Government meeting

Government meeting

The Carinthian state government celebrated a small anniversary on Monday. At its 25th meeting, the focus was on the EU, Hypo and a new bathhouse.

In line with the upcoming EU elections in June and Europe Day on 8 May, Governor Peter Kaiser addressed the development and use of the EU action programs in a press conference after the government meeting and took stock of the past EU funding period: "From Carinthia's perspective, many EU funding programs were used very well."

Through youth programs alone ("Erasmus+", "Discover EU" and the European Solidarity Corps), 23.7 million euros flowed into Carinthia. Thanks to this support, more than 2,100 young Carinthians got to know Europe and its different countries and cultures. 

In addition to the university sector, funding amounting to 47.7 million euros has also been received in the private sector in recent years. "The largest single item is the trans-European networks, which have brought over 72 million euros to Carinthia since 2014 in the areas of rail, road and waterways, energy and digital networks," says Peter Kaiser, who describes the federal state of Carinthia as a financial "net recipient" of the EU. "Around two billion euros have flowed to Carinthia as a net gain since our membership."

To stay with the money: An agreement was also passed, which will now be forwarded to the Carinthian state parliament. It concerns the establishment of a transparency database across regional authorities. "The aim is to make transparent which subsidies and support advertising bodies or private individuals receive," explains the provincial governor, explaining how duplicate subsidies and personnel costs are to be saved in future. However, this must be enshrined in the provincial constitution.

Deputy Governor Martin Gruber also has good news: "The KBV purchased a lakeside property from the municipality of Steindorf am Ossiachersee for EUR 1.92 million!" Together with a plot of land from the old portfolio of the Carinthian Investment Administration and a plot purchased in 2017, KBV now owns an area of around 1.6 hectares. "A tourism project in the form of a year-round bathhouse with public access to the lake is to be built there," announces Gruber. The area will only be leased, not sold. The invitation to tender is now being prepared.

Gruber also presented the deployment statistics for the state's mobile inspection train, which was able to inspect a total of 696 vehicles in 2023, 332 of which had serious defects and 170 of which were in imminent danger. "Unfortunately, this results in a slight increase in vehicles with defects to 47.7 percent." Over the next few years, the test train will not only be given a new inspection station along the B20, but will also be technically upgraded by 1.6 million.

Two wolf regulations: Risk wolf ordinance newly adopted. Specific mountain pastures designated as protection zones. Separate press event. "Both ordinances now allow us to better manage wolf predators and intervene more quickly".

Schaunig: Report on the Carinthian Compensation Payment Fund. "Pleasing" wrong word. Don't forget: Hypo high-risk gambling - for a liability millions of 24 billion euros - several times on the verge of insolvency. 2009 Chronicle Hypo, reference to Kerstin's story. 

KAF Can only be distributed after HEta is wound up (2027) (350 million). Close cooperation with the federal government, thanks to Schelling. Still too early to decide what to do with money. Dependent on interest rate situation. "Reading the crystal ball". 

"In all of this, we must not forget that Hypo-Heta has brought the state of Carinthia to the brink of insolvency more than once," Kaiser reminds us.