The federal government is advising on an expanded test obligation for travelers returning as a step against the increasing number of corona infections.

A spokeswoman for the FAZ announced that the Federal Ministry of Health was in favor of "the fastest possible expansion of the test obligations upon entry."

The votes within the government have not yet been completed.

Federal Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) announced on Tuesday that they were in "constructive talks on revising the rules for return travelers" and that they were working together on a solution.

Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) had already made it clear last week that the obligation to test should be expanded very quickly.

Reinhard Bingener

Political correspondent for Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Bremen based in Hanover.

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Eckart Lohse

Head of the parliamentary editorial office in Berlin.

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Timo Frasch

Political correspondent in Munich.

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On Tuesday afternoon, the Union Prime Ministers discussed how to deal with the pandemic.

It should also be a question of whether people who have not been vaccinated should be given less freedom than others.

It was also discussed which resolutions should be taken at the next Corona meeting of all Prime Ministers with Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU).

Berlin's Governing Mayor Michael Müller (SPD) announced on Tuesday that they wanted to meet on August 10th.

"Freedom yes, security at least equal"

So far, there has been a general obligation to test for all flight passengers. A negative test result (or proof of a complete vaccination or recovery from a corona infection) must be presented before returning to Germany. According to the ideas of Spahn and Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU), a test should in principle be required in the future, regardless of the areas from which and with which means of transport travelers come to Germany. Stationary border controls are apparently not part of the concept. Vaccinated and recovered people would also be excluded here.

On Wednesday, an entry regulation was passed by the federal cabinet without the tightening that is now being sought. It is valid until September 10th. The Bavarian Prime Minister and CSU boss Markus Söder criticized the struggle in the federal government for mandatory corona tests for travelers returning. Spahn's proposal came to nothing, said Söder on Tuesday after a meeting of the Bavarian cabinet. The holidays in Bavaria are over by September 11th. “It's all very late. The vacation dates didn't just fall out of the blue. ”Looking at the Union, he said:“ It won't be enough to hope that the Corona goblet will simply pass us by before the federal election and that we won't have to make a decision. ”About the topic “In the end, the federal election will also be decided”.

It is a matter of defining a “clear line”: “Freedom yes, security at least the same.” The decisive question is how to improve the vaccination rate and how to return the freedom rights “especially of the vaccinated”.

Söder called the proposal by Chancellery Minister Helge Braun (CDU) to limit the freedoms of non-vaccinated people "very prospective".

He shares “not every detail” in the Chancellery’s view, but “a lot”.

Are there more rights for vaccinated people?

Söder resisted the presentation that "pressure" was built on those who did not want to be vaccinated. The decision is made by everyone. In a “free, self-reliant society”, however, one also has to live with the consequences of the decision. According to Söder, this also means in the long run that unvaccinated people, if they have let a vaccination offer expire, have to pay for their tests themselves, with the exception of those who cannot be vaccinated. The “exciting question” is also whether there should be “more exclusive rights for vaccinated people”. According to Söder, it is "relatively clear" that it will be "relatively soon" that "for example, as far as access to events is concerned ... the vaccinated simply have to have unlimited opportunities". That is the "decisive incentive to vaccinate that we will have".

Lower Saxony is tightening the corona requirements for discos and shisha bars due to many new infections and closes such "particularly critical areas" above a regional incidence value of ten. At the same time, the red-black state government allows easing for institutions at the regional level. Counties and cities will in future be allowed to exempt areas such as tourism, education, childcare and sport from stricter corona requirements despite rising incidence values, although the state's ordinance provides for such.