Schallenberg: The political forces that oppose …

The biggest difference between Austria and other European countries is that the FPÖ is “strongly against and against vaccination,” says the chancellor.

Austrian Federal Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) has once again made the FPÖ responsible for incorrect information in the pandemic regarding Milan’s Corriere della Sera newspaper. “Austria’s peculiarity in the pandemic is the presence of a political force in parliament that acts irresponsibly against science and raises collective fears,” Schallenberg said.

“The biggest difference between Austria and other European countries is that the third party in our parliament is openly and loudly opposed to vaccination and denies that it is the only way out of the epidemic,” the chancellor said. The chancellor also blamed “social and historical factors”, including the spread of so-called natural medicine, for the low rate of vaccination in German-speaking countries. “But I repeat, we have political forces working against science,” Schallenberg said.

Vaccination or a large fine

When asked about compulsory vaccination, Schallenberg replied, “The number of infections is steadily increasing. Perhaps I had hoped for too long that we could persuade as many Austrians as possible to voluntarily vaccinate themselves. Unfortunately, that did not work, and with one Schallenberg warned that ‘we will not We are emerging from this vicious circle with a vaccination rate of 66 percent in the general population.”

Compulsory vaccination should come into effect in Austria on February 1, 2022. “Before that, anyone who has not been vaccinated will receive a notice telling them to do so. Those who do not by that date will have to pay a huge fine. But for me This is the last resort.”

Schallenberg also expressed his hope to salvage the ski season with the 2G rule. “But we also have to see what happens in the neighboring countries. Germany starts a lockdown,” Schallenberg said.

“He made it clear that the European Union cannot be blackmailed.”

Regarding the situation of thousands of refugees on the borders of Belarus, Schallenberg said: “We have to make it clear that the EU cannot be blackmailed. The approach (by the Belarusian ruler Alexander) Lukashenko is a cynical violation of the weakest of the EU countries. Weak. Austria stands by Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. We have to support them financially to build the necessary infrastructure on their borders.”

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