“We certainly won’t have a ban on smoking outdoors,” ÖVP club chairman August Wöginger reiterated the People’s Party’s stance in the direction of the Green Health Minister Johannes Rauch. “Everyone should continue to be free to decide whether or not to smoke outdoors. This is the responsibility of people themselves, and this should not be restricted by a ban.” Chancellor Karl Nehammer has also already made it clear that such proposals are completely the wrong approach.
Wöginger was satisfied that a corresponding resolution had already been rejected in the plenary session of the European Parliament. “The EU is an important project and has necessary tasks to fulfill. It should therefore better deal with the big issues at hand, such as the fight against illegal migration, reducing bureaucracy or strengthening the business location, where we as the European Union can achieve something together for the people of Europe. Sure, we all know that smoking is unhealthy and we have to protect non-smokers from tobacco smoke – but there is sufficient protection for non-smokers in Austria,” concluded the club chairman. (Ending)
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