Iedstadler considers compulsory vaccination constitutionally possible – Coronavirus –

The ÖVP Minister confirmed that the preliminary examination by the Constitutional Court required by the FPÖ could not be conducted as it was not planned. However, she noted that citizens have not only rights, but also duties. Edtstadler also sees mandatory vaccination as less infringing than the lockdown starting tomorrow, Monday. She admitted that she ruled out such a move until recently, but reality taught her better in light of the low rate of vaccination and the high number of infections.

There should be administrative penalties for those who do not comply with them. But people will first be invited to the vaccination appointment and only then, if this does not work, fines will be issued. She left the amount of penalties open, but she could imagine a tiered approach. The guideline can be up to 3,600 euros already included in the draft of the planned mandatory vaccination of health professions. In any case, there will be exceptions for people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. The question of how long the obligation should last has yet to be regulated in law, but Edtstadler can imagine that the duration could be up to a certain vaccination rate. The age limit has yet to be clarified with experts.

Edtstadler was “angry”, “frustrated” and “sad” about the fact that a new shutdown was now necessary again. But now one has to put the feelings aside, the step is necessary now. ÖVP Minister asked everyone to participate. She admitted that the government had “not given a good picture” of late. Some decisions were made “too late”, and later on, more vaccination campaigns were supposed to be carried out in the summer. With enough vaccine available, one might have been very optimistic that people would be vaccinated as well. But it clearly did not succeed in convincing those who had concerns. One looked a lot at those who were loud and pretended like Saturday.

Even if the government has not presented a good picture recently, everyone is now uniting again to increase credibility. Edtstadler was “absolutely convinced” that the turquoise and green alliance would last until the end of the legislative period in the fall of 2024.

Regarding the investigation against ÖVP President Sebastian Kurz and other ÖVP politicians, the Constitution Minister expects the judiciary to conduct the investigation quickly. If all goes clear, Edstadler sees no reason why Kurtz could not return as a federal advisor. Regarding the ÖVP’s attacks against the Economic and Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (WKStA), Edstadler stated that no one is above criticism. The ÖVP Minister justified the fact that she did not confront the WKStA preventively by saying that Justice Minister Alma Zadic (the Greens) was responsible and that she did.

Edstadler made it clear that it was a question of faster procedures, not of diminishing the rights of defendants. She also demanded that you do not want to restrict investigation methods, but that there must be a proper legal basis for the confiscation of cell phones and the production of deleted messages or cloud data. The Minister of the Constitution also does not see the need to “comment on every procedural step in the media.” If there are file leaks, Edtstadler wants to make sure you can understand their source. Edtstadler considers it correct that Zadic plans to put watermarks in the electronic file.

Edstadler justified the fact that there were still no draft Cabinet drafts of the planned FOIA by saying that the evaluation gave more than 200 opinions, some of which were clearly criticized. Concern was expressed that the administration would no longer be able to act in some parts by removing official secrecy. They take these concerns seriously. Everyone wants freedom of information, but according to Floriani’s principle, everyone wants it with others and not with themselves.