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Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) - Baden-Württemberg's Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) wants to avoid possible controls at the borders with France and Switzerland with the help of mass tests.
In letters to Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann and Health Minister Manne Lucha (both Greens), which are available to the dpa, Strobl writes: «Since we will not make quick enough progress with vaccinations for the foreseeable future, I would like to urge you to use a comprehensive test strategy contain the pandemic in the border regions as best as possible. "
The Vice-Prime Minister reacted to the Federal Government's decision on Sunday to make entry from the French region of Moselle, which borders Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, more difficult.
With effect from Tuesday, the region was classified as a so-called virus variant area.
Strobl wrote: «If our neighboring countries are also classified by the federal government as" virus variant areas "or" high incidence areas ", there is a risk of renewed internal border controls.
From my point of view, this scenario must be avoided as a matter of urgency. "
From his point of view, a jointly operated Franco-German and a German-Swiss test center would be conceivable.
The Vice Prime Minister continues: “A key part of the strategy should be to subject the companies located there to a test at least twice a week.
The necessary funds should be borne by the state.
The chambers of industry and commerce in the border regions also asked for the companies to be tested.
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Strobl explained: "We cannot provide security with a close-knit test strategy along the border, but we can do our part to ensure that at least no tightening of border controls is necessary there - that would be the worst-case scenario for the people living there."
At the first lockdown in spring, national border controls were introduced to prevent the virus from being imported from abroad as much as possible.
At that time there was bitter criticism of this measure because commuters, families and companies suffered from it.
In the future, travelers from the department with its approximately one million inhabitants will have to show a negative corona test that is no older than 48 hours when entering Germany.
A quick test is sufficient.
Airlines and bus and train companies are no longer allowed to transport passengers from Moselle to Germany.
Exceptions are, among others, German citizens and foreigners living in Germany.
The movement of goods should not be impaired either.
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Stationary border controls such as those at the borders with the Czech Republic and the Austrian state of Tyrol should not exist at the border with France, according to dpa information.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210228-99-629119 / 2
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