Month: March 2021
Test obligation: air travel during Easter holidays only with a negative result
Since March 30, vacationers and other passengers are allowed to travel by plane only if they can show a negative Corona test result. This restriction will initially be valid until May 12th. The test must not be older than two days. Both PCR tests and…
The CDU and CSU on course to differentiate themselves from the Greens and the SPD
by Thorsten Koch The CSU Group Leader in the German Bundestag, Alexander Dobrindt, has called for a “firewall” to be put up with regard to the Green Party. In the most recent state elections, Union voters switched to the eco-party, said Dobrindt in a meeting…
Federal President Steinmeier opts for determination against hatred and racism
Federal President Walter Steinmeier has called for people to stand up against racism. On the occasion of a UN campaign, Steinmeier wrote that racism endangers free coexistence, peaceful diversity and even democracy. The hatred has not paused during the Corona lockdown. This was proven by…
Söder wants agreement with the CDU in the run for Chancellor
The Chairman of the Christian Social Union, Markus Söder, wants unanimity between his party and the CDU with respect to the candidacy for chancellor. The candidacy is “not a race” that CDU chairman Armin Laschet and his homologue Söder carry out, but a cooperation. “The…
North Sea fishing: EU agrees with UK and Norway
The EU has reached an agreement with the UK and Norway on catches of fish from the North Sea. According to the EU Commission, there is a quarter less of the saithe species, around 2.5 percent less of plaice and around 7.5 percent less of…
For improvements in cooperation between the EU and third countries
In a video conference of the European Union, the Foreign and Interior Ministers of the member states met this week to decide how to improve cooperation with third countries. Specifically, the talks were about the questions of migration and of refugees. The EU wants to…
The word “race” will be replaced in the Basic Law
A new formulation in the Basic Law, the Federal German Constitution, was initiated today by Federal Interior Minister Seehofer and Federal Justice Minister Lambrech. The Federal Government with its ministers have to give their approval on Wednesday, and a two-thirds majority by the German Bundestag…
Corona easing: consultations concluded between the Federal Government and the governments of the Federal States
by Thorsten Koch In a consultation which dragged on for hours, the Federal Government and the State Governments agreed that there should be a step-by-step plan that results in easing the lockdown. The measures against Corona are to be extended until March 28th. An extension…
Coronavirus: general medical practitioners should also be allowed to vaccinate
According to a paper by the Federal Ministry of Health, general practitioners are to be included in the vaccinations against the Coronavirus from the second half of March. This makes it necessary to change the vaccination ordinance at federal level. From April it will be…
Opening perspectives in case of fewer infections
by Thorsten Koch The Federal and State Governments have described four opening steps in a working paper. This is limited to the event that after March 28 – until then, the corona measures are to be extended -, the number of Covid infections will decrease….
Warnings against excessive openings
The Federal Government has spoken out in favor of caution and diligence in decisions to relax the measures against the Coronavirus. Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said this in view of fewer intensive care cases, a higher number of vaccinations and rapid tests planned on the…
CDU-CSU and Social Democrats for new Corona indicators
The Union parties and the SPD do not want future measures against the coronavirus to be based solely on the incidence value. The Infection Protection Act is to be adapted in this regard. Instead of the incidence value alone, the vaccinations and the so-called R-Value…
Federal Government does not wish to generally approve Astrazeneca
The Federal Government is against changing the order of the groups of people who are to be vaccinated against the Coronavirus, after a number of Prime Ministers in their respective Federal States have campaigned for a relaxation in this area. Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said…
Steinmeier for more trust in all vaccine products
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has campaigned for citizens to show more trust in all of the approved Corona vaccines. He said he had “little understanding” of withholding certain vaccines. Faster vaccinations are important, and all vaccines certified by the European Medicines Agency are both effective…
Rapid tests could contribute to more relaxation
The everyday restrictions in order to cope with the Corona pandemic will possibly be relaxed in the future, thanks to the offer of two free rapid tests per week. This was announced by the Federal Ministry of Health. A discussion paper by the department suggests…
Corona measures: More of a say for the Bundestag
The Bundestag should have more of a say as to the decisions in dealing with the Corona pandemic. The parliamentary groups of both CDU-CSU and SPD submitted a proposal to establish a parliamentary “Monitoring Committee for the Covid-19 Pandemic”, which is to deal not only…
Grand coalition: agreement on the reform of the transport service
CDU-CSU and SPD agree on how the reform of the taxi and driving service market should be approached. Union group spokesman Lange said that the municipalities would get more powers. The Vice Chairman of the SPD Parliamentary Group, Bartol, has praised that cheap and new…
Possible relaxation of Corona measures thanks to tests and vaccinations in view
by Thorsten Koch Chancellor Angela Merkel has emphasized that the Corona measures could be relaxed, depending on Covid tests. Rapid tests should be a topic at the federal-state conference on March 3rd, said Merkel. There may be regional rules because of the immunization campaign and…
Schwaetzer for human dignity during election campaigns
The chairwoman of the Synod of the Protestant Church in Germany (EKD), Irmgard Schwaetzer, has made an appeal for fairness in the election campaigns that are pending in Germany. She spoke out in favor of respecting the basic rules of democratic coexistence. Instead of myths,…
Kretschmann for less data protection during the pandemic
A high level of data protection is inappropriate during the Corona pandemic, said the Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann (Greens). By complying with data protection, the warning app for smartphones is “just a crutch” instead of a powerful control instrument.
Haldenwang sees radicalization on the left
Thomas Haldenwang, President of the German Office for the Protection of the Constitution, has warned against further radicalization among “violent left-wing extremists”. There are now attacks that are also directed against individuals. One has to see “whether this radicalization develops into terrorist structures”.
Delay in anti-racism and anti-Semitism projects
Various departments at federal level have refused to sign a final report of the federal cabinet, due to a lack of funds. After the anniversaries of the right-wing extremist attacks in Halle and Hanau, specific projects against racism and anti-Semitism are blocked for the time…
SMS greetings for people entering Germany
From this Monday, March 1, people entering Germany will automatically receive a text message on their cell phones, the Federal Ministry of Health announced. The SMS contains a link to the entry and protection rules against infections applicable in Germany.
Fiber optic expansion by Telekom will be accelerated
Deutsche Telekom wants to present an increased speed in the expansion of the fiber optic network. Gigabit speed should be possible in around 10 million households in Germany by the end of 2024. Another 1.2 million households are expected to benefit from this in 2021….
Scholz for “citizens’ money” instead of Hartz IV
The SPD’s candidate for chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has proposed replacing the basic security, also known as Hartz-IV, with a new type of citizen’s benefit. Conditions should no longer be based on “distrust” of the social welfare offices; some sanctions should be abolished for Hartz-IV beneficiaries…