2023-05-14 12:02:48
The leader of the Greens in the National Council, Siegrid Maurer, appeals to the SPÖ to reconsider their announced blockade of two-thirds matters. The “constructive forces in social democracy” should return to the negotiating table, she said in the ORF “press hour” on Sunday. Mauerer called the behavior of the SPÖ “short-sighted and irresponsible”. Above all, important measures such as climate protection would suffer.
Although it is “completely legitimate” for the opposition to criticize the government with all available means, the Greens club chairwoman confessed. However, the mandataries were elected and had sworn to work for the benefit of the population, she noted. With its announced blockade, the SPÖ is using “extortionate” methods. After all, it is about such important matters as the Renewable Heat Act and the Energy Efficiency Act.
The SPÖ reacted promptly. Maurer is running a “perpetrator-victim reversal,” accused the deputy head of the red club, Jörg Leichtfried, of the Greens. The blockade is about putting pressure on a government “that is driving the country to the wall socially and economically,” he justified the measure in a broadcast. The SPÖ is here “the advocate of the population, which can no longer shoulder the record price increase”.
The negotiations on the Freedom of Information Act are also affected by the blockade. As announced by Constitutional Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP), a draft should be presented in June, announced Maurer. “Yes, that’s the plan, the negotiations are being finalized.” In the political vote on an independent commander in the judiciary, the proposals are on the table. The Greens still want a Senate rather than a single federal attorney with sole power.
Maurer defended the government’s hesitant action against inflation – the real reason for the SPÖ blockade – according to the opposition. “Of course I would also like to have a miracle solution,” she said. The fact that there are still no immediate measures on food prices is also due to the trade representatives themselves, who said no to everything at the most recent summit. “If we make a VAT reduction, we have to guarantee that it will be passed on,” says Maurer.
Another crisis-related phenomenon, the so-called climate glue, defended Maurer in principle. The measures are “sometimes drastic”, but “I can totally support the request”. Opinions may differ when it comes to the choice of means. However, the Greens were surprised that the excitement about the form of protest itself was greater than about the actual problem, the climate crisis. “What counts is that young people get involved in politics and their concerns,” says Maurer.
Despite all the differences of opinion with the chancellor party ÖVP, Maurer believes that the coalition will continue: “We are determined to govern until the end of this legislative period.” The Greens were disappointed with the approaches of the coalition partner to the Freedom Party and the coalition in Lower Austria. However, she did not want to name a desired coalition partner after the upcoming National Council elections. “I don’t bother speculating about what will happen in a year and a half.”
The Liberal General Secretary Michael Schnedlitz described the “lost attempts at explanation” by the green club chairwoman as “poor and unworthy of a club chairwoman”. For NEOS climate and environment spokesman Michael Bernhard it is completely irresponsible that the SPÖ wants to prevent important laws in climate protection. “But the fact that we have had to wait years for the climate protection law or the energy efficiency law is due to the failure of the turquoise-green federal government.”
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