Berlin The Omicron virus variant is driving the corona numbers in Germany steeply upwards. So far, however, this has hardly been noticeable in the hospitals. The number of corona intensive care patients continues to fall. The designated Secretary General of the FDP, Bijan Djir-Sarai, currently sees no reason to tighten the corona restrictions.
There were already calls for a lockdown in the fourth wave, but in December it was possible to break the wave with proportionate measures. “That’s why I currently see no reason to further tighten the measures,” Djir-Sarai told the Handelsblatt. “With the constant demand for maximum tightening, we risk losing acceptance among the population completely.”
In the debate about a general obligation to vaccinate, the FDP politician recommends “currently restraint”. The situation with this virus is changing so quickly that decisions are extremely difficult. Djir-Sarai wants to take his time with his decision until the vote in March. “There are reasons for and against compulsory vaccination – and I will take the necessary time to weigh them up,” he said.
With a view to the traffic turnaround, the future FDP Secretary General emphasized that the position of the liberals had not changed. He was reacting to statements by Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing, who advised against buying a new car with a combustion engine and emphasized the efficiency of electric cars.
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“Volker Wissing presented the European debate and explained that the focus was on electric mobility,” said Djir-Sarai. “At the same time, he also made it very clear that he would continue to be open to technology. In this respect, the FDP has not changed its position on this question at all.”
Read the entire interview here:
Mr. Djir-Sarai, the FDP is divided on the issue of general vaccination. Will you vote for it?
I’m still undecided and I think it’s good that there will be a Bundestag debate without party discipline. I will look at the group applications and make a decision.
What makes you doubt in the question?
In the summer I would have spoken out very clearly against the general obligation to vaccinate. However, I also see how the framework conditions are changing. Little did I know in the summer that there would be a delta or omicron wave. The situation with this virus is changing so quickly that decisions are extremely difficult.
Until when do you want to take your time?
Until the vote in March. There are reasons for and against compulsory vaccination – and I will take the necessary time to weigh them up.
The Chair of the Ethics Council has recently expressed reservations about the Omicron variant, the WHO sees vaccination only as the very last resort. So do you think such a dramatic step is appropriate?
That’s why I’m very careful with my statements. As Free Democrats, we have advocated combining health protection with as much freedom as possible from the beginning of the pandemic. We always have to reassess the current situation. That’s why I’m currently recommending restraint.
There is no reluctance on this subject, at least in the ranks of the FDP, which spoke out against compulsory vaccination with an application very early on. Is your party responsible for the impasse because the traffic light does not have its own majority?
It doesn’t matter to me. Compulsory vaccination is not a partisan debate as it is one of society as a whole. If the debate were conducted with group discipline, it would be a fatal signal to the population – namely that a decision on such an important issue is being made from above. That is why the Bundestag must be the focus of the debate. We can experience a great moment for Parliament here.
The traffic light government had set itself the goal of achieving a vaccination rate of 80 percent by the end of January. Is that still doable?
It is clear that we must do everything we can to increase vaccination rates and fight the pandemic together. Regional differences show that we can still get better. We have to learn from successful examples, for example when it comes to offering low-threshold vaccinations locally.
The next conference of prime ministers will take place next week. Do the corona rules have to be tightened – or relaxed like in other EU countries?
In the fourth wave there was a call for a lockdown. But we managed to break the wave in December with proportionate measures. That’s why I don’t currently see any reason to further tighten the measures. With the constant demand for maximum tightening, we risk losing public acceptance completely.
Restaurateurs and retailers do not see the current measures as proportionate, they fear for their existence.
Interventions by the state must be proportionate, that is perfectly clear. However, our coalition partners would like to see a different way of combating the pandemic on some issues. Here it is important to make compromises. If the Corona aid is not sufficient for the economy, we must take a very close look at various support options.
The FDP has always spoken out in favor of openness to technology when it comes to the traffic turnaround and against an end date for the combustion engine. Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing is now advising against buying a combustion engine. Have the liberals changed their position and are they now going all-electric?
Volker Wissing presented the European debate and stated that the focus was on electric mobility. At the same time, however, he also made it very clear that he would continue to rely on openness to technology. In this respect, the FDP has not changed its position on this question at all.
Wissing said that the electric motor for cars is the most efficient drive.
The Federal Transport Minister emphasized that it is important to him that his area makes a significant contribution to climate protection. In this context, he emphasized the efficiency of e-cars. That’s all reasonable and correct – and no departure from previous positions of the FDP.
Would you still recommend buying a combustion engine today?
I don’t think that’s my job. I have never recommended buying a particular car, I stand by that.
There are demands from the SPD that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline should not be linked to political issues such as the deployment of Russian troops on the Ukrainian border. Is that reasonable?
The previous federal government created facts at Nord Stream 2. They cannot be reversed, we have to deal with them. But I am surprised when it is claimed that Nord Stream 2 is a purely economic project. That’s not true. Of course there is a political dimension.
Should the federal government join other countries in boycotting the Olympics in China?
I’m not part of the federal government. As a member of parliament, I strongly advise all my colleagues in the Bundestag not to travel to the games in China. And as far as I know, no member of the government wants to travel either. In my view, that is correct.
Mr. Djir-Sarai, thank you very much for the interview.
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