On Friday evening, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen appealed to the community feeling in view of the widening rifts in society and called not to allow a split. In a televised address, the Federal President described the decision of the federal government with the state governors for a lockdown as “now correct – even if it came very late.”
“The development in the hospitals is too drastic, the situation in which we have come as a community is too dangerous. It just couldn’t go on like this, ”said the Federal President. “It’s about protecting and saving human lives. I ask you, do your part to ensure that we can cope with this fourth wave as well and as quickly as possible, ”the Federal President appealed to the citizens.
Van der Bellen pointed out that in a democratic society each and every individual has rights, such as fundamental and civil liberties, human rights. But there are also “human obligations. The duty to be there for one another. The duty not to look away. The duty to help, the duty to protect our community. And in the circumstances we are in now, one of those duties now becomes vaccination. The lockdown helps us break the acute wave. Compulsory vaccination can help us to prevent further waves. “
The Federal President warned urgently against a division in society: “The danger is great that the rifts will now become even deeper. But we cannot allow that to happen. We belong Together. We need each other. We condition each other. We are all Austria. And if the rift goes right through families and friendships, we must now remember that we are families. That we are friends. And the family and friendship is ultimately stronger, must ultimately be stronger than this virus. “
“Reciprocal accusations do not solve anything now. Nothing gets better now if we point our fingers at each other and direct our anger against them. Please let’s stop. Let’s look at the solution, ”Van der Bellen appealed to the Austrians. “It is our responsibility as citizens not to let anger, pain and anger dominate us now. Let us remember our virtues. The ability to see the good in each other. “
The Federal President thanked all Austrians who had been fighting this pandemic for 20 months and also got people in the mood for the future: “The coming weeks will demand a lot from us. We all, each and every one of us, must do everything we can to ensure that the fourth wave is broken and the next one can be prevented. Let’s not let ourselves be divided. Let’s build a strong community based on solidarity. Please help, ”appealed the head of state. (APA)
