FPÖ – Kassegger: WKÖ Secretary General Kopf criticizes his own anti-business policies and mocks the entrepreneurs

2023-08-10 10:48:06

ÖVP has permanently damaged Austria’s economy – Chamber of Commerce is swimming in the money of its compulsory members – Compulsory chamber fee must finally be abolished

Vienna (OTS) – “WKÖ General Secretary and ÖVP Mandator Kopf may now appear as an comedian, because I can’t explain his ‘flashes of genius’ any other way. Lamenting the shrinking of the economy, which one should not stand idly by, is nothing short of self-accusation. He can only direct his criticism at himself as an ÖVP member of the National Council and at his own party, the former business party ÖVP. Because after more than 30 years of economics ministry in the hands of the ÖVP and the current economic policy of the black-green federal government, our economy is in the worst position it has ever been. And ‘quite by the way’, Kopf also mocks every compulsory member of the Chamber of Commerce who finances the Chamber of Commerce on the basis of compulsory membership without being represented anywhere near well. Because while the number of company insolvencies is at a record high and entrepreneurs are hoping in vain for measures that make sense in terms of location policy, the Chamber of Commerce is swimming in the money of its compulsory members – with 63 million euros and thus a triple profit compared to 2021, it is the only winner of the ÖVP economic policy. Since the Austrian Chamber of Commerce does not represent the interests of entrepreneurs, it is time to finally abolish the mandatory chamber fee!” demanded FPÖ spokesman for economic affairs NAbg. Axel Kassegger the WKÖ General Secretary and ÖVP member of the National Council Karlheinz Kopf in view of his statement yesterday that the shrinking of the economy should not be watched idly.

The required measures, such as the reduction of taxes and duties to secure Austria as a business location, are directed by Kopf to himself, his own party, his own minister and his own chancellor. “Head also demands competitive energy prices. Does he mean the CO2 tax introduced by the ÖVP and the Greens, the retention of the merit order principle, which the ÖVP and the Greens do not want to abolish, or even the reductions in energy prices that the energy suppliers have not passed on to the entrepreneurs? By targeted funding for investment projects for decarbonization, does he mean additional tax money to finance the primarily ideology-driven climate change measures of the Green coalition partner? If so, then investments would have to be made in research and development,” Kassegger criticized the measures. There is also no need for compensation payments for CO2 certificates that distort competition – these should be abolished without replacement.

“Head is in the National Council himself and has been involved in every black crime against the domestic economy for years, so please take his nose by the nose and present his alleged concerns to his own Minister of Economic Affairs, Kocher, and Chancellor Nehammer. Otherwise no one will buy it from him. It’s time to finally make real politics for our entrepreneurs and the first real measure to relieve the burden is the abolition of compulsory membership. As the professional representation of entrepreneurs, the task of the WKÖ is certainly not to write at the expense of these profits, but to stand up for them and stand up for their interests – but that’s exactly what they don’t do,” says Kassegger. The Austrian Chamber of Commerce must finally face up to the competition: “Anyone who is convinced of the services of the Chamber of Commerce will also voluntarily pay the chamber levy.”

The required measures, such as the reduction of taxes and duties to secure Austria as a business location, are directed by Kopf to himself, his own party and his own minister and chancellor. “Head also demands competitive energy prices. Does he mean the CO2 tax introduced by the ÖVP and the Greens, the retention of the merit order principle, which the ÖVP and the Greens do not want to abolish, or even the reductions in energy prices that the energy suppliers have not passed on to the entrepreneurs? By targeted funding for investment projects for decarbonization, does he mean additional tax money to finance the primarily ideology-driven climate change measures of the Green coalition partner? If so, then investments would have to be made in research and development,” Kassegger criticized the measures. There is also no need for compensation payments for CO2 certificates that distort competition – these should be abolished without replacement.