"Do not agree"

National Council: Further dispute over renaturation law

Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig (ÖVP)

(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

The EU renaturation law continues to cause disagreement between the coalition partners ÖVP and the Greens. Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler would like to approve it, but ÖVP Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig emphasized in the National Council on Thursday that it is still expected to be rejected. 

He assumes that Gewessler will "abide by the law" and not agree to the EU renaturation law at the meeting with her EU counterparts next Monday, said Totschnig during a question and answer session in the National Council. He considers the 2.5-hectare target for soil protection to be "realistic".

Deep rifts between coalition parties
The rifts between the two coalition parties were once again revealed in the National Council when it came to the EU renaturation law. The Greens used Question Time to appeal to the Minister of Agriculture, in the person of MP Ulrike Maria Böker, to ensure that Austria agrees to the EU renaturation law next week.

Totschnig rejects this, referring to the unified negative opinion of the federal states, to which the Climate Minister is bound in the vote. But even if this were to be overturned, Gewessler would not be allowed to give her consent without the agreement of her coalition partner, according to the legal opinion of the ÖVP. The Green Minister takes a different view.

Gewessler reaffirms approval
On the sidelines of a press conference on Thursday, Gewessler emphasized that she will continue to campaign for the renaturation law. "I will do everything I can to ensure that Austria can approve the most important nature conservation law at European level. We have not yet reached our goal, I have to say that, but you can rest assured that I am working on it," said the Climate Minister in response to a question as to whether she would approve the law. The fact that the Vienna state government has confirmed its approval of the law is "a step in the right direction", said Gewessler.

FPÖ senses possible dismissal
The FPÖ wanted to know from Totschnig whether preliminary talks were already underway to dismiss Gewessler as minister if the EU law was approved. The Agriculture Minister was confident that his Green ministerial colleague would abide by the law. Totschnig argued his rejection of the EU law on the restoration of nature on the grounds that it had a "historical perspective". It would also have a negative impact on agriculture because it would result in excessive bureaucracy.

FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl in the National Council on Wednesday

(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

With regard to soil protection, the Minister of Agriculture was confident that the government's goal of slowing down soil consumption to 2.5 hectares per day could be achieved even without a binding target. Unfortunately, it had not been possible to concretize the target formulation with the federal states. However, the measures have been formulated and "if they are implemented as agreed, then achieving the 2.5 hectare target is realistic", said Totschnig.