2023-05-12 17:50:34
Brief debate on finance minister’s query response
Vienna (PK) – The FPÖ resents the costs that taxpayers incurred in times of economic hardship through the participation of government members in the 2023 Opera Ball. The Freedom Party addressed a corresponding one query response by Finance Minister Magnus Brunner in a short debate at today’s National Council session.
Participation in the Opera Ball 2023 offered the opportunity to hold numerous dialogues with high-ranking representatives from the Austrian economy, with foreign politicians and business representatives as well as with media representatives, according to the Finance Minister’s response to the query. The Ministry of Finance (BMF) has no records of the expenses of other departments. A tier box was booked for the BMF on the occasion of the 2023 Opera Ball. According to the response to the inquiry, a total of around €46,000 was spent on the German and Austrian delegations.
FPÖ: Minister of Finance should be a role model for thrift, expediency and economy
Thomas Spalt (FPÖ) admitted that the Opera Ball was part of the culture and an economic factor and served to represent the federal government. However, he compared the €46,000 “just for the Minister of Finance for a single ball night” to the average gross income in Austria, which also amounts to €46,000. An inquiry with Labor Minister Kocher also revealed an amount of around €30,000 that had been spent on the opera ball. Spalt criticized that the role model functions in thrift, practicality and economy at the Opera Ball had probably become null and void. The ÖVP left “our people” out in the rain with regard to inflation, as did Peter Schmiedlechner (FPÖ), instead tax money was “squandered”.
Tursky: The Opera Ball is a worldwide calling card and place of representation
State Secretary Florian Tursky explained that the Opera Ball is part of the Viennese identity and, as a global visiting card abroad, part of what makes Austria special. It is therefore well-established practice to represent Austria there as a member of the government and to forge alliances in order to serve the population and the economy to take advantage of it. Traditionally, the opera ball is used by all parties to represent Austria to the outside world. At this year’s Opera Ball, Finance Minister Magnus Brunner was particularly concerned with talking to the German Finance Minister, who was present in Vienna, about German-Austrian economic relations.
Debate about representation and inflation
Christoph Stark (ÖVP) also emphasized that the Opera Ball is considered a state ball, with a tradition since 1955. It represents an enormous economic factor and the net profit goes 1:1 into the opera’s operations. In addition, the FPÖ today denounces what they themselves have lived in the past. Stark listed some FPÖ ministers who had been guests at the Opera Ball themselves.
Olga Voglauer (Greens) also described the Opera Ball as the “Ball of the Republic”, and that is something to be proud of. In contrast, the Akademikerball of the FPÖ does not serve the republic “at all” and, according to her, “should no longer be accommodated” in Austria. As far as responsibility for tax money is concerned, Voglauer, on the other hand, criticized the FPÖ for its behavior in previous events.
Karin Greiner (SPÖ), in turn, joined the FPÖ’s criticism that €46,000 in tax money would be used up in a real inflation crisis. On the other hand, the government has not solved any problems affecting the population and has so far failed to provide any answers.
From Julia Seidl’s (NEOS) point of view, it’s always about the relationship. She spoke out against reducing the matter to just inflation, especially since it is always a matter of assuming responsibility.
At the end of the day of the special session, the National Council voted on three motions to set a deadline. Two deadlines were accepted for new motions submitted by the coalition parties. On the one hand, the budget committee is to have a Application report on the announced “package of measures against inflation”, which concerns, for example, an extension of the reduction in electricity and natural gas taxes. On the other hand, the environmental committee is to report by May 23 on a Application on the Waste Management Act, the topic here is, for example, the prevention of the destruction of food. An application by the FPÖ to set a deadline for their application for an immediate implementation of the safety upgrade of the S 37 Klagenfurter expressway remained in the minority and was rejected. (End of National Council) mbu
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