corona pandemic
Buschmann accuses Lauterbach of scaremongering
Not always of the same opinion: Karl Lauterbach (left) and Marco Buschmann. photo
© Wolfgang Kumm/dpa
Health Minister Lauterbach recently brought up the epidemic situation of national importance with regard to new virus variants. Justice Minister Buschmann replies that there are currently no signs of such variants.
Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann (FDP) accuses his health colleague Karl Lauterbach (SPD) of scaremongering in corona politics.
In response to an interview question about reactivation of the legal status of the epidemic situation of national scope, Lauterbach said that if there were no new corona variants, this emergency tool would be manageable, which he hoped. Last winter, the legal status was the basis for stricter measures than are currently planned for the fall – such as contact restrictions and school closures.
Buschmann told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”: “I don’t believe in scaremongering. There are currently no signs of such virus variants anywhere.” He added: “For reactivation, the Bundestag would have to agree to that. There is no majority in the coalition for that. Because the Free Democrats have said that hell would have to open up among us before we agree to it.”
The new draft law only stipulates a nationwide mask requirement in long-distance transport and a mask and test requirement in clinics and nursing homes. The federal states can each decide on further measures for themselves. But Buschmann doesn’t see any major problem in the creation of a “patchwork quilt”: “In fact, the core of the concept is a moderate amount of room for maneuver for the states,” he said. “The fact that different rules apply in many areas is the norm in federalism.” The infection process does not develop the same way across Germany, but varies regionally.
Regarding his relationship with Lauterbach, he said: “We have a professional and constructive working relationship, but of course it’s like this: he has different ideas from his role.” Anything other than different perspectives would also be strange, he says.
interview