Association reject precisely this. Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Greens) announced on Monday that work was still being carried out on the legal provisions.
After the current lockdown, it should be possible to take part in events or visit bars and shops using the corona test. Who controls this is still open. Only then is the control question an issue. Anschober therefore asked for “a little patience”.
Köstinger: Hosts shouldn't control
Köstinger made it clear before Christmas who shouldn't check, namely the landlords themselves. “The responsible authorities can carry out checks at any time and anywhere to see whether someone has 'released' a negative corona test. It would be absurd to bear this responsibility on the operators of restaurants That was never mentioned and it certainly won't be. ” Also on Monday, Köstinger's spokesman emphasized that the health authority was responsible. If their capacity is insufficient, the police must move out. In a statement, Köstinger affirmed that checking for negative corona tests will not be the responsibility of restaurateurs. The necessary regulation will be drawn up in close cooperation between the health authorities and the interest groups of the restaurateurs, she said.
Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) made it clear that the control would normally not be carried out by the police. In contrast to Köstinger, he primarily recognizes the responsibility of the operators themselves – as well as the Chamber of Commerce or the labor inspectorate. In the “Krone”, Nehammer became even clearer: “I see it this way: Anyone who receives permission to run a business is responsible for what happens in his facility. That would also be the case for local operators after the freest. “
The head of department does not want to completely rule out the possibility that the executive will have to move out here one time or another. It could be that the health authorities ask the police for random checks. In itself, however, a deployment is only intended if there is an escalation – for example, if a person refuses to leave a location although they have not completed a corona test.
“Not the job of entrepreneurs”
Confederation General Secretary Kurt Egger was irritated by Nehammer's statements. “It is not the job of employees or entrepreneurs to do the work of the police,” said Egger in a broadcast. Köstinger has already made it clear that this “will definitely not be the case”. Nehammer's statements, on the other hand, would “unnecessarily unsettle dealers, local operators and service providers,” the ÖVP politician told his party colleague.
The SPÖ also criticized the Interior Minister. Economics spokesman Christoph Matznetter also rejected controls by the landlords and stated in a broadcast: “Gastronomers and entrepreneurs are not deputies.”
Main activities on New Year's Eve
As far as the New Year's Eve celebrations are concerned, Nehammer announced that there would be focus actions in the state police departments in those areas “where you have to take a closer look”. There will also be increased control pressure at the borders because of the entry regulations. The minister appeals to the population to refrain from using pyrotechnics, all the more to those that have not been certified and have entered the country illegally: “The numbers of infections do not make a New Year's party.”
