His benchmark is the staff in hospitals, so far he has not heard anything – the situation is currently “manageable”. If things change, he will act immediately, said Rauch. When he found that milder preventive measures (such as masks) could possibly stop a deterioration, Rauch replied that in a European comparison Austria was still one of the more cautious. You have to “balance the scales”.
In general, the principle of personal responsibility applies. When the health minister objected that it didn’t work, he said: “Then we’ll have to learn how to do it.” But you have to look at the other consequences, which affects mental health, for example, and there are many questions about stress. You have to “take this into account,” said Rauch.
In the fall of the crisis situation “that has washed up”
In connection with the CoV crisis management, the Minister of Health repeatedly referred to the already difficult framework conditions such as inflation and the Ukraine war. You will need every millimeter of solidarity. “My biggest fear now is that society will fall apart,” says Rauch. After all, with regard to the autumn, one is approaching a crisis situation “that has washed up,” said Rauch.
Smoke to deal with CoV in summer
The best protection for risk groups remains vaccination, according to Rauch. At the same time, he stated that the tipping of the vaccination requirement had nothing to do with political pressure on the coalition, which was already battered in terms of public approval. The obligation to vaccinate did more harm than good, according to Rauch. It was not proportionate, if that is not the case, then you have to “have the courage to end it”.
New recommendation announced
With regard to the vaccination gaps in over 65-year-olds, Rauch referred to the clear recommendation to refresh the vaccination in over 80-year-olds. In the coming week there will be a recommendation for the age group over 65, which will be clearly communicated, said Rauch. Rauch was hesitant to relax the quarantine rules. “You have to see if it works.” The tendency should be to stick to it “so that we have it when we need it”.
In terms of strategy for the schools after the summer holidays, he is in contact with ÖVP Minister of Education Martin Polaschek. Two weeks before school starts it will be clear how autumn will go. The mask requirement will then probably exist, and a test regime will probably come again, according to Rauch.
Nursing reform defended
Of course, other topics were also discussed in the second half: Rauch defended the care reform, for example, that no one had been forgotten. However, the objections would be viewed in the course of the assessment process in order to “improve one or the other point”. At the same time, he made the states responsible: a lot is also their financial responsibility (“They will have to spend a lot more money there”).
Rauch defends care reform
Accusation “presumptuous and frivolous”
Rauch also defended the anti-inflation package, but rejected the accusation that it was not consistently socially accurate. The accusation that the one-off payments were useless was “presumptuous and frivolous” – although he admitted that there were “scatter losses” (in the direction of financially better off people). However, this could not be taken into account in the speed with which the measures were taken. He takes criticism from the opposition “sportily” – after all, Germany would “envy” Austria.
When it comes to wealth and inheritance taxes, he wants to continue the debate, knowing that the ÖVP will not move about it (“It’s drilling hard boards”). Demanding a fair contribution from those with millions of inheritances “can’t be wrong,” says Rauch. If you don’t do that, you drive “socially to the wall”. The aim cannot be that people take to the streets to protest out of social dissatisfaction.
Anti-inflation package defended
The debate about ways to save energy was also an issue: Rauch spoke out against obligations here, preferring instead to rely on consulting services. So you should advise people so that they can see how this “affects the bill”. “Every terawatt hour that we save makes us less dependent on Putin,” said Rauch.
Poor “Snapshots” Polls
The state of the coalition was also discussed: despite the fact that the coalition partner ÖVP is under pressure, something is going on, according to Rauch. In view of the challenges, new elections are the wrong approach, according to Rauch. Bad surveys and weak popularity ratings for the coalition are snapshots, and work will continue until autumn 2024, said Rauch. It has been proven that it is crisis-proof and that the Greens are a stable factor.
Everyone had to pay the “Scheche des System Kurz” and now it’s a matter of reappraisal. “What happened there can’t be excused by anyone.” Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) has a completely different style than Kurz, there is handshake quality, things are discussed, even though system changes are currently underway, for example in the ÖVP corruption U -committee. According to Rauch, the ÖVP recognized the need for action.
Greens not “old and worn out”
He dismissed as unfair the fact that Austria’s Greens appeared “old and worn out” compared to those in Germany. “I’m old, I’m not worn out,” said Rauch and criticized the fact that Robert Habeck was praised in Germany for the same things that Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) was scolded for in this country. He himself wants to remain a minister until the end of the 2024 legislative period, but no longer.
Opposition criticizes
The opposition reacted to Rauch’s statements with criticism. “The Minister of Social Affairs can still praise the anti-inflation package to the skies, so the one-off payments are still not enough,” said SPÖ vice club boss Jörg Leichtfried in a broadcast.
The FPÖ also found nothing but self-praise. Rauch’s statements on social policy are a fiasco, criticized social spokeswoman Dagmar Belakowitsch. Similarly, Gerald Loacker (NEOS): “When the government reaches for the watering can and grants everyone in Austria, even the best earners and the wealthy, any vouchers and bonuses, that’s not wasted, it’s incompetence.”