EU top candidate

“I am black through and through”

(Bild: krone.tv)

Reinhold Lopatka, the ÖVP's top EU candidate, was a guest on "Rainer Nowak Talk". He spoke on krone.tv about the upcoming elections, Wolfgang Schüssel and the FPÖ then and now.

Reinhold Lopatka found clear words in an interview with Rainer Nowak and "Krone" political expert Petja Mladenova. "The clear goal is for the European People's Party to come out on top in the EU elections. The second goal is for the ÖVP to make a proper contribution." Under Sebastian Kurz, the party achieved 34.5 percent in the last elections; that won't work out this time, said journalist Mladenova, and Lopatka knew that too. However, the elections were held shortly after Ibiza and Sebastian Kurz was the driving force. The main motive for the election, according to Lopatka.

However, the Styrian only has a limited opinion of the poor polls for himself and his party. They have often been wrong. "But of course they are an incentive. There is no reason to sit back."

Reinhold Lopatka, EU lead candidate for the ÖVP

(Bild: krone.tv)

He himself had not imposed himself, he had been approached by Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer as to whether he wanted to run. "I was approached by Nehammer, I said yes, as did I when I was asked whether I wanted to become head of delegation."

He has a good relationship with party rebel Othmar Karas. "We were in the school union together, applied to join the EU together and still work very well together today. That won't change after the election either." Lopatka also appreciates the SP candidate Andreas Schieder and was very pleased to have been together during discussions.

"What happens in Austria after the election is no longer my cup of coffee."
 "Are you Turkish or black?" Nowak wanted to know. He had been influenced by Erhard Busek, by Ursula Plassnig and most of all by Wolfgang Schüssel. "So black through and through".

How does the former black-blue advocate feel about the FPÖ today? "We say: if the Union didn't exist, it would have to be invented. The FPÖ today says that the EU has failed, the future lies with nation states. Vilimsky even speaks of a madhouse. They want to destroy the project. We say yes, there are problems that need to be solved. With migration or over-regulation."

In the government with the FPÖ under Schüssel, there was a preamble - they wanted to continue to work actively on the further development of the EU. "Kickl and Vilimsyk will never sign such a preamble. The FPÖ under Kickl is different from the one we worked with during my time."

In general, however, Lopatka clearly states: "My area is Europe, what happens after the elections in Austria is not my cup of coffee."