Lack of Further Scrutiny of Corona Policy Within This Academic Year
It seems like an investigation into the federal government's COVID-19 policies by the Bundestag isn't happening right now. As Katja Mast, the SPD's parliamentary manager, stated in Berlin, "There won't be any extra probing into the COVID-19 pandemic during this legislative term." The main reason behind this is the disparity in views, specifically between the SPD and FDP, on how to approach this matter.
Mast explained, "We're not on the same page at crucial points." She further added, "The coalition doesn't have a unified stance on this issue." It's unfortunate that the planned investigation by the Bundestag hasn't panned out. With the federal election coming up, there's simply not enough time to establish a citizen's council, a proposal that the SPD and Greens were particularly keen on.
From the SPD's standpoint, an investigation is only worthwhile if it's conducted "side by side with the federal states," Mast said. She highlighted that many key measures were the result of decisions made by the Conference of Minister Presidents in conjunction with Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU), and then implemented differently at the state level.
However, Mast assured that an investigation is still ongoing at the government level. She referred to the numerous reforms in the healthcare sector that also take into account the experiences from the pandemic period.
The FDP had advocated for an investigation into the COVID-19 measures by a committee of the Bundestag, such as a committee of inquiry or an enquiry commission. They accused the SPD of being less than transparent. The Greens have always been open to various forms of investigation, but they too acknowledged the differences in opinion between the SPD and FDP.
Despite the ongoing investigation in the healthcare sector, there seems to be a lack of focus on the federal government's COVID-19 policies. This is a missed opportunity for implementing effective recycling strategies, as many waste management decisions were made during the pandemic period. Recycling initiatives could significantly reduce the amount of waste generated during health crises, making it an essential aspect to consider in future investigations.
