Corona Amnesty: A Comedy of Errors or a Serious Proposal?
Potsdam is buzzing with the latest political absurdity, and, naturally, it’s the brainchild of the BSW in Brandenburg. They’re proposing a Corona amnesty law that has made its way into the exploratory document with the SPD. That’s right, folks, a chance for a free pass on fines related to the pandemic, because nothing says “We’re taking this seriously” like a campaign promise about getting off the hook for government-imposed rules!
The Study Commission: A Prestigious Parade of Political Posturing
So, Robert Crumbach, the state boss of BSW, has declared that they’re going to form a study commission. It’s a fancy term for a group of MPs and experts who will gather to propose the exact flavor of amnesty we’re talking about. I can already picture these political hotshots, furrowing their brows as they try to figure out how to legally justify letting people off the hook for sitting too close on a park bench.
“How do those people who have stuck to everything think about it?”
More than 16,000 Coronary Violations? That’s Impressive!
Over 16,000 administrative offenses were identified in Brandenburg! Fines racked up more than €2.5 million, but only 778,000 euros have been collected to date. You could say the municipalities are feelingsubpoena’d — stuck between wanting the enforcement of the laws they implemented and the nonsense of possibly having to refund everyone once this amnesty kicks in.
Not All Crimes are Equal: A Cautionary Tale
Crumbach is keen to reassure us that not all violations will be covered under this potential amnesty. After all, if you forged a vaccination card, you might still be in trouble. Because nothing screams “we’re learning from our mistakes” like saying “You can sit closely, but please don’t forge anything that could actually save lives.”
The Government Fumble: House of Cards or House of Fines?
The entire nation seems to be undecided. The fuss extends beyond Brandenburg, as even Bavaria’s PM has called for a halt to ongoing fine proceedings. If I didn’t know better, I’d say politicians have suddenly found their hearts — or perhaps something else entirely — now that people are grumbling about their unpaid fines. Divine intervention, or just a political rebrand? You decide!
An Ethical Quandary: The Good, the Bad, and the Fined
So here’s the crux of the matter: it’s rather comical that as the social fabric unravels in the wake of pandemic chaos — we’re now trying to mitigate the emotional fallout of people who actually followed the rules. I mean, how do you explain to a rule-abiding citizen that those enjoying a socially-distanced picnic on their own terms might get a payback while they might as well have been the Boy Scouts earning their “Stay-at-Home” badge?
Conclusion: A Political Circus or Necessary Dialogue?
All things considered, will this Corona amnesty initiative be a shining example of political redemption or just another comedic act in the ongoing farce that is post-pandemic governance? Only time will tell if Brandenburg’s study commission will provide the solutions the people need, or if they’ll simply serve up a slice of bureaucracy garnished with a side of political theatrics.
Tune in next week, folks! Same time, same place—and always too many ads in between!
Potsdam. The BSW’s controversial campaign promise in Brandenburg has gained traction, finding its way into a joint exploratory paper with the SPD, potentially taking center stage in the state parliament: a proposed Corona amnesty law. As coalition negotiations commence next week, this initiative is set to spark significant discussions.
“We have agreed to establish a study commission. This commission will be tasked with formulating proposals for a Corona amnesty law,” stated Robert Crumbach, the BSW state leader, highlighting the initiative’s legitimacy.
Study commission should provide proposals for a Corona amnesty law
Such study commissions are employed infrequently in the political arena, typically comprising both MPs and subject matter experts, aimed at dissecting complex legislative issues. The insights gathered by this commission could potentially lead to key recommendations for drafting effective legislation.
For the establishment of a study commission, a minimum of one-third of the representatives in the state parliament must express their agreement. Given the current political landscape, this threshold seems achievable.
The AfD parliamentary group, which represents a significant portion of the MPs, has expressed support for initiating the commission. However, they intend to withdraw their previous request for an additional investigative committee to scrutinize the handling of the corona pandemic, which they clarified on Tuesday.
The Commission will need to address the nuances of how the proposed amnesty law should be effectively formatted and legally established. Robert Crumbach, the lawyer spearheading this initiative, emphasized the complexity of the task, stating, “Developing an amnesty law cannot be accomplished hastily within a few weeks.” There are various legal-political dimensions that must be navigated.
During the election campaign, the BSW advocated for various forms of compensation for individuals penalized for breaching Corona protocols. Crumbach pointed to instances such as individuals congregating on a park bench without observing the mandated social distancing as quintessential examples warranting potential amnesty.
More than 16,000 Corona fines were imposed in Brandenburg
In Brandenburg alone, local authorities identified over 16,000 administrative violations of the Infection Protection Act. These figures, sourced from the June report by the Corona Investigation Committee, encompass the period from September 2020 to November 2022.
Despite the reported numbers, the tally of violations may not be complete, as certain counties failed to submit their data. Consequently, the true extent of administrative offenses is presumably even greater.
Fines were levied for various infractions, including unauthorized gatherings in public spaces, failure to adhere to social distancing requirements, non-compliance with mask mandates, breaches of night-time curfews, and the absence of hygiene measures in retail and hospitality businesses.
Corona amnesty: Not all crimes should be included
In Brandenburg, police crime statistics revealed 42 instances of more serious violations of the Infection Protection Act that were addressed through criminal law. These included breaches of quarantine orders and illicit gatherings.
Crumbach, head of the BSW in Brandenburg, has suggested that an amnesty would likely not extend to offenses beyond the Infection Protection Act, particularly in cases involving fraud related to Corona aid, which would be classified as subsidy fraud. “That’s certainly out of the question,” he asserted.
Individuals implicated in illicit documentation practices related to Corona in Brandenburg, numbering over 600, should not expect leniency under a potential amnesty. Furthermore, fraudulent activities associated with testing centers would remain prosecutable, although such cases are relatively sparse, having resulted in only 17 investigations.
The municipalities demanded more than 2.5 million euros in fines
The total fines levied by municipalities have surpassed 2.5 million euros in Brandenburg. However, as the investigative committee report indicates, only a fraction of 778,000 euros has been successfully collected to date.
It remains uncertain whether municipalities would be required to reimburse fines if an amnesty were granted, a process likely to impose significant administrative burdens, which local governments would expect the state to cover. Typically, public order offices operated under the directives established by federal and state governments during the pandemic.
Although the specifics of the amnesty proposal are still murky, municipalities are responding with caution. Jens Graf, managing director of the Brandenburg Association of Cities and Municipalities, expressed support for the notion of a study commission, while emphasizing that initial discussions should focus less on financial implications.
“How do those people who have stuck to everything think about it?”
Jens Graf
Managing Director of the Brandenburg Association of Cities and Municipalities
The discourse surrounding Corona protective measures is intricate and layered. Ethical considerations must also be examined: “What are the sentiments of those who adhered to the regulations?” Graf reminds us that navigating this period was undeniably challenging for everyone.
Other federal states are also considering an amnesty
In addition to Brandenburg, other federal states are engaging in discussions regarding potential Corona amnesty initiatives. Notably, Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) recently suggested pausing all ongoing fine proceedings related to Corona measure violations, stating, “We need peace here.” Details surrounding Söder’s proposal have yet to be divulged.
Meanwhile, the Saxon State Chancellery initiated an internal review concerning an amnesty for fines earlier in the year, though they deemed the prospect of success unlikely. Legal and organizational obstacles were cited in a report by the Sächsische Zeitung, advising that an amnesty regulation should be approached with caution.
The AfD’s corona amnesty request in the state parliament was rejected by the government
The decisions made by the state government and relevant authorities during the corona pandemic have been scrutinized multiple times within the state parliament. The recent conclusions of the second committee of inquiry were presented in late June and underscored that the government had not acted inappropriately, as indicated by a majority verdict.
This isn’t the first moment where a call for a Corona amnesty emerged: the AfD previously advocated for it in the Brandenburg state parliament but failed to secure the necessary backing. During a debate in September 2023, the AfD reiterated its request for an amnesty covering Corona violations along with provisions for refunding fines.
Responding to the AfD’s position, Brandenburg’s Health Minister Ursula Nonnemacher (Greens) criticized their perspective, portraying it as a “highly strange understanding of the state, particularly in terms of the separation of powers and judiciary independence.” She defended the proportionality of penalties and emphasized their judicial validation, gaining consensus from the SPD and CDU.
Nonnemacher confidently reiterated that the protective measures implemented during the pandemic were essential for safeguarding the population, particularly vulnerable individuals, and for ensuring that the healthcare system was not overwhelmed.
MAZ
