Courtesy Translation: Minister President Bouffier on the Federal Infection Protection Act

Courtesy Photo | Icon to accompany courtesy translations from the state of Hessen  

WIESBADEN, HE, GERMANY

04.23.2021

Story by Nadine Bower 

U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden   

Press Release from the Hessen State Government from 22 APR 2021
Courtesy Translation: Nadine Bower, Public Affairs Specialist

Minister President Bouffier on the Federal Infection Protection Act

Minister President Volker Bouffier in the Bundesrat (Federal Council): "We need the citizens as partners."

On the occasion of today's deliberations in the Bundesrat (German Federal Council), Hessen's Minister President Volker Bouffier called for citizens to be seen as partners in the fight against pandemics. "We are in the biggest crisis in decades, which is associated with the deepest interference into our fundamental rights." In order to combat this crisis, we need first and foremost the acceptance of the people, said Bouffier and continues: "Only if people understand what we are doing and why, then they will accept the interference into their fundamental rights and act accordingly."

Bouffier explained today in the plenary session of the Federal Council that "some things could have been done smarter" in the Infection Protection Act. He referred to the curfews and the questions raised about their constitutionality as an example. In his view, the legally safer way would have been to use such curfews as an ultima ratio, as a last resort. He called the new law "not the final conclusion of wisdom," especially as the German states and municipalities still have plenty of clarification and coordination to be given in practice.

However, the Hessen Head of Government also made it clear in his speech that Hessen, despite all its reservations, would not go against the law and would therefore not call the Conciliation Committee. "We have a high urgency, but we must not stop weighing responsibly," Bouffier said. Because of the overriding goals of not overburdening the health system and containing the pandemic as quickly as possible, Hessen will not stand in the way of the law. The law must be successful, Bouffier added.

Minister President Volker Bouffier finally warned against pitting the federal, state and local governments against each other in the fight against pandemics. "Only if everyone works together in the strictest possible way will we be successful in Germany in combating the pandemic," Bouffier said.

Source: https://www.hessen.de/presse/pressemitteilung/ministerpraesident-bouffier-zum-bundesinfektionsschutzgesetz-0

• Date Taken: 04.23.2021
• Date Posted: 04.23.2021 03:22
• Story ID: 394539
• Location: WIESBADEN, HE, DE