The government has presented the Covid measures for the autumn – but now the plan threatens to fail due to the controls. This upsets Salzburg’s business people angrily.
The federal government has now delivered the package of measures that has long been demanded for autumn – but it is precisely this that is causing the next question mark. Commercial agents in particular are wondering who is complying with the tightened new rules (see report p. 20/21) to monitor from September 15th.
Salzburg’s police see no need for action. “We are currently not planning any other measures than before. Above all, there will be random checks, ”said press spokeswoman Irene Stauffer.
“Complete controls are not possible”
Police unionist Walter Deisenberger (FSG) emphasizes that his colleagues have been under increased stress since the beginning of the pandemic. “We have enough other tasks that we as the police have to do – seamless controls are impossible anyway,” says Deisenberger. Salzburg’s mayor Harald Preuner (ÖVP) has announced more and more focus controls. So you don’t want to believe completely in personal responsibility either. Even if it has generally worked well so far and there is relatively “little reason for penalties” during the controls.
“Well, there is no way I can control it!” – that is the reaction of many Salzburg dealers to the new federal regulation. “I am alone in the business and therefore I simply cannot put anyone outside the door to check,” explains tobacco shop assistant Sandra Brandmayr from Bischofshofen. Bettina Bauer from the shoe store of the same name in Maishofen sees things similarly. “It’s not our job to check the mask,” she says.
Worry, mask could spoil the desire to shop
She also believes in financial losses: “The mask keeps people from shopping. That will definitely be reflected in sales by Christmas, ”says Bauer. “If we, as salespeople, were to check, it would be unfriendly to the customer,” adds Lydia Lampert from the hat maker Zapf in the city of Salzburg. She has a pragmatic solution in mind: the same mask for everyone.
Heimo Prodinger from the Lungauer Wirtschaftsverein doubts the meaning of the new regulation. “Who should control that? The existing rules are certainly sufficient, it would only be necessary to also control them. That’s not happening at the moment, ”he says.