14th session of the state parliament

Dispute over “debt avalanche”, unity on the wolf

At the 14th session of the state parliament, everything revolved around the country's finances. But the wolf was not neglected either.

(Bild: Felix Justich)

Although the current session dealt with the financial situation in Carinthia and the budget, the most heated issue was a dispute over the rules of procedure. But everyone agrees on the wolf.

The 14th Carinthian parliamentary session took place today under the watchful eyes of Carinthian schoolchildren from Spittal and Klagenfurt. "This is the mayor, what color are the governing parties?" The interested young Carinthians were fully involved right from the start. And they had a little time, as the start was slightly delayed. A citizens' initiative from St. Egyden bei Velden had presented a petition for an elementary school to Reinhart Rohr, President of the Provincial Parliament.

Where are Carinthia's finances heading?
In terms of topics, the current hour was all about the state's finances, and the financial difficulties of the municipalities were also addressed by some members of parliament. Team Carinthia set the tone under the title "Quo vadis Carinthian finances?" and did not spare any harsh criticism of the government and Gaby Schaunig, the finance minister. "If a deficit of almost 500 million euros is seen as a kind of financing framework in the state budget, then that foreshadows bad things," emphasized Gerhard Klocker, Team Kärnten. "This is irresponsible borrowing at the expense of future innovations."

Nevertheless, Klocker seems optimistic that something can change and hopes for constructive cooperation with the governing parties on the subject of finances for Carinthia. Manuela Lobnik, SPÖ, picked up on this positive tone: "The largest items are health and social affairs, the second is education. Spending in these areas directly helps people."

Flood instead of sustainability
However, FPÖ leader Erwin Angerer did not share this optimism and view at all. "The motto for the finances of this coalition does not seem to be sustainability, but 'behind me the deluge'," criticized Angerer, who also sees other problem areas. "Not only is there a misguided energy policy, but under the government, post haggling is flourishing again. And the fact that the mayor of St. Veit is not accepting our urgent motion is the height of abuse of power." While this statement drew applause from the blue club, the enthusiasm of the governing parties was endless. Also for his demand to "free the municipal supervisory authority from the stranglehold of the SPÖ".

The opposition's criticism was countered by ÖVP Club Chairman Markus Malle. "We have prepared the budget like a prudent businessman, setting expenditure at a maximum and income at a minimum," he explained. "However, the 492 million euros are indeed a bitter pill to swallow and a clear mandate for structural reforms."

Köfer warns of an avalanche of debt
TK boss Gerhard Köfer, who cites Spittal as a positive example of how to manage (he is mayor there), is also calling for this. "You have to be careful - old and new debts quickly turn into new taxes. 6.4 billion euros by 2027 represents an unprecedented avalanche of debt. For a Carinthian baby, that means a debt backpack of around 11,300 euros," Köfer calculates and draws a bow. "If you don't pay back 50 euros you're a scrounger, with 50,000 euros you end up in court, with 500 million you're a finance officer." Nevertheless, he also hopes for cooperation: "We would be delighted if the opposition were involved."

For the finance officer Gaby Schaunig, however, the opposition lacks a budgetary mindset. "If all the opposition parties' proposals were added together, the budget would double," she fires back and wants all proposals to include the financial implications in future. However, Schaunig is also not satisfied with the provincial debt: "6.4 billion cannot be the goal. If we stay below 4 billion, we will reduce debt - everyone should take responsibility."

Municipalities are particularly suffering from the situation
Due to the current situation, the municipalities are having a particularly hard time. "Radenthein's free financial injection has fallen from 900,000 euros to minus 400,000 euros since 2013. This is causing the investment engine to stall," warns Michael Maier, ÖVP. Michael Reiner, FPÖ, is even clearer: "The municipalities have their backs to the wall. The state has a spending problem, but instead of addressing this, the municipalities are being fleeced."

There are not only good times. We have to pull together. Municipalities are the beacons for the mood of the population.

Michael Maier, ÖVP

Dispute over rules of procedure
While Herbert Gaggl, ÖVP, considers the budget to be "moving in the right direction", Josef Ofner, FPÖ, calls on the government to "deny reality" and Günter Leikam, SPÖ, recommends Erwin Angerer to emigrate to Lower Austria, a loud argument about the rules of procedure breaks out in the plenary. At least the students are amused. The current hour is concluded by Karl Markut, who warns of "the red mountain of debt" and calls for "courage to change".

Einstimmiger Beschluss

Beim Thema Wolf sind sich alle einig

Things then continue much more harmoniously on the topic of alpine pasture protection - the legislative proposal for the first Carinthian alpine pasture and pasture protection law is presented. "It's not about putting the protection of one animal above the protection of another. Let's get away from counting dead animals. There is now also movement on this issue in the EU," explains Deputy Provincial Governor Martin Gruber and calls for the decision to be widely supported.

Stefanie Ofner, ÖVP, recalls the terrible images from the Carinthian mountain pastures and thanks Gruber for the wolf ordinance: "The population breathed a sigh of relief." Franz-Josef Smrtnik, Team Carinthia, emphasizes that Carinthia lives from agriculture and also praises Gruber. "This shows that we are capable of making a difference in Carinthia. The protection measures demanded are often the utopian dreams of desk-bound hunters," criticizes the farmer and hunter. "The wolf should be scared off by the measures. We have to live with it, we don't want to eradicate the wolf."

For Dietmar Rauter from the FPÖ, however, the new rules are only a first step: "We are in favor of hunting wolves all year round. This is the best way to protect herds - that's why the protection status needs to be lowered at EU level." The law was then actually passed unanimously by all parties - a unity that is usually sought in vain.

Beschluss gegen Laborfleisch

However, a common line was also found across all parties on a second agricultural issue. The Carinthian state parliament also voted unanimously against the approval of laboratory meat. There is only disagreement as to who ultimately set the ball rolling.

The Blue Party is pleased that the FPÖ motion was passed unanimously: "All parties in the state parliament are united behind the demand that the production, sale and marketing of laboratory meat in Austria should be banned by law." The ÖVP, on the other hand, is also talking about its own initiative - Stefanie Ofner proudly explains: "This is a clear signal against meat from test tubes - real, local food has priority." Success has many mothers and fathers, only failure is an orphan ...